Has anyone read this? My neighbor recommended it and lent me a copy and I've been reading it over the past week. I'm really enjoying it. Her style of writing reminds me of OSCs: straightforward verbiage with emotionally conflicted characters struggling to make the right choice. Anyway, I really like it.
The problem is that I have come within 5 pages of the end of the novel and there is absolutely no way that she can satisfactorily conclude the different elements of the story in that amount of time. What gives? Is there some sort of amazing turn of events that wrap everything up in such a short span? Does she just cut it off in the middle? Is the story just left open ended?
I know, I know. I should just read the last 5 pages, right? Well, I'm at work for the next hour and I can't. It is really bugging me. Anywho, I'm not asking for spoilers or anything, just impressions of the book and a very general idea of what I can expect.
So tell me: have you read this? Did you like it? Is there anything else by this author I should check out?
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
There is a sequel, "Children of God".
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Really?! Well. Now that explains a lot. Thanks kmbboots. But it doesn't seem like there is enough story left to warrant an entire sequel, more like a couple of chapters. Does she introduce new elements or just continue the same story throughout a new novel?
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
I love both of the books. I don't think the second one was necessary to "complete" the first one, but it did resolve certain issues.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Do you mean that the first book will be complete in and of itself? Thats my big question. I mean...
SPOILERS
...I'm 5 pages from the end and Emilia hasn't even gotten to the city yet, much less become a prostitute, have his hands mutilated, kill the child. How is that all going to be explained in 5 pages?
Does the second book introduce a whole new set of characters? There is already a pretty full compliment and I very much enjoy them, so I'd like to see where they go.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
This is worth finishing. A lot happens at the very end. A friend I lent it to was absolutely floored by the emotional impact.
I liked the sequel because Russell explored what things look like from another perspective, much like the Shadow series (although this is also a chronological sequel rather than contemporaneous retelling).
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
I really liked it too, and hope to share it with my book club in the coming months. The real impact for me was the vast consequence of good intentions...that you can mean the best in the world and set in motion a series of events that end no where near what you meant initially...AND that honest, non-deceptive communication can be the basis of bigger misunderstandings than outright deception and evil intent. But throw deception and evil intent into the mix and you end up with even more of a mess. From that standpoint, I think Russell is a lot like OSC...those are angles he looks from a lot of the time.
The second book is well worth reading too.
And her latest book, set during WWII, is an excellent read as well.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I read both books and cannot count myself a Maria Doria Russell fan. The books did not connect with me. I'm not sure I can even explain why not, they just didn't.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
**SPOILERS FOR THE SPARROW AND CHILDREN OF GOD**
I loved them all. The very end of The Sparrow was one of the more intense emotional experiences I've ever gotten from the written word. It is up there, and may even surpass (please don't beat me up), the emotion in OSC's work. I just couldn't believe all that Emilio had been though and the injustice in the way he was treated upon returning to Earth.
Children of God was also really good, but I didn't like it as much as the first one. It seemed like they abandoned the idea of non-interference and the humans just started deciding what they thought was right and wrong and applying their moral system to an alien environment.
The two books did have a very interesting dichotomy though (correct me if I used that wrong). It seemed to me that The Sparrow, like jeniwren said, dealt a lot with good intentions yielding bad results. And then in Children of God the message seemed to be more focused on that it doesn't matter what your intentions were in the beginning, as long as everything worked out in the end. It was just a little too means-to-an-end for me. I was so angry that Emilio was taken from his family to be at the beginning that even the somewhat happy ending was tainted.
I just finished reading A Thread of Grace and I absolutely loved it. If you haven't read it, it is a story set in northern Italy during the last two years of WWII dealing with the desperate attempts at survival by Jewish exiles and the courageous help the received from the Italian villagers. The research and interviews that she did to develop the story really show in the believability of the characters. I believed every one and was so shocked at the end that I could hardly believe it. I really do think she is up there with OSC in her ability to expose the inner workings of human emotions and relationships. Really, just breathtaking. I fully recommend this novel to anyone who is a Card fan, and I assume that means all of you.
Also, on a side note, I heard that the film rights for The Sparrow have been purchased by.... Brad Pitt. That pretty much means that we can expect him to play Emilio in the movie, which I think is a horrible fit. He would do much better as Jimmy or one of the other Jesuits. Ooh, especially D.W. Yarburough(sp?). I think Johnny Depp would play a perfect Emilio.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
vonk, I'm so glad you liked them too. They'll be on my 'favorites' list for years to come also.
Re: Children of God, I think the prevailing message is that no bad thing is so bad it cannot be redeemed. And, because of my particular world view, I think it is also about how God is in control. Which is to say that a sparrow may fall, but it won't be without purpose, or, ultimately, reward.
I should go back and re-read A Thread of Grace again now. It's been a while.
And I agree...Johnny Depp would be a great Emilio.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I'm so glad you liked them too. They'll be on my 'favorites' list for years to come also.