By Grace N.
When Sparrows Fall is a work of Christian fiction by author Meg Moseley. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of the main characters Miranda and Jack.
Life as a widowed mother of six young children is not easy, but Miranda Hanford is doing the best she can to raise her family according to the rules of her insular church community. These include no immodest clothing, no fiction, no internet, no making friends with outsiders, and most importantly no questioning of pastor Mason Chandler. But when Mason suddenly announces that he is moving the church to another state, Miranda cannot be obedient any longer. She knows that not everything is right within the church and that she must choose something different for her family.
Jack, the estranged half-brother of Miranda’s late husband, never would have guessed that he would become the guardian of six children. But when Miranda gets into a bad accident, he feels he has no choice but to help. As Jack gets to know the family, he is horrified that such bright, friendly, capable children are so ignorant of the world. Introducing them to wonders such as Walmart and the local library causes tension with Miranda. Yet, despite their differences, Jack and Miranda also have much in common. Making changes for a better future will require both to face painful past events. And as pastor Mason refuses to her let go, Miranda can only hope she will have what it takes to save her family.
When Sparrows Fall is a thought-provoking story that explores the mistakes, people can make while pursuing a righteous life. The main characters have made questionable decisions, and even the antagonists have a human side. The character development allows the reader to feel sympathy for people who have fallen into cult-like environments in an attempt to find stability.
While the book admittedly does not portray the most flattering side of homeschooling or religion, the author manages to include some nuance in her depictions. As a Christian and a homeschooling mother herself, she understands that she is writing about the exception and not the norm. Miranda is shown as homeschooling for the wrong reasons, and Jack compares the Hanfords to the more normal homeschooling families he has met. The church’s legalistic faith is shown as having missed the main point of the gospel. Overall, the message is not against simply being conservative or religious, but rather against hypocrisy and unhealthy extremes.
