Sparrow 

Description

Here is a brief overview of the novel, Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell:
Setting
The year is 2060. It has long since been established that contact between humans and other life forms has been made.
Plot
The novel centers around the life of Father Emilio Sandoz, Jesuit missionary, aboard Rakhat, where humanity has made contact with another form of alien life.
As Sandoz and his team journey on the experience of interspecies communication and cultural exchange, they come to unfold mysteries of the alien world and of its people. But the program turns disastrous, leaving Sandoz to deal with the outcome.
Themes
The novel revolve around elements of:
Faith and spirituality
Cultural identity and exchange
Morality and ethics
Trauma and recovery
Complications of human relationship
Characters
Father Emilio Sandoz: The protagonist, a Jesuit priest and member of the mission to Rakhat.
Sofia Mendes: A scientist and member of the mission to Rakhat.
Marc Robichaux: A scientist and member of the mission to Rakhat.
Supaari VaChipra: An alien from the planet Rakhat.
Style
Russell’s writing style in Sparrow is characterized by:
A blend of science fiction and philosophical inquiry
A focus on the inner lives and emotions of the characters
It is a use of multivocal narrations and perspectives
It explores complex moral and ethical questions
It uses lyrical and evocative prose style
Sparrow is, overall, a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that contemplates the intricacies of human relationship, cultural identity, and faith in an alien and futuristic context.