I recently had the opportunity to read Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson. Thank you to Bookish First and Tor Teen for providing me with an advanced reader copy! If you are interested in joining Bookish First, would you please use referral code 56cf541090ca608b4? Then we can both earn points for free books!
“Sparrow” is a ballerina, preparing to star in Swan Lake as the main character. The book starts towards the end of her junior year in high school and follows the characters through the end of high school. When one of the cutest guys in school, Tristan King, almost hits her with a car, he asks her out. She can’t believe her luck. They start going out, but unfortunately, it turns out to be an abusive relationship.
Lucas is Sparrow’s friend and dance partner. He knows that Tristan is trouble, and although he tries to warn her away from him, he feels responsible for what happens to her. He has to learn that you can’t fix everybody else’s problems.
Sparrow is told from two points of view: Sparrow’s and Lucas’s. There is a lot that isn’t revealed until the end of the book, which is why the synopsis is a little vague, and why I can’t reveal a lot about what happens. As the book unfolds, a few things happen that don’t seem to make sense until you read farther into the book.
While this is a book that deals with abuse (which could be a trigger for some people), this is also a book about healing from abuse, as well as the trauma of a person’s past. Sparrow dealing with her past is a huge part of the last part of this book.
One of the things that I liked about this book was its peek into the world of ballet. I’ve never taken a ballet class, but it was fun to see into the world of dance practices and rehearsals. I also thought the friendships in this book were well-done.
The ending of the book is satisfying and makes sense, although it probably wouldn’t be the ending I’d hope for.
Overall, I would recommend Sparrow if you enjoy ballet (or want to read about it) and are interested in a book about abuse or healing from abuse. It’s not my favorite book from this year so far, but I liked it enough. It doesn’t go on sale until March 17th, but you can pre-order it now.