The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was jaw-droppingly-stunning. It's been recommended to me for years. I should have picked it up sooner.

As I listened to this audio book (I'm a frequent audio listener and this narrator was among the very best I've ever heard) I thought to myself that this story would be heavily edited if published in today's market--neatly pared down--and while that may be true to a small degree, by the time I reached the climax of the story I knew that every tidbit of information had been there for a reason, building to that moment. Each essential nugget of information informed the apex and the denouement.

Emilio Sandoz, a Roman Catholic Priest in the order of the Society of Jesus, is a modern Job, tested to the brink of insanity. Except that Emilio isn't complacent. He questions a God that could fill him with such a feeling of spiritual grace and then push him to his limits and beyond. This isn't a spoiler, by the way. It's very clear from the beginning of the book that something terrible has happened to him.

This book was plotted by a literary genius. This book has weight. It will change you. Because the reveal at the end is so shatteringly unexpected...Russell has created a biological system and alien culture that are so plausible and yet so different from our own as to be casually inconceivable.

This story will linger with you. I believe it to be a modern classic.





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Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great indie book. It really rises above the rest in terms of quality of writing and storytelling. This is the kind of book I can hand over to my 11-year-old son and know he'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Kira is a really likable character. She's an underdog from the start, full of dry humor and wit. I instantly liked her and was pulling for her. The story was engaging. The plot moved along quickly without lagging.

I had just one tiny niggling problem--the first time Kira discovers that she's unique, she instantly seems to know what happened and is freaked out by it. It would have been more believable for me if she'd been a little more confused about what actually happened for a little while. Once I got past that point, it was smooth sailing for me. Nothing else threw me out of the story.

The characterizations were compelling and spot-on for teens. The descriptions were well-written. I was completely immersed in this story. I'll be coming back to look for more of Susan Kaye Quinn's work very soon! I want to read the rest of the trilogy.

A note about the audio version of this book. The young narrator started off a bit wobbly but soon found her footing and her dry delivery was perfect for Kira. So, if you've picked up the audio book, give it a few minutes. It gets better quickly.

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