A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
This book has left me thinking. The subject matter was not an easy one to read about (an abortion clinic) but, in her usual style, Jodi holds the reader and cleverly and thoughtfully demonstrates cases from a variety of viewpoints. It was well-written and certainly a compulsive, although at times difficult, read. The story goes in reverse and the back stories to the many characters are revealed a little more in each chapter, until you have a sound understanding of who they are. The diverse characters were well developed (eventually) and always felt like real people, I was compelled to find out more about each of them.
I felt the ending, although gratefully read, came very suddenly, and I was left wanting resolution on a few of the remaining characters. Maybe my brain will sort that for me in the next few hours?

. . . . .

I requested and received this book via NetGalley because I have heard many good things about the author and not having read any substantial amount of her books earlier, I thought this may be a good place to start. 

I made one slight mistake during the period in which this book was pending reading on my shelf. I read multiple reviews of it. This did put me off reading it immediately since there were quite a few controversial ones. They were also simultaneously encouraging that there was something for every type of person in this book. Most of these thoughts I concurred with. I will state that this is my unbiased review because once I started reading it I put everyone else's comments aside and only focused on the story.

First and foremost the style of narration with the revelations coming in the backward fashion were slightly disconcerting initially. By the time I reached the entrance of the gunman, it all made sense and seemed worth it. There were stages of revelation which work with this experimental form of storytelling, so just be patient if you do not get it in the beginning.This is a story of all the people who came to a women's clinic with all their private reasons being held at gunpoint by a man who claims to have been wronged by them. There is every possible viewpoint discussed in this tale, every side has so much of data provided with it, it will be hard for anyone to take any particular side and this again was something I both admired while simultaneously regretted since I like having someone to root for. It deals with a very topical issue not just in North America but the world where multiple groups are fighting for the right of women to have freedom of choice. Each person who is involved in this instance has a story to tell if you are willing to listen to them.

I may not have enjoyed the book as much as some others I have read but I do recommend it to those people who are more politically inclined because it does contain food for thought and brings to light the hardships faced by the people who work in the field.

I have not read anything by this author before so did not know what to expect. I really enjoyed it and at times found it quite a heart braking subject.

The only thing I did not like was that there were very few surprises because of the way the storyline was written, however this did not detract the impact of the book. A great read.

I love JP's books and I really wanted to like this one, but the story is told backwards in time which I found it very confusing, a lot of characters and difficult to get into

I always anticipate a Jodi Picoult book. You know she'll write with great assurance about her subject and it will inevidently be controversial, which for me makes it a must have read. That said, I found the book very disjointed, being told back to front and found the characters were rather one dimensional. It took me a while to figure who was who. Also, writers are advised never to have protagonists with similar names. Beth and Bex?? The 'reveals' at the end were clever and not obvious. Overall though, even with the in-depth knowledge and descriptive details ( which some may find unpalatable) I found it surprising rather boring, I hope Jodi will get back to form with her next title and it will be as tense and gripping as previous works. I will definitely loik forward to it with anticipation.

I have read a few of Jodi Picoult's books and I enjoyed them. This book was no exception. Plenty of tension and nail-biting action. It starts with a hostage situation in an abortion ward which is thought-provoking in itself. and a controversial subject. This book is not to everyone's taste, but I found it well-written and readable. Recommended.

This novel touches upon a very relevant theme for the current political climate. In typical Jodi Picoult fashion, it is very well written. However, the reverse chronological order was a bit confusing and frankly, headache inducing. Not up to her usual standard, I can't give 2.5 stars, so I'm giving 3.

The joy of discovering a new author never gets old. If this ever changes, I’ll stop reading.

A Spark of Light was my very first Jodi Picoult. I had been staying away from the hype, the reviews, the general enthusiasm because I really wanted to have no expectations whatsoever when I finally took the plunge and joined everyone on the bandwagon. Truth be told, I didn’t even read the blurb before getting her latest novel. I’m crazy like that.

I had a title. I had an author name. I had a phone. Thanks to Pigeonhole, I received staves each day for ten days if my memory doesn’t fail me. If this way of reading is fantastic when you’re in the middle of a thriller, I must admit it was very frustrating while reading A Spark of Light.

Why? Not because I was bored. Oh, no. I just became so emotionally involved in the events and the characters’ lives that it was torture to have to wait to know what would happen to them. This was no cat and mouse hunt, no crime puzzle. It was life in all its forms. It was reading about so many different paths, names, decisions. It was the clock ticking in my head so loudly it was deafening.

What is brilliant in the way Jodi Picoult wrote this novel is that no matter where you stand about the subject, there is room for thoughts. She leaves all doors open so you can try and understands where everyone stands, why they do, what they think. It was not an invasion in the private life of women, it was a cry for freedom. No, freedoms. All kinds of liberties that we should be allowed to have. The right to be wrong, the right to stand for what you believe in. Most of all, A Spark of Life is just that: a spark. A way to start a conversation. A gentle push to move forward, without judgement.

The writing is subtle, beautiful, like a petal floating in the wind. It carries feelings all the way to your heart. Few authors make me shiver with emotion the way Jodi Picoult managed with this novel. It hurt to see people hurt. It hurt to witness fears take over, to watch life corner people and leave them helpless. It felt good to see hope, to look at people’s kindness, to be in the here and now and be overwhelmed with emotions.

A young girl got pregnant. She was afraid. With laws against her, she found another way to abort. She broke a rule. She broke her father’s heart. People paid the price. But so many other stories end up just like hers. So many others get offered another way. Regrets and tears, pain, joy, and blood. Oh, what a simplistic sum-up of what A Spark of Light is about. It’s about love, for yourself, your children, born or unborn, for life.

The structure of the novel is unusual. Time goes backwards. You meet those strangers stuck in an impossible situation, at the worst of their life. Then slowly, as if someone was pulling a thread, you climb back the hours, finding more about each of them. What are they doing here, what kind of fate brought them at the same place on the same day? Nothing is left to chance. Jodi Picoult writes life as it should be written. With respect, with an open heart, with such powerful words in the perfect order that you can’t help letting them wrap you up in a bubble. Thought-provoking without a spark a fire ready to burn everything down to anger or concrete to build walls between people, just an observation of what is, what was, what might be.

No, I don’t believe this book is only for women. I strongly recommend everyone read it. We need to talk, to keep the debate open, and to take care of ourselves, our bodies and our minds.

The book opens with an intense hostage situation, and, as typical for Jodie Picoult, pulls the reader in right away. The different and very diverse characters are all developed well and their perspectives are explored and provided in a balanced way. I liked that the story was told in reverse, which was a nice alternative, but also meant that there were few surprises. I enjoyed the book, which is, typical for Picoult, quite intense and emotional and very well-researched.

The whole story revolves around a siege in a womemns health clinic and the story is told backwards, so concentrate carefully in the early chapters! The issues covered are sensitive ones, addressing many areas of women's health, including abortion, so this is not a read for anyone who doesn't like their views to be challenged. However, the various characters all hvae their momnet in the spotlight ans their different backgrounds and situations issutrate the complexity of the argumants surrounding this difficult subject.
Occasionally the book can seem a little formulaic and over structured - it is convenient that this group of people with their set of issues was in the clinic that day! But the characters are in general nice;y rounded and the reader can believe in their viewpoint and individual voice.
Worth the read and will remain with you in considering the issues well after turning the final page.

I've been waiting for Jodi Picoult to do a book on this topic for a while now, and it was definitely worth the wait, her take on abortion is a nuanced and interesting view which allows you to see the topic from all sides. The reversing chronology works really well as you get to put pieces of the day together as you go through, and allows for surprises throughout the book, although at times it did get a little confusing especially when the chronology of one chapter overlapped with the next one. Picoult manages to make you feel for all of the characters, even the ones whose views you don't necessarily share, and the tension is high throughout even though you know the ending before you have even begun. I will admit, I had a lot of questions after finishing and I wish things could have been a bit more tied up, but overall, it was an emotional, thought provoking story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have read a few Jodi Picoult books which I have enjoyed but I found this one a bit harder to read. This is an emotional subject around abortion but I also found it a bit confusing in parts as it jumps from present day to past which I found confusing,

I was instantly caught up in this story. It's always more juicy when a book starts the story at the end and you're left wondering how on earth the characters arrived at this place. Then it winds back and, slowly, by the end of the book you know what happened and the story can be put to rest.

The opening of this book is definitely (almost!) the end of an epic story, that's obvious straight away. I also know the book will be so controversial, because the subject of abortion is always a touchy subject. I like the fact that the author has immediately brought in characters from all points of view for this argument - parents, children, for and against. There is obviously going to be tension between the characters, and it's led to a father in pain resorting to taking hostages with a gun, but what brought him to that place we can only imagine at this point. And imagine I do; or at least I try to.

I was particularly interested in the characters of Wren and her father Hugh, and of course George. The pairing of Joy and Janine is also an interesting one, and again I am trying to guess how they could have come together knowing, at the end, that they should be completely against each other.

All in all this was a completely gripping first chapter, with a killer of a cliffhanger, and I couldn't be more eager to get my hands on this book and find out what happens.

EDIT: After reading the rest of the book, I have to say that it became slowly quite boring and depressing towards the middle. It is pretty long really, and obviously the main subject is abortion. I was hoping that the book would be more about the hostage situation, and a bit more exciting, but mostly it tells the story of different women having abortions, and other characters involved in abortion, either because they are against it or because they work at the centre, or whatever, and how they feel about the whole thing.

I don't think I am alone in this being a subject I don't really want to dwell on, or read a long book about. Yes it is of course an important issue where the law prohibits abortions, but to be honest this was far too full on for me.

The ending of the book is then absolutely mindblowingly amazing, and it brings everything together. Excellent writing at the end without a doubt. Whether the brilliant start and end of the book sufficiently make up for the depressingly serious middle part, I'm not sure. So I'm straight down the middle on this one.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book and I really enjoyed it. Wasn't my usual read. And wasn't sure when u read the preview but was surprised and stuck with it and really loved it.

Jodi has tackled subjects that are very controversial in this book and by so doing has encouraged the reader to think about their own views on abortion and gun control. An interesting book but I found the beginning a little awkward to read as it did not flow that well.
The characters were well developed as the story progressed and clarity became apparent.

I love everything Jodi Picoult writes - I don't think I've ever been disappointed with one of her books! I thought that I was getting just the first chapter of A Spark of Light so imagine my excitement when it's actually the whole book, and it was just as good as I'd hoped. I love the way that she takes such difficult topics and moulds a story around them that makes you see things from all angles, even new ways you hadn't considered before. This story was difficult to read in places but it had to be told, and she told it so well. It wasn't my all time favourite of hers, but I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one.

This powerful, thought provoking novel by Jodi Picoult takes place in a Women’s Centre in Mississippi, which is being held up at gunpoint by a deranged father. Each of the complex characters tell of their individual experiences and their connection with The Women’s Centre.
Expertly written, you feel that you get to know the characters and their reasons for being pro life or pro choice.
I highly recommend this book, couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to Net galley for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

I listened to two interviews with Jodi Picoult before I read this book - she was not repetitive and both were interesting. I knew the subject but I was still wowed by this title. Not only is it told in reverse for most of the book but the subject is dealt with from all points of view and with great respect. It is obvious that Jodi Picoult did extensive research on this subject and perhaps we learn more than we would like to! Despite the action playing out in reverse there is still a surprise.
Jodi Picoult always addresses moral dilemmas in her books, in this one even more so.
Very many thanks to Netgalley/Jodi Picoult/Hodder & Stoughton for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A well researched booklet in an abortion clinic. An emotive subject. The law in the US is very different, very chauvinistic, compared to the law in the UK.

There is a hostage situation. Chapter one is set in the evening and then the chapters work backwards through the day. After struggling through the first 2 chapters unable to build a picture of the characters, I decided the start at the end of the book and read it backwards, ignoring the last chapter as I didn't want to spoil the ending.. This was no mean feat as I was reading on a kindle. But it worked for the book.

I enjoyed the book, read backwards. It is well written, if not a bit graphic at times. I felt the hostage situation went on a tad too long. The evolving stories of all the characters were interesting. I felt the conclusion was a bit of an anti climax.