#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of Small Great Things returns with a powerful and provocative new novel about ordinary lives that intersect during a heart-stopping crisis.“Picoult at her fearless best . . . Timely, balanced and certain to inspire debate.”—The Washington Post The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff … Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.
After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.
But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order to save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester, disguised as a patient, who now stands in the crosshairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.
Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.
One of the most fearless writers of our time, Jodi Picoult tackles a complicated issue in this gripping and nuanced novel. How do we balance the rights of pregnant women with the rights of the unborn they carry? What does it mean to be a good parent? A Spark of Light will inspire debate, conversation . . . and, hopefully, understanding.
Praise for A Spark of Light
“This is Jodi Picoult at her best: tackling an emotional hot-button issue and putting a human face on it.”—People
“Told backward and hour by hour, Jodi Picoult’s compelling narrative deftly explores controversial social issues.”—Us Weekly
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A blessed event occurred in the night. A SPARK OF LIGHT by the ever-popular Jodi Picoult magically appeared on my e-reader. This is the book everyone is going to be talking about this fall.
Jodi Picoult drills down deep into the most heart-wrenching contradictions at the core of being human, and pulls to the surface A Spark of Light: A story that deserves to be read with an open, empathetic mind, and a willingness to attempt to better understand both sides of a never finished debate. I can’t remember the last time I was so profoundly moved by a novel. My highest recommendation.
“Violence from one angle looks like mercy from another.”
This quote from the book easily presents the debate on abortion. Both sides feel strongly and act with great emotion and dedication for their beliefs.
Jodi Picoult describes quite well the painful doubt-filled thoughts of the women having abortions : was the decision the right one? Were her reasons questionable? Did punishment from God await her? These reflections elicit sympathy or at least understanding unless you are anti-abortion.
As the story begins as told in flashbacks, a shooter is in the abortion clinic and has already killed or wounded some. As the standoff continues we learn the stories of each of the hostages- very compelling.
Jodi Picoult very capably shows the dilemmas. “For some the fetus is a person, for others it is a potential.”
There is no real answer, yet there is no doubt of the sincerity of both sides. Pregnancy brings about a strictly personal reaction. A joy or a problem?
Excellent novel!
Ms. Picoult is never one to shy away from a tough subject. This time it is the abortion debate. The
Book starts at the end of the day and moves backward thru the day. Very unusual, and took me a while to get with the flow of it. The characters and their reasons were developed well, some more than others though. In some cases I wanted to know more. The ending was as I expected, but really left me wanting more.
As always, Ms. Picoult’s research is impeccable. Her writing style makes sure we are always informed and entertained. This book, although not my favorite, will definitely stay with you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. Opinions are mine alone.
Since I have read almost all of Jodi Picoult’s books, I was not surprised at the controversial topic in this one nor her liberal stand on it. This book is about a gunman entering an abortion clinic and taking hostages. I was a little put off at first with the backwards order of the details, starting at the end of the day and moving backwards, detailing the lives of each of the main characters up to the beginning of their days and then with an epilogue that drew everything together. However, with this topic and in this book, it really worked well! Hugh was the most likeable character along with his fourteen-year-old daughter Wren. Most characters had secrets that were revealed as the book moved quickly to a conclusion that was somewhat expected but also surprising. If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult, you will not want to miss this one because it is controversial with current topics and also includes a lot of pertinent research. As a member of the pro-life community, I found the statistics slanted towards pro-abortion, but I was not surprised by this and it did not really bother me. Jodi Picoult has written another book that book clubs will want to read and discuss because there are so many loose threads at the end, you will want to talk over with others what they think happened to some of the most important characters. Excellent read! Very controversial and timely topic! A must-read for book clubs this fall!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
I am either hit or miss with this author and for me this was a miss. I knew from the blurb, which is incredibly extensive, that there will be a shooting at a women’s health clinic where abortions were being performed. I did not know however that this book was going to be entirely about abortions. This was not particularly a problem for me but here is why I didn’t really enjoy the book.
First of all the book is told in reverse order so we already know the ending after the first chapter. For me this took away any mystery or intensity that I would have felt had the book been written from beginning to end. I have read other books written in this fashion but this one just didn’t flow right for me. It felt choppy and actually I got bored with it, that’s my honest opinion.
The book then continues introducing characters and why they are at the clinic that day. There were a large number of characters and it took a few chapters to keep them all straight. There is the owner of the clinic, the nurse, the doctor, a woman that has just had an abortion performed and other women that are in the waiting room. I think a smaller cast of characters would have been better, particularly since at the ending I felt as though I didn’t know really know how the day ended for many of the characters. I felt there were too many loose threads.
I kept waiting for the twist at the end that other reviewers had written about. When it was revealed I found it to be relevant of course but not really believable. I can’t say why because that would be a spoiler, but I don’t think it would be possible for a woman to keep this secret for 17 years nor why she would feel she had to.
I did care for many of the characters and how hard their decisions were for them. I feel that a woman’s body is her own and I don’t have the right to tell her what to do with it. So I can honestly say that I am pro choice. However, that said, Ms. Picoult chose to portray all of the protesters as religious zealots, uninformed and uncaring. I’m sure that just as there are many reasons for women to be deciding on an abortion there are equally many reasons why people may protest or be against abortions and it is their right to protest, legally and not abusively. I don’t want to judge those people either.
In the author’s notes Ms. Picoult states “I interviewed pro-life advocates. They were not religious zealots; they were men and women who were speaking from a place of deep personal conviction. All of them were appalled by acts of violence committed in the name of unborn children”. However in the novel she did not describe any of the protestors in this manner, I kept wondering why?
Reviewing this book as a work of fiction is difficult for me. I expected more of a story which would keep me interested, flow well and could be informative as well. I gave it a 3* because I still believe Ms. Picoult is a wonderful writer and there is some good writing here. Based on my honest feelings however I would not recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Jodi Picoult has done it again. She’s written a wonderful book about a really tough subject that has been in our headlines for years. Hopefully, instead of negativity and censorship, people will use this book to start conversations and hopefully create understanding.
The characters in this book are people that we can all identify with on some level. They are so well written that the reader feels like they’re friends. Wren, 15 years old, goes to the women’s health care clinic with her aunt. While she is there, a man with a gun comes in and starts shooting and then holds the rest of the patients and the doctor hostage while he decides what to do next. The next few hours are terrible and Wren shares them with several memorable people – Olive an older lady, a nurse who is pregnant with problems of her own, a woman who has just had an abortion and the doctor who performed the abortion along with an under-cover anti-abortion person who was trying to get inside information on the clinic. All of these people have a story that brought them to this place at this time.
This is a fantastic book and needs to go on everyone’s TBR list because I can promise you, it will be a major topic of discussion once it is published.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
I have not read many books by Jodi Picoult, but what I have read I have loved, and this stayed true with A Spark of Light. I originally bought the hardcover because I couldn’t get over how beautiful it is, but of course this is much more than just a pretty cover. Abortion will always be a very controversial topic, but Picoult tackles it head on in this novel. I listened to the audio while following along in my book, and the narrator, Bahni Turpin, did such a fantastic job of reading it. Jodi Picoult also pops on at the end to read her author’s note and I really appreciated that so I would definitely check out the audiobook if you like them!
I love the way Picoult writes her books, and there are a few surprises near the end that I wasn’t expecting. Plus, I just thought the format of A Spark of Light was incredibly unique and interesting. I love that she chose to go backwards in time leaving the epilogue for the very last hour after everything has happened. It was incredibly thought-provoking, and I think Picoult does an excellent job of showing the different stances on abortion. This would make for an amazing book club selection because it definitely gives you a lot to think about.
I fell in love with so many of the characters in A Spark of Light, and even though there are plenty of viewpoints, they never got overwhelming or confusing for me. Which is saying something when you are doing an audiobook! Every character Picoult wrote was multifaceted and had so much depth even if they only get a part of the attention. I loved the way everything tied together as well, and I even got chills a couple of times.
A Spark of Light isn’t going to be for everyone, but it felt like an important read for me and I’m so glad I decided to experience it through the audio. I can tell Picoult put a lot of time and effort into this book and it frankly just shows through all the different viewpoints. No matter what your stance on abortion is, I would definitely recommend checking this out if you are a fan of the author.
I loved this book! Grabbed me from the beginning and kept me engaged throughout. The writing style rocked! The plot was about such a difficult topic, but handled so well…. and I adored all the characters, who were so relatable!
The one thing I wondered..what was up with all the references to redheads?? Was it just me, or were there like 3 or 4 redheads in the story?? I think it drew my attention because my grandbabies have red hair! Respect for the amount of care and work the author put into researching both sides of the issue.
“A Spark of Light” by Jodi Picoult is a powerful novel about people. Put aside the law, the religion, the emotion, the practicality, the righteous indignation, and you are left with people, people in crises, people suffering, people dying – people. For fifteen-year old Wren McElroy, it was not a good day to die.
The book drops readers into the middle of the conflict at 5 PM at “The Center, a building on the corner of Juniper and Montford behind a wrought-iron gate, like an old bulldog used to guarding its territory… At one point, it had been called the Center for Women and Reproductive Health. But there were those who believed if you do not name a thing, it ceases to exist, and so its title was amputated, like a war injury. But still, it survived. First, it became the Center for Women. And then, just the Center. The last abortion clinic in Mississippi.”
The narrative progresses backward in time, beginning at 5 PM on that terrible day with descriptions that are poignant, compelling, and ever present. Picoult creates a sense of, place and time like no other. Descriptions are so real that one can see the blood, feel fear in the air, hear the click of the gun.
“Janine felt like she was watching a movie, one she was obligated to sit through even though she had never wanted to see it.”
Individual characters are introduced. How did they get here, to this moment in time, this trauma, this decision, life or death? What brought them? How will this change the future? How will each change the other? What happens now that everything is changed? How will each cope?
“Tomorrow. I mean, how do we go back to normal?” Joy shook her head. “Nothing’s normal.”
Readers know it will not well for anyone. Readers feel the pain in the pit of their stomachs tension, the grief in knowing there will not be a good outcome, and futility of wishing things could be different.
“Sometimes doing the right thing,” George said quietly, “means doing something bad.”
For these characters, things have been taken that cannot ever be replaced; irreparable things have been set into motion.
“Izzy wondered if now— finally— the fault line of her life would no longer be the first day she earned a paycheck. It would now be today’s shooting; she would divide everything into before and after.”
Picoult has written a compelling book plunges readers into the midst of a crisis, a very personal crisis for the Picoult’s diverse cast of characters, and a very relevant crisis for society as a whole. There are no easy answers. Readers will remember this book for a long time.
“Joy stared at this other woman, who believed the polar opposite of what she believed, yet with the same strength of conviction. She wondered if the only way any of us can find what we stand for is by first locating what we stand against.”
I received a copy of “A Spark of Light” from Jodi Picoult, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Goodreads.
Jodi Picoult is the master of writing about controversial subjects! A Spark of Light takes place in the aftermath of a shooting/hostage situation at an abortion clinic. The story moves back in time and we learn about each character layer by layer. While the book didn’t change my opinion on abortion, I appreciated reading the viewpoints of the characters whether pro-life or pro-abortion and the struggles each faced in making a decision. Very well done!
Not much
In A Spark of Light we are introduced to Wren a young lady who was at a woman’s reproductive health service clinic when a gunman started shooting. The Center was the last standing abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. Protestors gathered outside the clinic everyday holding signs and shouting to those who entered. What nobody expected was for a gunman to walk past protestors on his personal mission to end the life of the person in charge of the clinic. Unfortunately, for Wren she chose the wrong day to go to the clinic. Her choice made her a hostage while her father, Lieutenant Hugh McElroy, negotiated with the gunman.
A Spark of Light will inspire debate about a controversial topic. A nurse, a doctor, a patient, and pro-life protestor were put on the same collision course. As Jodi uses her writing voice to educate the readers about each of these characters lives and why she chose them to unite during this one horrific day my mind is bombarded with so much information. All the stories that brought these women, one doctor, and a gunman together made for an informative read.
Meet Dr. Louie Ward a Catholic black doctor who performs abortions. Louie flew to seven different clinics throughout the South and Plains to perform abortions. The Center he visited four times a month. Izzy is a nurse. Joy was a patient who terminated her pregnancy. Janine a pro-life protestor was inside as a mole.
While Hugh is dealing with this gunman Beth is dealing with her own life and death situation. There are individual stories being told that all relate and tie into this one horrific tragedy.
Jodi shares the events of what took place eight hours before George made the decision to shoot people inside the clinic.
Words have the power to inform readers. This is exactly what Jodi does she provides information from all sides leaving the reader to decide for themselves the best choice. Jodi is a gifted storyteller using this book as her forum to voice her viewpoints on the subject of abortion. She provokes the minds of her readers by providing information from all sides leaving readers the opportunity to choose for themselves which choice suits their individual preferences.
A Spark of Light was an enlightening experience. The information provided was well researched and well written. This was not a book I can say I enjoyed because at no point is the choice to have an abortion an easy one. This is a book that should be read by all as it serves to educate people about the choices people have to make. Let me tell you all these characters had different reasons for why they needed that clinic but at no point should they be judged for the choices they made beforehand that brought them to this point.
4/24/21- Another amazing book by Jodi Picoult. She touches a sensitive topic with such finesse and tells the story from so many different topics. Although it takes a few chapters to get to know each character, it’s so worth it as they are all so special and have such important stories and different reasons for being there.
Loved it. Have read most of Picault’s books!
While I am a Jodi Picoult fan, I did not care for this book as much due to the subject matter. It’s not that I let my own feelings color the subject, it’s just that I find it difficult to deal with those who feel the only way to solve a problem like this one is to take a gun to it. We just saw this on January 6 and I had the same feelings watching it.
Author on her soapbox (subject abortion) and writes with a dizzying amount of flashbacks for each of the numerous characters. Skimmed the last half just to get it over.
Very confusing and hard to follow. The story jumps around too much.
Well written with well developed characters. The back to front format makes I-pad reading tough. I was determined.
Fantastic and could not put it down so fearful of missing the next thing to occur and held my attention intently. I did not feel see or hear the world around me so engrossing.