Review: A Spark of Light

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is an average day at the Center. Women are there for a variety of reasons, one of which may be an abortion. Everyone’s life is turned upside down when a gunman enters the facility, opens fire and decides to take hostages. The local hostage negotiator quickly gets to the scene to assess the situation and soon discovers his 15-year old daughter is inside. He doesn’t know why Wren is there but he is fully invested in the outcome. Inside are also a nurse, a hurt woman, a doctor, a pro-life woman who is disguised as a patient, a person who was there for her own abortion and the gunman.

A Spark of Light is a realistic fiction story that will test reader’s opinions and give many people a variety of sides to consider. Picoult has chosen a writing style that takes some time to understand since the story slowly tells about events backward. I personally found this style distracting, but as a literary device, it was very successful. The action is intense; the story is not easy to read and will definitely give readers insight into a variety of viewpoints. A Spark of Light should not be picked up as a quick read but should be chosen with the foreknowledge that not everyone feels the same way as they do about a topic, especially abortion.


View all my reviews