#BookReview: A Spark Of Light by Jodi Picoult @ThePigeonholeHQ @jodipicoult @HodderPublicity @HodderFiction #ASparkOfLight

Book Synopsis:

The centre 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.

A Spark Of Light is available now in ebook and hardback, purchase your copy here.

My Review:

A Spark Of Light is a gripping, thought provoking and powerful book that was a fantastic read.

The story is set in a women’s reproductive centre which is considered controversial to some as its where woman can go for abortions.  It opens straight into the action where a hostage situation has just been resolved and the survivors are being treated in hospital.  It then, unusually, goes backwards in time describing what happened whilst the hostage situation was going on and how the gun man stormed into the clinic.

I must admit I did find this timeline a little confusing at first and it took me a while to get used to it.  I think my main concern at the beginning was where the story was going as I couldn’t understand how it would work having started at the end.  I needn’t have worried as the author is very clever and gradually let’s the reader know more about their characters and their reasons for being there which I found really fascinating.  It was very interesting to see how she does this and subtly fits in background information into the story.

I liked all the characters and thought they all behaved very bravely in a difficult situation.  It was very intriguing,  though heartbreaking at times, to learn more about each of them and why they were at the clinic that day.  I’m not sure I had a favourite character as they were all so varied and I felt sympathy for all of them as they all had quite poignant back stories.  I wasn’t so sure about Janine though as I found her very frustrating in her stubbornness to change her view.  I wished I could have told her to be quiet as I felt that the way she expressed her view was very inappropriate at times.

The subject of abortions and a woman’s right to choose is a very timely subject, especially as it continues to be a much debated one.  The author handles this subject really well, showing both sides of the story but never persuading the reader to either side.  I though this was superbly done and it was very interesting to read about the two sides to the subject.

The story develops at a great speed with lots of actions and revelations that keeps the reader on their toes.  There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming which ensured I was thoroughly gripped and unable to put the book down.  The ending ( or should that be the beginning?) was surprising and made me want to start the book all over again!

I’ve read lots of Jodi Picoult’s book and I always find them hugely enjoyable! I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.

Huge thanks to The Pigeonhole for allowing me to read A Spark Of Light through them.  I’ve already put this on my Christmas list for a hard copy of this book as I want to put it on my keep forever shelf.  If you like powerful, thought provoking and emotional books then you’ll love this book!

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