A Spark of Light cover art

A Spark of Light

The heart-stopping and heartbreaking ethical dilemma novel from the bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper

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A Spark of Light

By: Jodi Picoult
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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About this listen

 THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'A writer the world needs to be reading right now' The Independent

'An apposite and nuanced novel... Picoult writes about an emotive, controversial issue with unflinching precision.' Red

'A very special novel about a very difficult subject.' Grazia

****

The Center for women's reproductive health offers a last chance at hope - but nobody ends up there by choice.

Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder.

Now life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real: a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage.

Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator, the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point.

And certainties unwind as truths and secrets are peeled away, revealing the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose.

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2018 Jodi Picoult Coming of Age Contemporary Family Life Genre Fiction Women's Fiction

Critic Reviews

A writer the world needs to be reading right now
An apposite and nuanced novel... Picoult writes about an emotive, controversial issue with unflinching precision
An urgent, shocking and human story. (Daisy Buchanan)
It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes
Incredibly compelling and page turning (Dolly Alderton)
Expertly written... This topical novel presents both sides of the ever-present abortion debate in the form of a harrowing, thought-provoking story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page
With an intricate backward-weaving structure, a host of compelling voices and her captivating tone, this is a very special novel about a very difficult subject
...this emotionally charged and thought-provoking drama cements Picoult's status as one of the most fearless novelists writing today. A Spark of Light is not only topical, unflinching and utterly compelling, it's also an important read.
Like a modern Mrs Gaskell or a contemporary such as John Grisham, her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios
Picoult's novels are meticulously researched and she never shies away from controversial material. Told in reverse chronological order, each character's story draws the reader in
Jodi Picoult's novels are always thought-provoking and her new one, A Spark of Light, addresses abortion rights.
Full of topical issues, this is a great book club read
A special, important and powerful read. Jodi Picoult doesn't play safe - she examines, and pokes and brutally honestly tells us how it really is, and she always stays professional.
A book that will no doubt inspire debate. Jodi has done a marvellous job of writing a novel fraught with tension and difficult situations. Her writing shows that she has done an incredible amount of research... It is a hard hitting novel and difficult topics have been handed incredibly well.
The incredible thing about this book is the level of research. She interviewed 151 women who'd had an abortion (Pandora Sykes, The High Low Podcast)
A second after I read the last page I turned back to the start and read the whole thing again... I loved everything about it: the structure, the characters, the prose... all wonderful. (Clare Mackintosh)
A timely, powerful and emotive novel
She has delivered a tough yet compassionate read that is guaranteed to spark debate
A thought-provoking read that explores the intertwined fates of a group of very human characters
The tense novel tackles two of the biggest issues facing America today: abortion and gun control and unravels what bought these people to this point
A truly powerful, thought-provoking - and timely - read
Meticulously researched... The reverse narrative works exceptionally well
All stars
Most relevant
Absolutely loved it! Love Jodie Picoult's writing style. Loved the narration too. Just wonderful and superb.

Great, easy listening book

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Topical subject matter, sensitively handled. Jodie writes a well thought out book, tackling a complex topic in a thought provoking and compelling manner

Fantastic narration

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A different style and I am not a fan.
I dont like short stories and this is basically a collection of short stories about the same topic. The usual gritty storyline that you can get your teeth into just wasnt there I'm afraid. Not one of her better books.

Not her usual style

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I love this author and I will continue to read her books however this book didn’t provide closure on the many key characters which is a huge missing for me. The timeline went backwards which was confusing and although I found it an interesting read, I wish I knew how the characters moved forward after being held hostage.

Closure

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This took me a while to get into. The backward story line had me confused until I found the rhythm and could follow it more easily. The story is a powerful one of choice, faith and controversy which tugs at the reader’s heartstrings for a number of reasons. There is never a valid reason to rampage anywhere, let alone through an abortion clinic which is full of women making difficult decisions, and the author tackled the subject respectfully.

Difficult subject matter

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