A fantastic sneak peak of Picoult's newest novel - we find ourselves slap bang in the middle of all the action with characters bursting from the page and a strong sense of placement. If the rest of the story lives up to this first chapter, we are all in for a treat. A great start.

This book will resonate with me for a long time.

Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder. Now life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real; a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage.

Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator, the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point.

I was excited to read this novel, following the build-up to its release and the controversial topic of abortion being addressed in a non-conventional way. I thought that the premise behind the book was terrific, and as ever Jodi combatted such a sensitive subject with care and authenticity.

However, I was disappointed by the layout of the book, the plot was told backwards through the narrative of multiple different characters. For me, this meant I didn’t understand the opening chapter because I wasn’t invested in any of the characters and by the end of the novel, I had forgotten what had happened.

Although the split narrative was useful in allowing each individual character to express their thoughts and feelings, there wasn’t much of a separation between who was talking, which made it quite confusing to follow. This was also more difficult due to the long chapters which would then begin where the last one started, I think it would have been more cohesive if it was written chronologically.

Despite issues with the structure of the novel, I thoroughly enjoyed the way Jodi attacked such a personal matter in a way that will resonate with me for a long time. The detail in which she described such a sensitive issue was clearly well researched and considerately written.

I would recommend reading this backwards, but it’s a worthwhile read!

Lucy

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Not my usually type of book but I enjoyed it. It was not what I expected. Controversial but enjoyable. Would recommend it

Many thanks to Netgalley and Jodi Picoult for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

I have read most of Jodi Picoults books and this one like the others focuses on a controversial topic.
A spark of light is about a gunman that goes into a clinic (the last one in the state) that carries out abortions. It follows around 10 characters that all have differing opinions but all for one reason or another find themselves at that clinic on that day.
Jodi certainly knows her stuff and goes in depth into the legal system.
The book is interesting as it starts at the end and then goes backwards to how it all started. I thought it was a different way to write a book and certainly kept me interested however as there were so many characters and it was going backwards I did get a little confused with who was who in parts.
A difficult topic to read about.

3.5 stars
Objectively, this was a good book but it wasn't for me. I didn't like the reverse narrative style and found it difficult to connect with the characters. Frankly, it was a chore to read. I read other books by Jodi Picoult and enjoyed some more than others; this one is definitely not my favourite.
Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, whilst dealing with a sensitive subject the surrounding storyline dealing with the gunman and hostages is well written and extremely gripping. I couldn't read it quick enough. I loved the way that it was written going backwards and the fact that we got to find out more about the characters as the book developed.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this one did not disappoint at all. This book begins at a Centre for women and covered topics that are difficult. Highly recommend

I’ve read a few Jodi Picoult books, and there hasn’t been a single one that I didn’t enjoy. I think the thing that makes these books so amazing for me is that it’s obvious a lot of research and preparation has been done before she started writing. This also makes the book more hard-hitting as it’s much more realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone. The writing was outstanding, and I was engrossed throughout all of it. It was easy to read, and it definitely made me a little bit emotional. Jodi Picoult has the ability to write about things that other people aren’t brave enough to even attempt. And that really makes her stand out to me as an author that will always be good. I love that this book includes different people with such different opinions - whether they be opinions based on personal, political or religious beliefs. This makes it much more interesting and again shows that a lot of research has been done. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn’t yet read it.

I heard Jodi Picoult on the radio, talking about this book, and I was intrigued to learn more about it. It is an intrigung, and unusual continuous narrative about women's choice about their bodies, and the perils of abortion, birth control, and the rampant use of guns in the USA.
The characters in this book are all very well rounded, from the detective who goes to sort out a hostage situation, and the police chief, who has the power to storm the building, and possibly shoot the so-called hostage taker, and someone who has already killed people, and injured others, including medical staff.
The many conundrums set in this book well describe the situations in the USA, at the moment, the gun laws, and the possibility of hate crime, under the President, whoever that happens to be. I found it all incredibly moving, powerful, and non-judgemental.
This book is a powerful indictment of certain people and their certainties, or uncertainties that face them in life in general, and in the particular. This review has no spoilers, and I would advise anyone who likes Picoult's writing, to buy it, read it, possibly in one sitting like I did. Many thanks to the publishers, and Net Galley for the chance to read, and review this book.

Jodi Picoult is an auto-buy/read author of mine. It's been ages since I last read a book from hers and yet the excitement of reading her work is still the same. Once again, she proved how brilliant of a writer she is with A Spark of Light which takes on a tough issue of abortion. It is brave and admirable. It is difficult to read as it could be very graphic. There's also the gun violence and death. But it is definitely thought-provoking.

' A Spark of Light' begins with a seemingly random act of violence. The reasons for which are gradually revealed historically hour by hour as the story lays bare the root causes whilst exploring how the main characters find themselves embroiled in the tragic situation.

' The Right to Life' and 'The Right to Choose' is at the crux of this story, which is inevitably thought-provoking, and poignant. Even though the themes are serious, the characterisation is so good that whatever your beliefs and opinions you can see all sides to this debate.

Realistic and vividly drawn characters are what makes this story readable but this isn't escapism reading but a contribution to the life and choice debate and violence in 21st- century society.

I received a copy of this book from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Wow! This is another excellent book from Picoult. It is thought provoking and powerful, filled with tension and revelations. I couldn't put it down!

I have read a few Jodi Picoult books and found they tend to share a common template: a morally difficult or controversial issue is presented and then all sides of it examined in great depth, via the emotions and experiences of a few core characters. The tone tends to be empathetic and impartial, and some shocking twists are thrown in along the way to challenge the preconceived notions and assumptions of characters and readers alike.

Here the big issue under the spotlight is abortion and, true to form, Picoult has kept her impartiality admirably. She presents the different viewpoints sympathetically, showing that once you have an understanding of people’s private stories then there are no easy right or wrong answers; no baddies and goodies, just people dealing with their lives in the way they feel is best for them.

However, far from being the usual involved and detailed examination, this novel read like a series of short vignettes on the subject. Characters were introduced with a synopsis of their position and flashes of their history for a little context, but it all felt a little bare and a little rushed. It lacked the detailed fleshing out of character that allows the reader to feel their pain and fear for their safety / success.

As a quick round-up of different attitudes to abortion it was well-written and fairly presented. It just lacked that emotive pull and punch that I normally expect in writing from this author.



The Center squatted on the corner of Juniper and Montford behind a wrought-iron gate, like an old bulldog used to guarding its territory. At one point, there had been many like it in Mississippi – nondescript, unassuming buildings where services were provided and needs were met. Then came the restrictions that were designed to make these places go away: the halls had to be wide enough to accommodate two passing gurneys; any clinic where that wasn’t the case had to shut down or spend thousands on reconstruction. The doctors had to have admitting privileges at local hospitals – even though most were from out of state and couldn’t secure them – or the clinics where they practiced risked closing, too. One by one the clinics shuttered their windows and boarded up their doors. Now, the Center was a unicorn – a small rectangle of a structure painted a flourescent, flagrant orange, like a flag to those who had traveled hundreds of miles to find it. It was the color of safety; the color of warning. It said: I’m here if you need me. It said, Do what you want to me; I’m not going.

– Jodi Picoult, A Spark of Light

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Having read many of Jodi Piccoult's books, I hadn't really enjoyed the last few until I read The Storyteller, which was a heart wrenching page turner. A Spark of Light nearly reached those heights, my only reservation was the way in which Jodi presented the book - with time in reverse.

Wow. This book is going to stay with me for a while. Hard-hitting and at times very graphic about an emotive subject that some people may be sensitive too. Covering more than a few controversial topics, but never being overly biased to any of them. Not an ‘enjoyable’ read by any means but a story that I think need to be told and I am very glad that I read it.

The story focuses around The Center. A Womans Health clinic that is well-known for being one of the few places left in Mississippi where women can go and have safe abortions. We start at the end of the story and follow the characters back through their respective days to find out how they came to be at the clinic. The women in attendance for various reasons, the staff members, the hostage negotiator and the gunman are all written brilliantly and you get to know each of them well and get to understand their own individual reasons for being there when the gunman walks into the clinic.

The way the story is written in reverse was a little confusing at first, but once I got into it, I didn’t find it too difficult to keep track of what was going on and found it to be a very well plotted story.

The research that has gone into this book on the several topics covered is clear to see. Some of the abortion details are very graphic and I would warn anyone with any kind of sensitivity to the subject that it is very descriptive. Also covered are pro-life protesting, pro-choice, religious beliefs, hostage situations and mass shootings. Again, none are in any kind of ‘soap-box’ way and I applaud Jodi for how informative the whole story was without leaning in any specific way.

A very powerful, thought-provoking book that is going to keep me thinking for quite some time.

I have read another book by this author before and left feeling the same as reading this one. It's a short story and I think that's where it is let down. It feels rushed, I just can't get on with this style. If only it was a bit longer to let you engage with the story. It reminds me of a conversation at a bus stop, you've got to finish before the bus arrives so you'd better get it all in quick, I prefer to be swept into the story and I'm afraid it just doesn't do that. I'm uncertain to any of the characters apart from the policeman and his daughter wren. Underwhelmed.

This was only the first chapter but I read this and had to read the rest of the book ASAP. The story is written backwards which does take a bit of getting used to and the subject is very emotive but Jodi has done it again. Brilliant. Loved it.

Jodi Picoult follows up her previous literary novel Small Great Things, with another novel that centres around a contemporary moral issue. With Small Great Things the focus was on race and racism. With A Spark Of Light, the focus is on abortion rights and female reproductive rights.

The author has been very clever is the way the narrative is written. She never takes a stance on either side of the debate, she simply allows the characters from both sides of the debate to tell their stories. So whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, this would make for a thought-provoking read.

The novel works in a backwards storyline, starting with the huge event (a gun man entering an abortion clinic) and telling the stories of the individuals and how they came to be their that day. Not just the female patients but the staff members and the people accompanying the patients.
It isn’t long until we discover that one of the young women inside is a 15yr old girl named Wren. And Wren isn’t just anyone’s daughter, she is the daughter of the hostage negotiator brought into deal with the armed man.

‘She shouldn’t have come here she should have stayed a little girl’ – Wren 15yrs

The gunman is named George Goddard and slowly we begin to learn his backstory and why he has entered the clinic with an eye for revenge. . .
‘An eye, a life for a life’

The novel informs us of the backstory of the 5 hostages held inside and the owner and doctor who run the clinic. I was absolutely captivated by their stories and they felt so incredibly real. It wasn’t until I got to the authors note that I realised the depth of research the author has undertaken on the topic.
It really is worthy of your time to read this part of the novel.

The novel does detail the communication between the gunman and the negotiator and we learn both men’s history’s as they attempt to share their personal stake in this situation. But only one man can put down the gun and give up, a man that it seems is beyond reaching. . .
‘Some men wear responsibility and some men are worn by it’

The novel also covers a completely separate abortion case. One of a young woman arrested for taking abortion medicines, because in the state of Alabama although abortion may be legal, there are strict legal guidelines to be followed and adhered too. If this legislation is not followed to the letter, the woman may find herself facing a lengthy sentence as does 17yr old Beth.

‘We are all capable of things we never imagined’

Although the novel is a fictional story HEAVILY based upon facts, research and statistics. You as the reader do become dis-attached from the reality. That is when Jodi Picoult cleverly reminds us of the real-life case of Roe v wade. As a UK reader, I know that Roe v Wade is an incredibly important piece of legislation; but I was unaware of who Norma McCorvey was and the history that surrounds the 1970’s case. The details are again delivered from an unbiased viewpoint.

Jodi Picoult is not trying to conform readers but asking them to see things from the other side of the debate. It is very intelligently done; and the author deserves to win some awards for her brave take on such a personal issue for many women.
The novel tackles the theme of abortion from various angles: the emotional trauma, religious reasoning by telling the stories of the individuals involved within.
The novel does also cover the shame/stigma associated with choice of abortion and I felt this was a very important theme to include.
‘Good women want to be mothers, bad women don’t’

Personally, I am pro-choice. I wouldn’t personally wish to undertake an abortion and I never have. I don’t believe it is something any woman WANTS to undertake. I just don’t think it is something I could undertake, there is no religious/moral reasoning for this. It is just a personal feeling.
I do however, 100% believe in the legal right for ALL women to have access to safe and accessible abortions. Because every woman in the world does not live my personal circumstances and we must accept that we cannot decide for others. . .
‘It wasn’t sex that made you a woman. It was having to make decisions, sometimes terrible ones’

This novel deals with some tough themes. No matter which side of the fence you sit, your personal views will be challenged by the individual stories. But I think the author puts it best. . .

‘Laws are black and white. The lives of women are a thousand shades of grey’ – Jodi Picoult

4.5*

One thing I love about Jodi Picoult is her ability to examine a contentious subject from every angle without seeming to land on either side of the debate. In A Spark of Light she takes the very emotive topic of abortion. People clearly have very definite opinions on which side of the debate they fall and that makes it all the more admirable that she is able to clearly represent both sides.
The Center is a woman’s clinic where they can come to access reproductive services including abortion. On an average day the women and staff entering the clinic can expect to be met by protestors confronting them with signs and judgement. Today is not a normal day.
Late in the morning a gunman bursts in taking the staff and women hostage. Trapped inside is a whole host of characters including a young girl named Wren…the hostage negotiator’s teenage daughter.
Whichever side of the debate you fall on A Spark of Light poses difficult questions. When does the right to personhood begin? How do you balance the right of the pregnant woman with the right of the unborn child? What does it mean to be a good parent? These questions and many others are considered in this thought-provoking novel.
The Center is set is in Mississippi and was once one of many but restrictions over the years caused the other to close.
“The Center had suffered scars from the cuts of politicians and the barbs of protestors. It had licked its wounds and healed. 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.”
I liked that A Spark of Light began with the hostage situation and then went back in time to show how each of the people in the Center had ended up there. My favourite characters were probably Olive and Louie.
As usual this novel was very well researched, and I liked that the author included so many facts in the book although some of them may be a bit graphic for some readers, particularly those that include the process of the abortion.
This novel gave me food for thought particularly when thinking about the type of people who object to abortions and why they object and also the myriad of reason why women chose to have abortions. Also, questioning the way different states can differ so much in their laws around abortion.
“Perhaps the question wasn’t When does a foetus become a person? But When Does a woman stop being one.”
The author’s note at the end of the book contains some particularly interesting information on a topic of reproductive rights of women and efforts to curtail them – something which has been in the news a lot recently.
A Spark of Light is certainly worthwhile reading.

The setting of the tale is a women's clinic. Although it deals with all aspects of women's health, it is the abortion aspect that causes protest and demonstrators to camp outside & harass the people going in & out.

Fifteen year old Wren has gone with her aunt to get contraception. Olive, who is in her sixties has gone for test results, others have gone to make the hardest decision of their lives- to end an unwanted pregnancy & George Goddard has gone there to kill.

The story begins when George has already injured & killed a number of people. Hugh McIlroy, the hostage negotiator is trying to stop more bloodshed, but most of all to save his daughter, Wren.

The story is told backwards hour by hour so we get to know the stories and thoughts of those involved. I really didn't like this method of story telling. I found it annoying & confusing & that's the reason I felt I couldn't give this five stars.

This book was thoughtful & informative. Abortion is a very emotive subject. I am firmly in the 'right to choose' camp. I know some women who have had abortions & I know that it was something that will always haunt them even though it was the right thing for them & their families. Being adopted, I am aware that had abortion been available for my birth mother, I might not be here. I wish those well off men who are so concerned that women should give birth were as concerned for the children when they are born into dreadful conditions.

This is a book that should be read & should be discussed. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me do so.