The Sparrow

This is a really hard book for me to rate.

One one hand it was a real page turner once it got going, and I was excited to see what would happen next. I also enjoy the two storyline format (one in 2016 and one in 2060). The characters were well developed and the world was well built.

On the other hand, I felt that the end of the book was rushed. The first 80% of the book was great and I would have rated it 5 stars. The final 20% felt like the author went “I've got to wrap up all these story lines and I'm already up over 400 pages”.

I've marked this review as SPOILERS but just in case SPOILERS AHEAD

The final 20% was cringey to read and hits suddenly and without warning. Many things are not fully explained. I understand Supaari's motivations for selling Emilio, so he can become a Founder of a lineage, but I don't understand the hand mutilation, especially when none of the other slaves had their hands mutilated. And the character he was sold to was basically not described at all before he's literally forced into the story, he's just a horny alien ready to cause havoc. And then Askama coming to open the door to Emilio's cell? It just doesn't make sense - why wouldn't there be a guard escorting them down? It was just another way for the author to shoehorn in some more tragedy. It all felt really forced in order to get us to a final moral quandary about God.

Even with the massive tragedy this book became, had the author chosen to split it up over two books and really flesh out some more of the final 20% I probably would have given it 4 or 5 stars, but as it stands the best I can do is 3 stars, and I would not recommend it to a friend. I had planned to read the second book (Children of God, which has Emilio returning to Rakhat) but at this point I don't think it will be worth it - I don't want to be betrayed again by the author.