nekokat reviewed Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
Review of 'Children of God' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I liked (by which I mean "enjoyed") this better than The Sparrow, because it provided more answers. Because it allowed me to believe that there was a meaning to what happened in The Sparrow. Because it was more hopeful. I have an uneasy feeling that very fact somewhat dilutes the impact of the first book, which drew its rawness at least in part from a refusal to pull punches, to let you take refuge in platitudes. It was a very different book, trading The Sparrow's tight focus on individual suffering for a broader view of politics, history, societal change. It was equally good but hard to compare; not so much a sequel as a different philosophical lens.
I liked (by which I mean "enjoyed") this better than The Sparrow, because it provided more answers. Because it allowed me to believe that there was a meaning to what happened in The Sparrow. Because it was more hopeful. I have an uneasy feeling that very fact somewhat dilutes the impact of the first book, which drew its rawness at least in part from a refusal to pull punches, to let you take refuge in platitudes. It was a very different book, trading The Sparrow's tight focus on individual suffering for a broader view of politics, history, societal change. It was equally good but hard to compare; not so much a sequel as a different philosophical lens.
