Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the much-anticipated newest release from Jodi Picoult, A Spark of Light! I first experienced reading a book by Jodi Picoult several years ago with My Sister’s Keeper. It’s memorable to me because it was one of the three times in my life I remember having the flu! That book was an emotional read, and I’ve since read several of her books with the same memorable experience (minus the flu, thankfully!). A Spark of Light will be published by Random House/Ballantine on October 2, 2018.
My Thoughts:
As a fan of her writing, I have noticed Jodi Picoult’s topics have gotten more fiery as the years have passed, and they continue to be thought-provoking.
The Center is a women’s clinic serving all their health needs. Everything changes when a man with a gun enters the building, begins shooting, and takes everyone hostage. My first questions are who is this man and why is he so distraught? I knew there would be more to his story.
Hugh McElroy is a hostage negotiator for the police. He arrives on scene and completes all the typical first steps in a grim and terrifying situation like this only to have his phone buzz with the news that his teen daughter, Wren, is one of the hostages.
Wren shares her story inside the building, while also shedding light on the other hostages, including clinic workers among others. There is Catholic Dr. Louie who believes he exercises his faith in his daily work. A nurse hero is also there. Also inside is a pro-life protestor who disguised herself as a patient that day only to find herself on the other side of the rage she herself was feeling. The characters in this novel are what make it a cut above. I felt empathy for each complex character; it was easy to with the way they were written.
The structure of the book is interesting. It goes backward through the day of the stand-off. I enjoyed it because it was different, but I had to remind myself a few times the story moves backward retracing how everyone arrives at the clinic that day.
As with all her books, it seems as if Spark of Light is meant to ignite a dialogue about an important topic to many. The storytelling is second to none, all the varied emotions are checked off, the research is firmly present, and the exploration of both sides is offered. Fans of Picoult should find much to love here.
I’m ecstatically grateful I had the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. Thank you to Random House/Ballantine. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis:
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 fifteen-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 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 cross hairs 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.
Jodi Picoult—one of the most fearless writers of our time—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.
Have you read Spark of Light, or is it on your TBR? Any favorite books from Jodi Picoult? Happy Reading! ~ Jenni THR
Wonderful review, Jennifer! Jodi Picoult certainly goes there with her thought-provoking topics! My Sister’s Keeper was the first book I read of hers as well (without the flu, thankfully). I love that she’s able to write about controversial, polarizing topics by showing all sides of it. I find that I rarely come away feeling like she has an agenda. I am also impressed you’ve only had the flu three times!
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It may only be two times with the flu because the last time I didn’t test positive, though the doctor felt like it was Type B.
Thanks, Mack! Yes, she does her research and presents both sides with care. I hope you get a chance to read this one. ♥️
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I like how Jodi never shies away from these heavy, controversial topics. Thanks for your recommendation Jenn. Can’t wait to read this one. Great review!
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Thanks so much, Diana! She definitely goes for it and doesn’t hold back. These books are important to keep dialogue open. I hope you enjoy this one if you are able to fit it in.
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Fab review Jennifer – I cannot wait to read this one! Ugh – I got my flu shot last week and hope it actually works this year!
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Thanks, Mackey! I hope it’s one you enjoy, too. Fingers crossed on your flu shot! I need to get mine asap!
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Fantastic review. I must get this book. Happy Monday!😍🍁💗🌺📚
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Thanks, Virginia! I hope you have a lovely Monday, too! 💗 xo
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Wonderful review Jenn! ❤
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Thanks, Holls! 💕
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So far I’ve only read My Sister’s Keeper, but this definitely sounds like an interesting read.
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It was really engaging, LP, and I definitely recommend it! If you see this, can you please link your blog for me? Your old site is linked, and I want to make sure I get all your blog updates. ♥️
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Oh no!!! Thank you for letting me know about this issue. The link to my blog is thenewburygirl.wordpress.com. I will have to see if I can adjust what my avatar is showing to people!
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You fixed it! I saw I already had notifications set up for your posts so I don’t miss one. ♥️
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❤️❤️
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My Sister’s Keeper was my first Picoult novel too! I’ve been hooked ever since.
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I love that, Lindsey! ♥️
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Wonderful review Jen! I just love Jodi’s stories….they always leave me emotionally spent! Happy Monday!!😁💕💕
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Thanks, Sus! Yes, they are definitely emotional stories! I hope you are having a great Monday, too! 💗
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Great review, Jennifer! I’ve been thinking about whether or not to read this one. It might be a bit too polarizing for me. 😔
I read Small Great Things. It was deep and I needed a few days to recover from it. Picoult is an excellent writer.
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Thanks, Laurie! I can understand that. She definitely is a wonderful storyteller. ♥️
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A great author. I really enjoyed your review too!
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Thanks, Sassy! She is wonderful, isn’t she?!
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Fantastic review! You know I’m so looking forward to this one!! I just love how she writes about such important issues. I’ll be saving this one to read after my ARCs are caught up!! 😊💞
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Thank you, Steph! She definitely tackles the important stuff. I am looking forward to your thoughts! I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it too! ♥️ xo
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You’re welcome! Yes, she definitely does!! I know I will! ❤
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Great review as always! Some day I will try one of Jodi Picault’s books – for some reason for many years I thought she was a kind of cheesy chick-lit writer, so ignored her, and it’s only recently I discovered from reviews that I was wrong. Must have been confusing her with someone else, I think. This sounds like she’s found an intriguing way to approach a difficult subject.
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Thanks, FF! I think she may fall under women’s fiction, technically, which is a genre name I don’t particularly like? Anyone could read this book; there’s nothing feminine about it. She makes her books approachable, and it’s possible they could change some ways of thinking, so in those respects, they are definitely important. I can’t really think of another author like her! 😊 I look forward to your thoughts if/when you give her a try.
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I just skimmed your review I want to go into this book without any knowledge! This is the one book I was bummed I didn’t get, but there’s always next year! And now I get to listen audio and I love love love the narrator! So I guess there is always a spark of light!💕💕💕
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There is always a spark of light for sure! ♥️ I can’t wait for your thoughts on the audio. I bet that will be an amazing experience!
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So glad you liked it. Can’t wait to read it! 😁
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Thank you, Marie! I’m so excited for you to read it, too! 💕
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Looking forward to this one. I have liked the majority of her books. First class review, Jennifer!
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Thanks so much, Marialyce! I look forward to your thoughts on it!
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I’m a huuuuuge fan of Picoult! I’m so gonna be reading this! ❤️❤️❤️Another great review, Jennifer!
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Thanks, Jee! Yay, another fan! I will be watching for your thoughts on it! It’s an emotional one. ♥️
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Can’t wait can’t wait! 😀
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I so agree with you about her books! She ignites a discussion, highlight a topic or a problem. That’s what I recalled reading House Rules!
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Thanks, Sophie! I still need to read House Rules! I have a few I missed. She isn’t afraid to go big!
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I now remember why I drifted away from Picoult years ago. She was trying to raise my consciousness during a time when I desperately craved an escape. I read two of her books, loved them but couldn’t handle the weight😏
I love your review and am ready for a Picoult story again. You really hooked me.
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Aw, thank you, Jonetta! I read for escape, too, usually so this is definitely the type of read you have to be ready for. I can’t wait to see which Picoult you choose and how you like it! ♥️
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I chose this one and got the audiobook for review.
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Yay! I definitely can’t wait to hear about the audio!
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The narrator is the fabulous Bahni Turpin who could make an astrophysics textbook sound really, really interesting.
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I so agree with you about the storytelling in Jodi Picoult’s books and I’m really intrigued to see how she handles the new structure of telling the story backwards. Excellent review and I’m really pleased you enjoyed this book!
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Thank you, Darina! Yes, the structure took some getting used to, but I think she did a wonderful job with it. I read a book with a similar structure earlier this year, and I think this one had a slight edge. I hope you enjoy this, too, if you get the chance to read it.
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This seems like a really interesting book about a very divisive issue in American society. Which is probably why I won’t read it. I think it’s probably very relevant to an american audience, but abortion has been legal in my mostly (lapsed) catholic country for 10 years, so reading this book will probably only distance me even more from an issue I know is traumatic in America, but could really not be any more neutral in my own reality.
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That is completely understandable, Carolina, and I really appreciate that perspective. Sometimes those connections I make to books and their topics drive my entire experience with a book, so I can understand if it’s not there, it would be alienating.
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I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this book!! Fantastic review Jennifer!! I love Jodi Picoult!!!
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Thank you, Lindsay! I’m so excited for you to read it! I hope it’s one you find worthy, too. ♥️ xoxo
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I haven’t read A Spark Of Light yet, but I am intrigued. I do like Jodi Picoult’s writing.
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She did a wonderful job with this one, Chrissi. If you decide to pick it up, I hope you enjoy it, too.
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I’m really looking forward to reading this one! It’s funny what remember and what makes an impact — you remember your reading experience with the flu, and I have something else that comes to mind about Jodi Picoult. The first book of hers that I read was The Pact, which was incredibly powerful — and I remember at the time I was just starting the fertility/diagnosis process to try to conceive a 2nd child, was incredibly sensitive to anything related to children, and one of the main characters had the same name as my daughter! It’s a really emotional read, and my state at the time made it even more so. Great book, though, so if you’re looking to read some earlier Picoult, it’s a great choice.
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Aw, that is a poignant memory, Lisa! It shows how important reading is to us- that we have memories that we etch into the experience. I am pretty sure I have The Pact here somewhere, and I do need to read that one. Thank you for the recommendation for that one and also for sharing your memory.
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Awesome review!
I only read My Sister’s Keeper, but that was pretty good and this one is on my list. This is such a contradictory topic. I just want to see where the author went with it.
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Thanks, Norrie! It is- one of her most heated yet, and she takes it head on! I hope you have a chance to read this one because I’d love to hear what you think!
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Fantastic review Jenni 🤗 I do love me a bit of Picoult and this story sounds just as powerful as her other fiction!
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Thank you, Beth! Yes, she took on a big one with this one! Happy to know you enjoy her too! ♥️ xo
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Fantastic review! I must get myself a copy of this one, I’m so intrigued by the format the story is told in. I’ve only read one book by Picoult so far, I think I need to change that 🙂
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Thank you, Janel! The structure is so interesting! I hope you have a chance to fit this one in because I’d love to read your thoughts!
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Ahh I so need this in my life!!! I know its out now and should order it :). Lovely review as always <3.
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Thanks, Kendall! I hope you’ll get a chance to read it. It was a wonderful reading experience! ♥️
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Wanted to love this, after waiting so long for it to be released, but I just didn’t. The premise was amazing, but the format just blew it for me.
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I totally understand. The format was a big risk. Thanks so much for stopping my blog. ♥️
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