Jodi Picoult is a literary icon and the thing I most appreciate about her books is how she deals with controversial topics and makes you see sides of an issue that maybe you had not considered before or enlightens you to an alternative viewpoint. A Spark of Light is no different. It considers all the lives that are touched when a shooter enters an abortion clinic in Mississippi. It features a diverse cast of characters: Wren, the young high schooler who entered the clinic to obtain birth control; Bex, Wren's aunt, that took Wren to the clinic so that she wouldn't have to get her father's consent; Joy, who is at the clinic for an abortion; Janine, who is a pro-life advocate that entered the clinic posing as a pregnant woman wanting an abortion so that she could uncover information to be used against the clinic; Izzy, the clinic nurse who is also pregnant herself; George Goddard, the shooter who came to avenge his daughter; Dr. Louie Ward, the doctor who performs the abortions; and Hugh, the hostage negotiator and Wren's father.
A Spark of Light is so well researched and really delves into such a weighty issue with a finesse that only Jodi Picoult can. It is the epitome of a conversation starter and it touches on things that could only benefit people on both sides of the issue to consider.
I would recommend this novel, but I will say that the format of the storytelling takes a little getting used to. The story opens with the ending of the day at the clinic and then flashes back an hour at a time, so for me, that did interrupt the flow of the storyline some. After finishing the novel, I did go back and re-read the first chapter so that I could remind myself how the storylines ended for a few of the characters.
This is a novel that will stay with me for some time and as always, I have a deeper appreciation for Jodi Picoult's prowess as an author after reading her work.
I received this book courtesy of Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Spark of Light is so well researched and really delves into such a weighty issue with a finesse that only Jodi Picoult can. It is the epitome of a conversation starter and it touches on things that could only benefit people on both sides of the issue to consider.
I would recommend this novel, but I will say that the format of the storytelling takes a little getting used to. The story opens with the ending of the day at the clinic and then flashes back an hour at a time, so for me, that did interrupt the flow of the storyline some. After finishing the novel, I did go back and re-read the first chapter so that I could remind myself how the storylines ended for a few of the characters.
This is a novel that will stay with me for some time and as always, I have a deeper appreciation for Jodi Picoult's prowess as an author after reading her work.
I received this book courtesy of Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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