A Spark of Light: A Novel
by Jodi Picoult
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"The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things returns with a powerful and provocative new novel about ordinary lives that intersect during a heart-stopping crisis. The warm fall day starts like any other at the 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 show more 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 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. Apro-life protester disguised as a patient, who now stands in the cross hairs 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. Jodi Picoult one of the most fearless writers of our time 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"-- show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Jodi Picoult never fails to deliver and once again, she has written a book that, not only keeps you reading until you’re done, but is fearless in writing a book that shows all sides of the debate over abortion rights without preaching. It doesn’t matter where the reader stands on this debate, this is a wonderful novel that makes you think and perhaps might even help start a conversation looking at all sides.
It starts off on a beautiful warm fall day in a women’s health clinic that offers care to anyone who comes in needing help. Then, a distraught gunman bursts in and starts shooting and taking hostages.
Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator is one of the first on the scene and starts making his plan to start communications show more with the gunman. Then, to his horror, he finds out that his 15 year old daughter, Wren, is inside with her Aunt Bex. She will be sharing the next hours with other unforgettable characters as the story counts backwards. A very interesting narrative structure that works very well in this story. The story traces what brought each very different individual to the same place on this eventful day. I think that’s the most intriguing thing, it doesn’t take much to change the outcome of a normal day for anyone. I found myself holding my breath at certain points and it was very hard not to peek at the end of the book because I was so worried about the characters! But, I didn’t. Highly recommended. show less
It starts off on a beautiful warm fall day in a women’s health clinic that offers care to anyone who comes in needing help. Then, a distraught gunman bursts in and starts shooting and taking hostages.
Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator is one of the first on the scene and starts making his plan to start communications show more with the gunman. Then, to his horror, he finds out that his 15 year old daughter, Wren, is inside with her Aunt Bex. She will be sharing the next hours with other unforgettable characters as the story counts backwards. A very interesting narrative structure that works very well in this story. The story traces what brought each very different individual to the same place on this eventful day. I think that’s the most intriguing thing, it doesn’t take much to change the outcome of a normal day for anyone. I found myself holding my breath at certain points and it was very hard not to peek at the end of the book because I was so worried about the characters! But, I didn’t. Highly recommended. show less
When you say you can’t do something because your religion forbids it, that’s a good thing. When you say I can’t do something because your religion forbids it, that’s a problem.May 2019:
This past week, Alabama passed a law banning nearly all abortions; while this has been criticized by Trump, it could well set the stage—with John Roberts and company—for a chipping-away at Roe v. Wade, something that his presidency and his rhetoric have threatened on numerous occasions.
Jodi Picoult tackles in a very timely manner the current climate surrounding abortion in America in A Spark of Light. Moving backward in time, beginning with a hostage negotiator trying to calm down a pro-life shooter inside a women’s reproductive center in show more Jackson, Mississippi, it takes us through the hours leading up to this horrific event, and all of the intersecting lives, stories, and reasons (both pro-choice and pro-life) for the various characters to be on the scene at that specific moment.
While the backward-in-time narrative device is a bit gimmicky, it works well in that it gives us the crisis right at the beginning; doing this allows Picoult to flesh out the backgrounds behind her characters as we move closer to the start of the day, before the hostage situation. We see older women (one a post-menopausal lesbian, Olive, who uses the center in the same way many use Planned Parenthood, as a supplement to or in place of a primary health practitioner); a young girl, Beth, who was forced to perform an abortion on herself because of state laws that prevented her from obtaining one in a timely manner; another young girl, Wren, who merely goes to the center for birth control, and happens to be the hostage negotiator's daughter; an African-American abortion doctor, Louie, who performs the procedures while reconciling it with his deeply religious background; Janine, a pro-lifer who masquerades as a patient to infiltrate the center and obtain information for whatever purposes; and a host of other characters emerge like sparks of light—all of them forced together by a shooter aiming guns at them all, across any and all lines of politics or religion.
I long avoided reading Picoult as any author lumped under the (admittedly horrifically named) genre of “chick lit” tends not to be up my alley. But I am so glad that I did finally read her, and, given some reviews of this book, it seems that many believe this to be her weakest; so I have a lot of backtracking to do. Picoult tackles controversial subjects that are very, very close to the bone in America today; these are topics that need to be talked about and these are issues that will inevitably divide people.
(And perhaps which account for the mixed and low reviews of this book: abortion divides people; religion divides people; politics divides people: this book is a molotov cocktail in many ways, but it's one that we need to read in this very historical moment.)
There is also some statistical information scattered throughout the novel that will turn some people away, but this is necessary to ground the issues in fact. I would strongly recommend that everyone read Picoult's acknowledgments/afterward, too, where she delves deeper into the facts, her research methods, and her own thoughts on where and how we should broach the subject of abortion in America today. In other words, the book is not dogmatic; it's but a prism, reflecting all these sparks and shards of light that make up this historico-political moment we all share.
This is emphatically not “chick lit”: this is literature tapping into the present moment and all its pressurized anxieties and fears, with such urgency that it doesn’t care if it draws blood in tapping the vein while it digs deep, examining things, offering little answers as there truly are none. I look forward to reading more of her work: someone needs to give voice to this mad world in which we live, and Picoult seems to be doing that both bravely and admirably. show less
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” but damn, you’re going to walk away from this one with much more than you bargained for.
In classic Picoult style, a timely, multifaceted story that hits home with the fact that one decision can have permanent and life altering effects. Told from each & every side imaginable, Picoult paints an in depth picture of one of the hardest and most controversial decisions a woman could ever face. Filled with compassion, violence, racism, politics, and intelligence, Picoult weaves the lives of her characters through one another in a plot that is full of wisdom and surprises that will leave you shaking your head and saying aloud,” Oh my God!”
The differences of head and heart, of truth and show more emotion, of religion and science, of belief and hypocrisy all have a place here in this masterpiece of modern times.
“.. both life and death began with a spark of light.” and this book is going to spark a whole lot more; conversation, passion, faith. People will be talking and arguing over every aspect and character belief, then calling into question and fact their own, because this book is just that all encompassing, it’s that important, it’s just that good. Wow.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review show less
In classic Picoult style, a timely, multifaceted story that hits home with the fact that one decision can have permanent and life altering effects. Told from each & every side imaginable, Picoult paints an in depth picture of one of the hardest and most controversial decisions a woman could ever face. Filled with compassion, violence, racism, politics, and intelligence, Picoult weaves the lives of her characters through one another in a plot that is full of wisdom and surprises that will leave you shaking your head and saying aloud,” Oh my God!”
The differences of head and heart, of truth and show more emotion, of religion and science, of belief and hypocrisy all have a place here in this masterpiece of modern times.
“.. both life and death began with a spark of light.” and this book is going to spark a whole lot more; conversation, passion, faith. People will be talking and arguing over every aspect and character belief, then calling into question and fact their own, because this book is just that all encompassing, it’s that important, it’s just that good. Wow.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review show less
“Laws are black and white. The lives of women are a thousand shades of gray.”
-5 stars-
Wow!
This book has so many layers that really just made me be like 'wow, that must be so tough.' Honestly, I didn't really have high expectations for this book going into it. Particularly, because often books centering around abortions/abortion clinics are often written in a weird way, trying to convert the reader to be pro life, or are just down right bad. However, A Spark of Light sort of blew away all my previous thoughts and just wow.
This is my first time reading anything by Jodi Picoult. I had been wanting to read something by her for a while now, but I was too scared that it was over hyped or her writing style wasn't like the one I liked. Let show more me just tell you, gosh was I wrong. The whole book sort of has this bittersweet vibe that I can't even explain in words.
I loved the POV that this book was written in, as well as the overall plot. I believe that every single law maker, judge, and person who's passing these strict abortion bills should read this book. I appreciate this book and the way that it shows that no one is like whoops I got pregnant, I'll just quickly get an abortion. I think that A Spark of Light quite clearly shows that women and girls don't have abortions just because they want one. It's not like some sort of thing that they do monthly. The book shows the thought process behind every woman's choice to get one. And that, THAT. That is something I can appreciate.
“You don’t look at another person’s plate to see if they have more than you. You look to see if they have enough.” show less
-5 stars-
Wow!
This book has so many layers that really just made me be like 'wow, that must be so tough.' Honestly, I didn't really have high expectations for this book going into it. Particularly, because often books centering around abortions/abortion clinics are often written in a weird way, trying to convert the reader to be pro life, or are just down right bad. However, A Spark of Light sort of blew away all my previous thoughts and just wow.
This is my first time reading anything by Jodi Picoult. I had been wanting to read something by her for a while now, but I was too scared that it was over hyped or her writing style wasn't like the one I liked. Let show more me just tell you, gosh was I wrong. The whole book sort of has this bittersweet vibe that I can't even explain in words.
I loved the POV that this book was written in, as well as the overall plot. I believe that every single law maker, judge, and person who's passing these strict abortion bills should read this book. I appreciate this book and the way that it shows that no one is like whoops I got pregnant, I'll just quickly get an abortion. I think that A Spark of Light quite clearly shows that women and girls don't have abortions just because they want one. It's not like some sort of thing that they do monthly. The book shows the thought process behind every woman's choice to get one. And that, THAT. That is something I can appreciate.
“You don’t look at another person’s plate to see if they have more than you. You look to see if they have enough.” show less
This is a very thought provoking story about a contentious issue. Its set in an abortion clinic where a protestor enters all guns blazing, endangering patients and staff and taking hostages on the way including the police negotiator’s daughter.
A Spark of Light is well researched, written in a sensitive way and it provides both sides of the argument. It brought to my attention the difference in attitudes and practices between the US and the UK and I found this quite astonishing. I always say never judge anyone until you’ve walked ten miles in their shoes.
The story is written in the reverse which takes a little getting used to. However, once I got to grips with it, I found it a compelling and insightful read and found myself caring show more about the majority of the characters. The back stories of some of the women are interesting and I really did feel for them in their predicaments. Jodi Picoult is very clever at taking a controversial subject, developing and transforming it into a captivating and informed story which makes the reader turn the pages, Leaving them thinking about it long after it’s ended.
I read this book via the Pigeonhole app. Having access to other readers’ opinions certainly enhances my reading experience. A Spark of Light is really quite the page turner and if you enjoy a provocative and absorbing read, I can recommend it. show less
A Spark of Light is well researched, written in a sensitive way and it provides both sides of the argument. It brought to my attention the difference in attitudes and practices between the US and the UK and I found this quite astonishing. I always say never judge anyone until you’ve walked ten miles in their shoes.
The story is written in the reverse which takes a little getting used to. However, once I got to grips with it, I found it a compelling and insightful read and found myself caring show more about the majority of the characters. The back stories of some of the women are interesting and I really did feel for them in their predicaments. Jodi Picoult is very clever at taking a controversial subject, developing and transforming it into a captivating and informed story which makes the reader turn the pages, Leaving them thinking about it long after it’s ended.
I read this book via the Pigeonhole app. Having access to other readers’ opinions certainly enhances my reading experience. A Spark of Light is really quite the page turner and if you enjoy a provocative and absorbing read, I can recommend it. show less
It’s hard to temper your expectations when you know a book starts off with what many consider a worst-case scenario – a hostage situation at a women’s reproductive health care center. I came into this book bracing myself for the worst, but still clinging to hope that there could be a happily ever after … of sorts … for the characters. The book presents a great deal of tension, obviously. There is, of course, the suspense of wondering how the hostage situation will resolve and how many casualties will lie in its wake? But more than that, there’s the tension of a divisive topic – abortion rights — what perspectives will be presented, and how, if at all, that impacts the overall narrative.
This was my first foray into show more Picoult’s writing, and I have to say I was impressed. What became immediately apparent to me was how balanced her writing felt in the face of such a polarizing topic. I expected to read this book and just know I’d be able to pick out any pro-life or pro-choice leanings. I’m glad to say I couldn’t because it likely would have made this book feel disingenuous. And I think that’s important in a book like this. Picoult’s storytelling didn’t compel me to “pick a side” with regard to reproductive rights. Instead, I felt compelled to understand each character — what led them to be at The Center that day, what was at stake for them, and how that could change depending on the success of hostage negotiations. I read to understand, suspending my own beliefs about the topic, and I really credit that to the way Picoult wrote about each character, peeling away layers as you read backward in their day.
Certainly, some characters were easier to connect with than others. No character is without flaw, and Picoult managed to present them with care. I found myself empathizing with characters despite my thoughts on their choices. I felt that all of the stories were told, regardless of their apparent prominence in the book. There is also a subtle overlap in peripheral characters and how they influence people in The Center. It felt like reading something similar to “Crash” or “Babel,” with subtle connections made almost in passing. There are also
I will say that this book isn’t for the faint of heart, and it should have come with a disclaimer at how triggering it might be. There is a good deal of violence, which was something I expected given the setting. However, I didn’t expect the graphic depictions of the abortion medical procedure. Without having that warning, I felt a bit blind-sided by how detailed the author was. To her credit, Picoult’s presentation of this felt like it was presented not for shock value, but for readers to understand the facts about the abortion as a medical procedure. There is a level of care in how she told it from a doctor’s perspective that softened the intensity of the scene.
I believe this is a critical read for someone anyone who genuinely wants to understand the opposing views around reproductive health. A Spark of Light brings humanity to both sides of the argument and makes it less about rhetoric and more about the people involved – from patients to providers to bystanders. show less
This was my first foray into show more Picoult’s writing, and I have to say I was impressed. What became immediately apparent to me was how balanced her writing felt in the face of such a polarizing topic. I expected to read this book and just know I’d be able to pick out any pro-life or pro-choice leanings. I’m glad to say I couldn’t because it likely would have made this book feel disingenuous. And I think that’s important in a book like this. Picoult’s storytelling didn’t compel me to “pick a side” with regard to reproductive rights. Instead, I felt compelled to understand each character — what led them to be at The Center that day, what was at stake for them, and how that could change depending on the success of hostage negotiations. I read to understand, suspending my own beliefs about the topic, and I really credit that to the way Picoult wrote about each character, peeling away layers as you read backward in their day.
Certainly, some characters were easier to connect with than others. No character is without flaw, and Picoult managed to present them with care. I found myself empathizing with characters despite my thoughts on their choices. I felt that all of the stories were told, regardless of their apparent prominence in the book. There is also a subtle overlap in peripheral characters and how they influence people in The Center. It felt like reading something similar to “Crash” or “Babel,” with subtle connections made almost in passing. There are also
I will say that this book isn’t for the faint of heart, and it should have come with a disclaimer at how triggering it might be. There is a good deal of violence, which was something I expected given the setting. However, I didn’t expect the graphic depictions of the abortion medical procedure. Without having that warning, I felt a bit blind-sided by how detailed the author was. To her credit, Picoult’s presentation of this felt like it was presented not for shock value, but for readers to understand the facts about the abortion as a medical procedure. There is a level of care in how she told it from a doctor’s perspective that softened the intensity of the scene.
I believe this is a critical read for someone anyone who genuinely wants to understand the opposing views around reproductive health. A Spark of Light brings humanity to both sides of the argument and makes it less about rhetoric and more about the people involved – from patients to providers to bystanders. show less
A fast-paced thriller about a hostage situation at an abortion clinic. I struggled at first with the timeline moving backward, but it gave you an opportunity to delve into each of the characters more deeply and allowed for some interesting twists. Great Small Things is still my favorite Jodi Picoult book, but this one was well worth reading.
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248 works; 9 members
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Author Information
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Jodi Picoult was born in Nesconset, New York on May 19, 1966. She received a degree in creative writing from Princeton University in 1987 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University. She published two short stories in Seventeen magazine while still in college. Immediately after graduation, she landed a variety of jobs, ranging from show more editing textbooks to teaching eighth-grade English. Her first book, Songs of the Humpback Whale, was published in 1992. Her other works include Picture Perfect, Mercy, The Pact, Salem Falls, The Tenth Circle, Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, Handle with Care, House Rules, Sing You Home, Lone Wolf, Leaving Time, and Small Great Things. My Sister's Keeper was made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz. She received the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003. She also wrote five issues of the Wonder Woman comic book series for DC Comics. She writes young adult novels with her daughter Samantha van Leer including Between the Lines and Off the Page. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Une étincelle de vie
- Original title
- A Spark of Light
- Original publication date
- 2018-10
- People/Characters
- Hugh McElroy; Wren McElroy; George Goddard; Janine Deguerre; Izzy Walsh; Dr. Louie Ward (show all 9); Bex McElroy; Joy Perry; Beth
- Important places
- Jackson, Mississippi, USA
- Epigraph
- The question is not whether we will be extremists,
but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?
--REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. - Dedication
- For Jennifer Hershey and Susan Corcoran
If you are lucky, you wind up with colleagues you love.
If you are luckier, they feel like sisters.
XOX - First words
- The Center squatted on the corner of Juniper and Montfort behind a wrought-iron gate, like an old bulldog used to guarding its territory.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)What she remembered was that, as she left with her father, it was the first time she held his hand, instead of the other way around.
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813/.54-dc23
- Canonical LCC
- PS3566.I372 L43 2018
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- ISBNs
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- 7