Years and years ago, David Ellis wrote a novel called In the Company of Liars, a thriller that was told in reverse chronological order. It's one of the best books I've ever read, and when I started A Spark of Light, I was so excited that Jodi Picoult was doing that--starting at the end of the story and moving back to the start.

Although A Spark of Light isn't a thriller--you know what's going to happen, as it opens in the midst of a shooting and hostage situation at an abortion clinic, and there are no thriller like plot twists--she uses the backwards chronology in a fascinating way. You know so much about what's happening and why, but as the story goes back to the start, you get more and more about the characters and why they make the choices they do.

A Spark of Light does, of course, tackle abortion, and Ms. Picoult handles it so beautifully--even George, who does awful, awful, things, is fleshed out so well that as much as I loathed him, I understood that what he did came from a place of rage and shame directed at himself and then placed on to an abortion clinic because it was easier for him to deal with that than be with Lil/Beth and confront what he feels are his failings.

Normally, I love Ms. Picoult's teen characters the best, but this time my favorites were not the central characters (Hugh, Bex, and Wren as well as, to a lesser extent George and Lil/Beth) but rather Joy, Izzy, and especially Louie and Olive.

Olive was so full of life that I cried for her several times, but I cried even more for Dr Louie Ward, who was so richly drawn that when I was done reading I wished I could meet him and thank him for loving the human race so much and for the compassion he has for everyone,

I thought Janine's story was fascinating and wish I knew where she would go and do afterwards, and the same goes for Joy, who I hope goes on to get everything she wants. I also really liked Izzy, although her arc (girl grows up in poverty, meets a rich man, agonizes over their different upbringings) was simply just a tad less meaningful to me when compared to the open endings of what would happen to Joy and even Dr Ward, though I suspect the latter will continue his work because doing what others won't because of (well founded) fear and financial reasons (ob/gyn doctors don't provide abortions for money, in fact, in addition to constant threats to them and their families if they have them, they typically make far less than an average ob/gyn)

I hope this book gets people thinking and even talking about what it means for women, in this day and age, to have their reproductive rights so tightly controlled. I hope that one day all women will have the right to make choices about their reproductive health that aren't limited, don't cause strangers to judge them, and that don't lead to choices that result like what happens to Lil/Beth, who is seventeen, terrified, and whose choice to end her pregnancy ends with her performing an abortion by herself and leads her to almost die, be arrested, and face time in prison. And instead of parental support, her father, George, reacts, as I mentioned, from a place of shame and anger at himself, and lashes out, heading to a clinic where he thinks his daughter had the abortion (though she didn't because she legally couldn't and didn't have time to get through the state's onerous red tape to make the arbitrary cut off deadline) and starts the enormous wave that opens the book and carries it back all the way to the moment when George choses to react rather than to think and be a parent.

Tldr: Brilliantly done novel about abortion with especially well drawn secondary characters that's both timely and thought provoking.

I think this will be another winner for Jodi Picoult. The reverse chronology was a different way of writing and had me wondering how she was going to do her big plot twist like she always does, but she did it. Jodi definitely did a lot of research for this one and it showed. Book clubs are going to love it but I think it might upset some of those who are totally anti-abortion. Some parts of the book were a little difficult to read but probably only because of my beliefs. As always though, A Spark of Light will have people talking about a controversial subject for a long time like many of Jodi's books do.

“A Spark of Light” by Jodi Picoult

A provocative novel that addresses the rights of women’s choice versus those who believe conception is the beginning of life and utilizing ones choice is a form of killing.

The Center provides many services, including well women exams, birth control provision, and other services for women. Yet most of the population focus on the issue that do provide abortion. Protesters are there all day to intimidate, even if one is going for any other service, they still have to walk through their taunts and name calling and see their extremely vivid posters.

One afternoon, the lives of the many women and one male doctor, are changed forever. One man enters the clinic and changes the lives of everyone. He had his own motives and beliefs based on something that occurred years ago. He believes it is time to let others in The Clinic know this, as well.

At the helm of hostage negations is Hugh McElroy. He works hard to gain the man’s trust and to get the hostages released over a several hour period. Adding to his need to make this end well is the knowledge his sister and daughter are inside.

A twisting and turning novel, “A Spark of Light,” addresses the multiple sides and beliefs surrounding women’s care and her right to choose.

Rating: 4.8
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As always, Jodi Picoult has written a thought provoking book that is sure to get people thinking outside of their comfort zones. This story is about a hostage situation in a women's health clinic - the only one in the state of Mississippi that offers abortion services. It is also told in reverse, so each chapter takes place the hour before the previous one, which means the reader is constantly updating what s/he knows about the back story of the characters.I

I can definitely see this getting some pushback from library patrons - women's health issues are hot button topics. I do like the fact that Ms. Picoult presents different sides of the discussions and doesn't shy away from the difficult facts.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off really strong! A gunman has shot and killed multiple people in an abortion clinic and has several others held hostage. I was wowed right from the start and couldn’t wait to see where this story would go.

Jodi Picoult wrote this story using a reverse timeline. The story unfolds in ten hours with an epilogue at the end. I thought this format was unique and looked forward to seeing how it would play out.

Upon finishing this story I felt extremely conflicted. I asked myself…Did I like it? How would I rate it? My answers were – I don’t know. After much thought this is what I have come up with…

As a thriller, as I said above, this story started off really strong. I was completely invested and wanted to know more about several characters. Her character development was fantastic! We learn why each of them were at the clinic that day, their background stories, and so on. As the story continued I felt that this reverse timeline actually hurts the intensity of it. I started to care less and less about the characters and got to the point that I just wanted to get to the dramatic conclusion and see how it would end.

As a story about the very controversial subject of abortion – this story is fantastic! I think she did an extremely good job of showing all sides of it. There was the abortion doctor and nurses, patients who got abortions, anti-abortion activists, and so on… This is a very well researched book! She included many real-life cases and people, and drew attention to the law that varies from state to state. I appreciated the fact that this is not a one-sided story and allows the reader to form their own opinions about this subject.

As for the ending I was also a bit torn. I liked the way she wrapped it up in some ways, but in other ways I felt like there were unanswered questions and story lines that I wish she had revisited.

There is no doubt that this book will make an exceptional book club read! Would I recommended this book? Yes. I would encourage you to read it and form your own opinion.

always find that writing a novel from end to beginning is a phenomenal feat that is either a hit or miss for me. I commend writers who sign on for the task but books of this nature are not always easy to read or follow. Jodi Piccoult manages to write in reverse as well as confront the hot topic of abortion rights in a way only someone as skilled as she can. As I sit here and consider where to start for my review of A Spark of Light I'm not sure where to begin without upsetting someone. I can only imagine that's how she felt when writing this novel.

So, let's start at the beginning, which is really the end, where we meet a group of people who had the unfortunate luck of going into a women's health clinic for various reasons. After surviving the group of protesters outside of the Center, a more sinister, crazed, and tragic future awaits them. A gunman open fires on all those inside this clinic and those he doesn't kill, he takes as hostage.

Wren, frantically reaches out to her father, Hugh, a hostage negotiator, who then enlists the help of Mississippi's finest under the guise of being just another officer with a job to do. He omits that his daughter is inside. As he grapples with why she's in the Center, we are introduced to the Doctor who performs the abortions, the nursing staff, protesters in disguise, and women who are simply seeking professional help. All their stories different and relevant to what brought them in the path of a crazy man. Ultimately, life and death is what binds them.

I won't pretend that Piccoult was kind to those who oppose abortion, so consider yourself warned if you're expecting validation here. Even as Piccoult attempts to consider the opposition, a lot of the arguments are thin. Funny how fiction can be so... real.

Although the woman in the Center who's undercover is quite humanized, most of those that were anti-abortion seemed like crazed zealots. They were the exact caricature that many of us imagine them to be. Men and women (mostly men... ironically) that protest to the point of almost barricading the doors of the women's clinic as if the fact that it's one of the few clinics of it's kind still standing due to being legislated to death. People with placards that are more religious leaning that fact based.

Having been acquainted with Piccoult's work, I do admit that she could have done better by these people but on the other hand... let's be real. The woman who is against her son taking health class where safe sex is taught, is also against the Center. Yes, we all know her. She doesn't make rational sense and if you begin a conversation as to why teaching safe sex and reproductive practices shouldn't be taught, chances are she'll argue you to death with Bible passages or instill the fear of the eternal damnation of your soul.

Even though Jane Roe of Roe vs. Wade has had a change of heart in regards to a woman's reproductive rights in no way does this change the fact that no one should control my reproductive rights except myself. Those who scream that life begins at inception are some of the most contradicting people (IMHO). I don't want to offend but Piccoult writes books that are meant to be discussed. I find it ironic that someone can tell someone else to have a baby (even in cases of rape or incest) yet are not foster parents to the many children who have been turned over to the system due to their parents not having the resources to raise them.

Ok? So you argue it's a religious thing? The same religious thing that was in favor of enslaving other humans? Or the religious thing (conglomerate) that ignores priests that are pedophiles and simply moves them to a different parish?

Are those same people opposing abortion rights the same people who hate that their tax money is used to help these unplanned families?

Jodi Piccoult hammers away at all the arguments and leaves behind what it really comes down to.

What it really comes down to (for me at least) is the decision between life or death. What that life or death can mean so many different things for different people and that decision is personal.

Clearly I'm a liberal degenerate that understands that even considering abortion is not easy for any woman.

As I mentioned, I wasn't sure where to go with this review. I enjoyed reading A Spark of Light. And to put it in context, women's reproductive rights are constantly at risk (along with other issues very close and dear to me). Isn't it ironic that there are still people who argue in favor of laws and restrictions that either oppress others or even themselves? The hegemonic rule is alive and well in the states.

Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley

Never one to shy away from a hot topic, Picoult is courageous again with A Spark of Light. Woman's health care is one of the top agendas being pulled and pushed back and forth in government at this moment. Picoult expertly crafts the book beginning with the incident at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic. We then go back learning of each character and how and why they are involved in this incident. Picoult did her research with the story representing facts on the subject and real emotions of those involved.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

Best know for her ability to make her readers see both sides of a controversial issue, Jodi Picoult is at the top of her game in A Spark of Light.

Fifteen year-old Wren McElroy goes to a women’s clinic with her aunt to get birth control, carefully not engaging the sea of protesters outside. Besides the receptionist and doctor, also in the clinic that morning are Jasmine to get an abortion, Olive an older woman who has cancer, Izzy the clinic nurse who has just learned she’s pregnant and Joy who is an “undercover” pro-life protester trying to get them to break governmental rules. But, their clashing personal views seem much less important when an armed gunman storms the clinic and takes them hostage.

Emotionally charged and carefully researched, including a lengthy list of annotations, A Spark of Light takes the pro-life/pro-choice down to an individual human level. We all need to listen as well as speak.

This author is very poluar at our library. I know this book will go over well! It's already been requested many times to be added to our collection

Another controversial story from JP. The topic, abortion, is very relevant as usual, It was an emotional read for me. I was a bit frustrated with the backward timeline of events, which makes me actually give it 4.5 stars.

This was a fascinating story, and well crafted, as it weaves together the stories of several lives as they intersect on one particular day at a woman's reproductive health clinic.

Some are there to get an abortion, some are there to get the pill, some are there because they work there, they are the abortion doctor, or that is where they receive they're gynecological exams. Whatever the reason, on this fateful day all their lives are thrown together when an anti-abortion activist starts shooting.

This story was a bit difficult to follow, at first, as it traces the story backwards. Immediately you're thrust into the story, amongst the hostages, the negotiator, and the gunman. It's always difficult for me when a story jumps back and forth between perspectives, and this story followed ten different people, and it jumped rather frequently.

The thing that Picoult is so skilled at is revealing the story, bit by bit, until all the pieces begin to come together, finally, into a whole, at the very end. And when you finally get a major reveal you've been waiting for the whole time you've been reading, often you end up making some audible sound, like a gasp, because you just didn't see it coming. At least, that's how it was for me, though not as strongly this time, as I predicted the sort-of big reveal before it happened, though not until I was at least half-way done.

The parts I loved about this story were the different character's stories and how they all fit together to tell this overarching story about abortion from all sides. Going into this story, you might just think it's a pro-live vs. pro-choice struggle. But there are so many facets that make up the abortion discussion, that aren't as often brought up. Picoult makes sure to touch them all. I learned so much just reading this book - and I highly recommend reading Picoult's "Author's Note," as well, where she speaks personally about her thoughts on abortion.

That being said, what kept this from being higher rated for me were the numerous times that this story felt less like a story and more like a "covering all the bases" blanket statement about abortion. As much as I appreciated all the information about abortion, sometimes the story element was lacking and a character became a mouth-piece to tell me a specific fact or point of view about abortion rather than me feeling link this was something heart-felt by that character. This story is definitely coming in at a time where these kinds of discussions are raging and abortion is painting a wide swath in a political landscape. This notion unfortunately colors my enjoyment of the story, a bit, as it feels like a PSA rather than a story.

But otherwise, I really felt like this was well done and is definitely up there in my list of favorite Picoult books. I would definitely recommend it to anyone because perspective is necessary when it comes to topics like these. Empathy is an amazing eye-opener, and getting an idea of what someone facing such a choice might be thinking or feeling or even knowing what their life is like is important and humanizing, a point that Picoult is emphasizing, underlining, and exclaiming with every word. So read it.

It has taken me almost two weeks to process how I felt about the latest novel from one of my favorite authors. This book is one that will stay with me for a long time because I think it so clearly points out different sides of several hot button issues. That said, this book could absolute be a TRIGGER for anyone with a strong opinion on abortion, anyone who has experienced the loss of a child, or anyone who is affected by mass shootings/violence.

The book itself feels at times more like a political statement than a story but I devoured it all the same. There aren’t traditional chapters. Instead the story is told by jumping from one perspective to another with no clear breaks between characters, only between periods of time. This and the fact that the story is told backward can make it a bit difficult to follow at times.

The plot centers around an abortion clinic and the people who are inside (and outside) of it on the day a man comes in brandishing a gun and taking deadly aim. I don’t want to spoil the ending by saying more, but as the story develops (or rewinds?) you begin to learn how each of the characters’ stories intertwine. It’s a gripping read. Overall not my favorite Jodi Picoult book but if you want to think a little deeper about the issues highlighted, pick it up.

I enjoyed this book very much and will recommend to friends and family.. I look forward to more by this author

Thought provoking, well woven story.
The subject matter is greatly debated these days. The violence has become much too common an occurrence.
I did not enjoy it, I'm not sure it's meant for enjoyment, but that's why I read.

This book is told in reverse order. (It took me an embarassingly long time to realize that.) Jodi Picoult has taken another hot button issue and revealed just how complicated and human it is. This time she tackles abortion and all the many facets of the issue and how far some people are willing to go for their beliefs. This is a great story we should all read and think about before we decide to actively campaign for one side or the other.

I've read quite a few Jodi Picoult books, and A Spark of Light was not my favorite. I am not sure if the kindle format added to my frustration - the book was written in reverse time order sequence, so it was difficult to follow or tab back if I needed to refresh my memory.
When the story opens, you are introduced to several characters - one of whom is a man that has entered an abortion clinic and started shooting. There is a sheriff, Hugh McElroy, who is talking to the shooter, who finds out his daughter is one of the hostages. Other characters are Joy, a woman who has come to get an abortion, a nurse, the Aunt of the sheriff's daughter, the doctor who performs the abortions, and other patients and staff.
While this story plays out in reverse order, you learn about a young girl named Beth, who stands accused of murdering her 16-17 month old unborn baby, using illegal drugs that came from China.
There are a lot of characters to keep straight, and although Picoult shares many relevant facts about abortions, the clinics that serve these patients, I could not stay really engaged with this story. There is always a twist at the end of Picoult's books, but I feel they are getting more and more outrageous and difficult to believe.
Not a horrible read, but not my favorite. I received this book to review thanks to NetGalley.

At first, I could not get into this book. The backwards storytelling did not appeal to me. But, I stuck with it and as it went on, I enjoyed it more and more. Things are revealed as the book goes along. There are a couple of surprises that are revealed at the end. One I had figured out, the other I had not. So that was a nice surprise. I think this book will sell well, as Jodi Picoult is an established author with many fans. I have personally only read a few of her books, and definitely will read more after reading this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of A Spark of Light in exchange for an honest review.

A backwards read that will want you to read it again and again!

I love every book I've read by Jodi Picoult and this one did not disappoint!

This book has so many different stories coinciding at once. Overall, it is a story about a violent attack at an abortion clinic. We start at the scene of the crime then ZAP! we go backwards in time each hour, chapter by chapter, to the start of the day. At first I found this style a bit frustrating , I knew the end of the story already and I wanted all the details and quick! Slowly we learn the characters stories, what brought them to the clinic and why. We slowly understand, but what will happen in the end?!? read the book! It is an excellent twisty smoothie blender treat!
Once again Picoult brings the characters to life, making us hurt and laugh along with each chapter. It is thought provoking... whatever your opinion about abortion, this book will make you think about the opposing opinion with an open mind.

Jodi Picoult has done it again!
This book should be read by everyone- I had read "Life's work : from the trenches, a moral argument for choice" by Dr. Willie Parker and was intrigued by what I had read.
Jodi has written a book that shows a bit more about the women, the divide between morals and choice.
The characters were painted so realistically that I felt like I knew someone just like them. I don't want to give too much away so I will keep this short. Every woman in the story has a reason to be in the Clinic. Not everyone who goes to this clinic is going for an abortion. Some go for regular exams, birth control, etc. The story follows a myriad of characters, giving information about them, developing stories, but ultimately paying a high price...ALL of them.
I recommend highly!

Once, Jodi Picoult has written a stellar book. Her books hit the mark with important, current, and real life issues. This one is about women’s choice, and is written in a very unique way, that makes you want to re-read immediately.