#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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Boring. Worst book ever This author has reached the end of the road
Not her best. Predictable
I love this author but just wasn’t wild about this book.
I’m normally a huge Jodi Picoult fan, but I wasn’t as fond of this book. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, so I didn’t feel as connected to them and I didn’t like how the book was written in reverse.
I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult’s work and was very anxiously anticipating this new release. For me, it was a disappointment and I finally realized it was the author’s choice of structure. She told the story from the present moment, going backward 24 hours before the pivotal event. I was frustrated because I felt continuously yanked out of the story and propelled in another direction.
However, all the things I love about a Picoult novel are here. Extremely well researched, balanced, never preaching, showing all sides of an issue. In this case, the issue is abortion. In my opinion, she avoided the easy stereotypes and created fully developed nuanced characters. I appreciate the structure allowed her to reveal the backstory for each character, giving the reader insight on why they believed as they did.
Just because this one didn’t land with me as solidly as her previous novels, it is still a worthwhile read. I’m sure other readers will not be as affected by the structure of the novel.
I have read all of Picoults books but the last couple have left me wanting. She seems to try to include every talk point on the news and incorporate them into a story. Too many characters, too many issues…just too much! Wish she would go back to her original style.
Always fair to both sides of polorizing issues, Jodi Picoult relates the heart renching situations in which women and men find themselves in our pro-life pro-choice world.
Jodi Picoult is a good writer and researches her subjects well. However, in this book, she formatted going backwards in time which didn’t work for me. It was difficult to remember specifics on characters as the novel went back in time. Disappointing.
Good, but not as good as most of her others.
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picolt a five-star read that will make you think. I have been a huge fan of this author for a long time, and usually buy the paperback and then once I’ve read it, it goes to my mum who will pass it to my aunt and will pass it to my nanna, but this time I couldn’t wait I had to get the ebook as soon as I could, that being said I will buy the paperback once I see it so we can keep the tradition alive. That being said I don’t know if this one will be as popular with them all as the others we have read, as this author has a great talent for writing subjects that divide opinion, she isn’t one to shy away from difficult and complex subjects and this is a great example, balancing the pro-life and pro-choice debate and the story is fast paced and from many different points of view which can get a little confusing at first but keep with it as it such a great way telling the story, you will see people who shouldn’t get along thrown together and have to face the future together and then people who love each other thrown apart. Wren may be the main character in this story as she has a powerful story to tell, but there are so many other voices no matter which side of the fence you stand on this will challenge your views in the best was possible. The only negative I could find was that it ended to soon, I was so into reading it that it ended before I even realised I was near the end. What a powerful and compelling read this is, I can’t wait to hold the paperback in my hands for a re-read as I am sure I will be reading it several times and finding new details in ever read.
Difficult subject matter presented in a thought provoking way.
I couldn’t put this book down, it was a page turning, informative and devastating read. All rolled into a stunning ending with so much truth. Definitely speaks to today’s laws and morals
It was good. Jodi Picoult is not afraid to attack controversial issues. I was not able to identify with the characters as I did in Small Great Things, and IMO, the book was not as compelling as Small Great Things. I also did not really enjoy starting at the end of the incident and working toward the beginning.
This author consistently writes in the now regarding daily issues which apply to the average person. This book, which is researched and backed with sources is heart wrenching. This is every woman’s story. Every woman can boast what she would do in the same circumstances, but would she really? I say leave the judging for Jesus.
I didn’t like this one as much as any of her others. In fact, after a bit I decided I didn’t want to finish it. It just didn’t hold my interest. It felt too contrived.
What a beautiful story! As always, this book will make you feel, think, and re-examine you’re opinions that you have for women’s abortion rights. I love Jodi’s writing because she’s never afraid to ask the tough questions, or show the reader the many sides to a sensitive subject. A Spark of Light is written so beautifully and if nothing else, Jodi presents our rights as women with love and sensitivity. This story is written differently, it begins at the end and takes you through the events leading up to that final moment. You will meet Hugh McElroy, a hostage negotiator dealing with a gunman inside the women’s center. The gunman has several hostages, including 15 year old Wren, Hugh’s daughter. There are several more characters you will meet, including the doctor and nurse who help these women make hard decisions as well as good choices. This is one of those stories that will make you cry, for yourself and other women. It’s beautifully written and a must read! Thank you for writing this novel Jodi Picoult!
Not up to her usual standards. It was impossible to connect with any of the characters – too many to keep track of and I did not enjoy the backwards plot device – took all suspense out of the novel. To be fair, I did not finish it but after being completely bored halfway through I gave up. The topic is so relevant now but the pro life/pro choice people seemed like stereotypes and the attempt to throw in every possible pregnancy/abortion scenario was contrived for me. It should have been thought provoking. Small Great Things was a MUCH better book.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of this author’s work. This was good story but she chose to tell it with flashbacks and in those flashbacks were separate flashbacks. Needless to say, this was kinda confusing but I stayed with it. I trust her to tell a meaningful story. Dealing with abortion rights is a touchy topic, but she did a good job.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I typically really enjoy Jodi Picoult books, but I found this one hard to follow, as it was told in reverse time order. It was difficult for me to keep track of all the characters, and what was happening, and I kept having to go back and read what had happened.
I did enjoy discovering a few of the surprises, and how lives were entwined, without anyone realizing the consequences of their actions.
The last chapter brought everything into focus. I also enjoyed the author’s commentary on this very difficult subject of abortion.
#ASparkOfLight #JodiPicoult #NetGalley
Where do I start……
This story will grab and hold on to you through each and every sentence, paragraph AND page.
Although this novel covers a very serious and somewhat tough subject line, it is profound, insightful and also enlightens and teaches us something about and within ourselves, the very depths of womanhood itself. Our choices, our failures, our triumphs.
A balance between social acceptance, moral duty and responsibility to ourselves and in the handling of society’s judgements and opinions. Nothing is black and white……
Controversial, thought-provoking and powerfully written, Jodi has spun a story of character individuality and brings it back around to where they become meshed and connected as hardship, survival, love, friendship and the delicate balance of life itself are tested.
A masterful, heart wrenching read that has been researched and detailed to a tee. An emotional journey, yes, but one you’ll want to take.
I thank Goodreads for this ARC!
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