How Did I Miss This Book Before?

A few weeks ago Speaking of Faith on public radio had one of their amazing interviews with author Mary Doria Russell, author of The Sparrow. I was so entranced by the show that I put the book on reserve at the library. When I dug into it a week ago, I was not disappointed. I am being moved beyond words. I knew what the book was about and a little bit of its thought from the radio program. But to dig into the book, is, as usual, the wondrous experience of exploration.

I realized quite early that I was reading about characters, people, that were about to experience something awful, and perhaps, awe-full. With alternating chapters decades apart we learn how things started and how they are going now with the two tracks converging on whatever the events that precipitated the second, more recent events. The tension of the flash-back; flash-forward style has grabbed me. You know that you are caught in impending doom and you read transfixed by that. It's that proverbial slow-motion train wreck that you don't want to watch but can't tear away from. The dread as I watch the people I am coming to know and like head toward something I am clueless to is difficult.

That's about as far as I am at this point. I am aware that in that final moment that somehow or another there is also going to be an act or redemption. Somehow as the two tracks converge and we move on in "our" story there will be something that makes it all worthwhile. There are enough hints in the story line which convinces me of this. Even in the doom there will be I am certain a moment when God becomes apparent if we are willing to be open to God's presence and possibility. So I keep going.

I then realized that this is truly a great deal like life. Don't tell me you don't know the ending. I don't think it will spoil the surprise for any of us to know that in the end it's the same for all of us. The time, place and details are all that differ. How we handle that journey is what our life is all about. I for one don't want to shortchange the possibility of God becoming more and more apparent as time moves on.

As to the book, I know that I didn't tell you a thing about it. This post isn't about the book- it's about the experience of reading an excellent book. As to the plot and ideas- well, I'll keep you posted as I finish it and then probably move to the sequel.