Review by TripToAfter -- The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis
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- Latest Review: The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis
Review by TripToAfter -- The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Sparrow" by Denna M. Davis.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Amanda goes to stay for a couple weeks at her grandparents house. During her stay, she discovers that Earth is not the only world as she is ushered into a whole new one called Emaji. There she learns that people live in harmony with the land and their deity, Ema, who has gifted all of his people with special purposes. The Shomerakia protect the sky. The Shomemaim protect the water. And the Shomeadama protect the land. Amanda also learns that she is the prophesized Sparrow, or Ha’Ankor, who is said to come from Earth to save Emajians from a deranged and destructive ruler called Zorn who is only kept at bay by a weakening barrier. Amanda has doubts about assuming this enormous responsibility, and there are dangers at hand waiting for a chance to strike her down before she can accept the role of the Sparrow, but the fate of Emaji rests on her shoulders.
Denna M. Davis’s Emaji Nation : The Sparrow is the first in a series, and the second book is already out. I expect I’ll be reading it because this book is absolutely captivating! The pace is not fast or slow, but steady and suspenseful. Every chapter sweeps up the reader like a tornado, leaving one hungry for the next shocking scene. The amount of detail put into the world of Emaji is definitely impressive and the characters all give amazing glimpses into the ways and beliefs of Emajians. The reader spends chapter after chapter learning more and more about Emaji through the main character, Amanda, or about the evil schemes of Zorn. This book is written in the third person, but the perspective changes with the chapters. It helps to get a better view of different characters’ true intentions and conflicts. The perspective shifts were organized well and it was never confusing. Though there are a lot of new terms to learn and strange names to remember--a whole new language--repetition really facilitates the reader’s understanding of what is being referred to.
This story is a transformation story. Amanda starts out as a suspicious, untrusting, and unwilling girl. She doesn’t know what to make of all these strange beings she meets, with their uniquely colored skin and wings and gills and magic. They want her to risk her life for their world, but she isn’t sure she can do it. I think this uncertainty and unwillingness in Amanda functions well in the beginning of the story, because she is thrust so abruptly into this responsibility and one would expect her to be a bit resistant. This wavering standpoint is combated by the romance portion of the book. The romance is a bit rushed and predictable. A lot of cliches come into play. But there’s enough peril and action to compliment the romance so that it isn’t overthetop.
I give Emaji Nation : the Sparrow a 3 out of 4. The world is spectacular. The characters are funny and interesting, but it would be nice to see a bit more character development happen with some of the characters. Amanda changes the most, and, since she’s the main character, that is to be expected. But a lot of the characters seem to be only a little more than introduced and then they are static. There are some errors and typos that I caught, but the writing is fresh and lively. I recommend this book to young adults--as the romance aspect is very YA oriented--and to fans of intricately built fantasy worlds.
******
The Sparrow
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3 out of 4 stars
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Amanda goes to stay for a couple weeks at her grandparents house. During her stay, she discovers that Earth is not the only world as she is ushered into a whole new one called Emaji. There she learns that people live in harmony with the land and their deity, Ema, who has gifted all of his people with special purposes. The Shomerakia protect the sky. The Shomemaim protect the water. And the Shomeadama protect the land. Amanda also learns that she is the prophesized Sparrow, or Ha’Ankor, who is said to come from Earth to save Emajians from a deranged and destructive ruler called Zorn who is only kept at bay by a weakening barrier. Amanda has doubts about assuming this enormous responsibility, and there are dangers at hand waiting for a chance to strike her down before she can accept the role of the Sparrow, but the fate of Emaji rests on her shoulders.
Denna M. Davis’s Emaji Nation : The Sparrow is the first in a series, and the second book is already out. I expect I’ll be reading it because this book is absolutely captivating! The pace is not fast or slow, but steady and suspenseful. Every chapter sweeps up the reader like a tornado, leaving one hungry for the next shocking scene. The amount of detail put into the world of Emaji is definitely impressive and the characters all give amazing glimpses into the ways and beliefs of Emajians. The reader spends chapter after chapter learning more and more about Emaji through the main character, Amanda, or about the evil schemes of Zorn. This book is written in the third person, but the perspective changes with the chapters. It helps to get a better view of different characters’ true intentions and conflicts. The perspective shifts were organized well and it was never confusing. Though there are a lot of new terms to learn and strange names to remember--a whole new language--repetition really facilitates the reader’s understanding of what is being referred to.
This story is a transformation story. Amanda starts out as a suspicious, untrusting, and unwilling girl. She doesn’t know what to make of all these strange beings she meets, with their uniquely colored skin and wings and gills and magic. They want her to risk her life for their world, but she isn’t sure she can do it. I think this uncertainty and unwillingness in Amanda functions well in the beginning of the story, because she is thrust so abruptly into this responsibility and one would expect her to be a bit resistant. This wavering standpoint is combated by the romance portion of the book. The romance is a bit rushed and predictable. A lot of cliches come into play. But there’s enough peril and action to compliment the romance so that it isn’t overthetop.
I give Emaji Nation : the Sparrow a 3 out of 4. The world is spectacular. The characters are funny and interesting, but it would be nice to see a bit more character development happen with some of the characters. Amanda changes the most, and, since she’s the main character, that is to be expected. But a lot of the characters seem to be only a little more than introduced and then they are static. There are some errors and typos that I caught, but the writing is fresh and lively. I recommend this book to young adults--as the romance aspect is very YA oriented--and to fans of intricately built fantasy worlds.
******
The Sparrow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like TripToAfter's review? Post a comment saying so!
Find a fluffy corner somewhere and stick yourself there for a while. Don't forget to bring entertainment, preferably something with pages. And words. 
Latest Review: The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis
