Official Review: The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 19 Oct 2018, 17:30

gen_g wrote: ↑19 Oct 2018, 03:37 This sounds like a well-crafted book with genuine characters and an interesting plot. Thanks for the review!

Hey, gen_g! It seems Best Evidence doesn't want to let go. My last review also shape-shifted.

Kfwilson6, the sparrow seems to be the bird of the hour.

JHuschle519 · Post by **JHuschle519** » 19 Oct 2018, 23:49

World-building is such a hard thing for a lot of authors, so it's nice to hear that this author did a great job of it. I am a big fan of the science fiction and fantasy genres, and based on your review I think I would really enjoy this book. Thank you for the great review.

gen_g · Post by **gen_g** » 20 Oct 2018, 00:51

Miriam Molina wrote: ↑19 Oct 2018, 17:30
gen_g wrote: ↑19 Oct 2018, 03:37 This sounds like a well-crafted book with genuine characters and an interesting plot. Thanks for the review!
Hey, gen_g! It seems Best Evidence doesn't want to let go. My last review also shape-shifted.

Kfwilson6, the sparrow seems to be the bird of the hour.

Hey Miriam! Eurgh, IKR?! Hahaha it looks like we're in the same boat. Then again, I'm submitting a review soon, so I hope this one won't fall into the black hole like the rest of the others. I hope our next reviews get to see the light, LOL!

evan1995muniz · Post by **evan1995muniz** » 31 Oct 2018, 09:01

I was drawn to this book thanks to the cover. Your review of it was impecable. This book sounds really awesome I must get a copy of it soon.

rachel_bruhn · Post by **rachel_bruhn** » 11 Feb 2019, 10:00

kandscreeley wrote: ↑13 Oct 2018, 19:01 Like others, I thought the book was a horror sorry. That's what the cover seems to indicate. Emaji sounds interesting, and I want to know how she does on the journey of discovery. Sounds like a book I need to read. Thanks.

The cover art is Amanda in her Emaji colors. She is described as turning crimson with gold diagonal stripes.

janelwhite · Post by **janelwhite** » 25 Mar 2019, 17:43

Thank you for that great review. I just started this book and I am not disappointed! It has a great beginning that really grabs your attention. The main character Amanda is very relatable and believable. This is not just a teen book! I’m excited to read on.

rachel_bruhn · Post by **rachel_bruhn** » 25 Mar 2019, 21:12

Agreed! I'm bummed the next book isn't out yet

Letora · Post by **Letora** » 30 Mar 2019, 12:19

kfwilson6 wrote: ↑12 Oct 2018, 11:24 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Sparrow" by Denna M. Davis.]

3 out of 4 stars
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Not quite prepared to spend a boring summer with her grandparents, Amanda is even less prepared for the secret they are about to reveal to her. Mimi-Rose gives Amanda a key to a portal that transports her to the nation of Emaji. The people of Emaji come in more colors than one would see in a rainbow, and Amanda doesn’t know what to think when these colorful people claim that she is their prophesized savior. In order to fulfill the prophecy, Amanda must complete the Journey of Discovery. She must also survive multiple attempts on her life made by those who don’t want to see a savior prevail.

The Sparrow is not only the title of this intriguing beginning to Denna M. Davis’ Emaji Nation series, it is also the name given to Amanda in the prophecy. Amanda is reluctant to embrace her destiny and is confused as to why the people of Emaji so quickly accept her as the subject of the foretelling. Amanda’s story is quite an eventful one full of teachings about Emaji, a handsome suitor, and death threats from those who don’t want to see Amanda gain her wings, literally and figuratively speaking.

Davis does an excellent job of building the nation of Emaji. She seamlessly integrates new words into the story as Amanda learns them, even going so far as to write Amanda’s failed attempts to pronounce the foreign words. I thought this was an incredibly accurate depiction of anyone struggling to learn words in a foreign language. Davis also describes the nation of Emaji so beautifully. The Emajians, the buildings, and the land are really brought to life through Davis’ descriptions. In particular, I enjoyed the variations in skin color and Amanda’s humorous struggle to understand how siblings are not born the same color.

The author also writes Amanda very true to what I would expect of a sixteen-year-old. She is hesitant, self-conscious, and a little snarky. There is just the right balance of maturity and teen angst to make Amanda an incredibly relatable character. Although I got frustrated with some of her emotions at times, I thought they were genuine.

The Sparrow has just the right amount of plot development to keep the reader interested throughout while making the reader want to delve deeper into the history of Emaji. As one would expect, there is a villain who is determined to steal the happiness of the people of Emaji; he just hasn’t quite reached a point where he can put his plan into motion. Zorn sees Amanda as an obstacle that needs to be removed before she becomes too powerful. I would have liked to have known more about this villain and his plans to conquer Emaji. However, enough is revealed throughout The Sparrow to keep the intrigue alive without creating frustrations in the reader.

This is a well-developed fantasy, perfect for older teen readers and young adults who enjoy reading about other realms and the battles between good and evil that take place in those realms. I am at ease giving The Sparrow 3 out of 4 stars but would have preferred to give it 4 stars. The storyline is intriguing, the ending satisfying yet not quite enough for the reader to want to move on from the series, and the characters realistic and relatable. The reason for the single star deduction is merely a result of missing words, missing commas, and a few other minor errors.

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The Sparrow
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My favorite parts were the awkward dating scenes. So realistic to what teenagers would be experience and funny to remember my own attempts at first time dating. Amanda's personality really brought it to life!

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 30 Mar 2019, 20:25

kfwilson6 wrote: ↑12 Oct 2018, 11:24The author also writes Amanda very true to what I would expect of a sixteen-year-old. She is hesitant, self-conscious, and a little snarky. There is just the right balance of maturity and teen angst to make Amanda an incredibly relatable character. Although I got frustrated with some of her emotions at times, I thought they were genuine.

Agreed on this, and I think it's the frustration that really sells it. People, no matter how relatable and likable they are, can definitely be frustrating if they don't act the way you want, and Amanda's behaviour falls in line with this. She's the hero and we want her to take up that quest, but she just won't until she has a reason to and that's what frustrated me and had me admiring her the most.