A Spark of Light

A Novel

By: Jodi Picoult

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Jodi Picoult

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Number one New York Times best seller

The author 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 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 15-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)

©2018 Jodi Picoult (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Picoult at her fearless best... Timely, balanced and certain to inspire debate.” (The Washington Post)

“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)

“Thoroughly realistic storytelling...Picoult has achieved what politicians across the spectrum have not been able to: humanized a hot-button issue. Excellent for book clubs, this should also be considered for discussions in critical thinking and political debate.” (Library Journal, starred review)

It stays

With you. I love this author books but this was not her best. Granted the subject matter is very controversial. She usually does a fantastic job with juxtaposition of conflict. As a person that has spent many years as a labor and delivery RN. I’ve seen it all. The worst possible outcomes and best possible out comes, and some unexplainable outcomes. They are different for every individual. The question of right should be to who is, or is not giving birth. Every human experience is different, so every choice is different for personal reasons. People get into a rabbit hole of pro choice or pro life, are forcing there subjective thought onto people they don’t even know in situations they have no experience with. The author shows many of the misunderstandings but there are so many more. If the subject matter is interesting to you it’s worth a listen. If not I would recommend getting something else.

Content is Preachy & Structure is Confusing

When I bought the book there weren't any reviews, so I counted on the author's exemplary track record. Once I was in the midst of it I went back to look for reviews because I was incredibly confused. It felt like the timeline was all over the place. It was only when reading a review that I saw that the book is written in reverse. Which means I was well into the book without having had an understanding of the fundamental plot.

The other reviewer also wrote "heavy handed", which is also accurate. One saving grace was that Picoult successfully humanizes the characters on both sides of this polarizing issue.

The audible chapters are incredibly long, which makes rewinding (which I had to do countless times) challenging. It did help with the skipping ahead tho, which I did in big chunks to get through it.

Disappointed

I always look forward to Jodi's next novel but this one was a let down.

Not Jodi's best.

Not Jodi's best. This story was far too long. In my opinion it would have made a stronger statement if about half of the details had been removed.

Inconclusive results

AA story that should be told. Although story as written was hard to follow and did not finish with endings to the characters involved.

Truly Enlightening!

While I personally don’t condone abortion and I am not scientific about it, I don’t think what I believe should be law. I also don’t believe I’m in a position to judge. We should love. We should be kind. We should aim resources at the root of problems and not the symptoms. Thank you so much for writing so eloquently on a touchy subject. Brilliant work.

Not the best by Jodi, but thought provoking

Jodi is my favorite author. I have been anticipating this book for some time. While it was thought provoking, it was one of my least favorites. The story went back and forth from current to past and switched between many charachters often and sometimes without the listener knowing initially. This style of story telling is not one that I am fond of. I was shocked when the epilogue started as I felt there were many questions and parts of the story that were just left hanging.

A Spark of Light

This work accurately details the struggle to make an informed decision and then live with it. It makes no judgements, but does make a powerful argument for readers to consider both sides of CHOICE.

I really appreciate the author’s candid portrayal of the way society almost heretically determines to prevent women from taking care of themselves after being sexually active with a male who then walks away from the act of sex without ever thinking about what’s left for the woman to do should she get pregnant.

I have always liked Ms. Picoult. Now, I profoundly respect her and will recommend A SPARK OF LIGHT to others asking them to please read it and truly stand in the shoes of another before judging.

Captivating mix of diverse emotions...

Patience is required in the first few chapters in order to connect the many characters and stay with the perpetual time shifts. I found need replay parts of the first three chapters.

Once into the story it is captivating because of those many characters and their diverse emotions and convictions in the controversial matter choice versus rights.

This is excellent reading for parents and adolescents of both genders. It may just shift the paradigm of thinking enough to give one the mental tools to work through an unexpected pregnancy whether their own or of someone close to them.

Traditional Picoult Lacks Pizzazz

Traditional Picoult writing style. Good and interesting topic. Poor execution of plot in my opinion. This story could have had more "meat on its bones"