A Spark of Light
by Picoult, Jodi
- Used
- Paperback
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Fine. Signed by author. Signed on title page w/ author's felt pen scripted initials, and purchased during her public appeara
- ISBN 10
- 0345545001
- ISBN 13
- 9780345545008
- Seller
-
Newport, New Hampshire, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Reviews
A Spark of Light is the twenty-third novel by popular American author, Jodi Picoult. In Jackson, Mississippi, a women's clinic that provides, amongst other services, abortions is targeted daily by pro-life campaigners. They harass the staff and the clients as they enter and leave. But today is different: a gunman has entered the building and begun shooting.
Trained police hostage negotiator, Detective Lieutenant Hugh McElroy is soon on the scene to talk to the gunman, but within minutes learns that his daughter, Wren and his sister, Bex are inside the clinic along with other innocent hostages. As he tries to reason with the shooter, those inside struggle to help the injured without further enraging their captor.
The day's events, as they unfold over ten hours, are told in reverse, with an epilogue resolving the dramatic end of the first chapter. As the story follows the path that directs each character to their destiny at the Clinic, their thoughts and dialogue give the reader a deep appreciation of their nature, their challenges, their passions. The shooter's motivation and the series of events that leads up to his shocking actions illustrates how easily misunderstanding, desperation, a deficit of compassion and happenstance together can end in tragedy.
Picoult never hesitates to tackle controversial topics, nor does she in this latest work. The main issue is, of course, abortion, but many other related topics feature: the legal obstacles, the reason doctors and nurses work in these clinics, the for and against arguments, the situations where abortion seems appropriate, the fallacies that are spouted by pro-lifers, inequity between laws that protect the foetus and those protecting the mother, the legal inconsistencies between states, the import of illegal abortion drugs from China, and even the semantics surrounding the issue.
While many will feel that her treatment of the topic is balanced, Picoult's latest novel is bound to polarise readers. The depth of her research is apparent and she backs it up with an extensive bibliography. In the Author's Note, Picoult gives a succinct quote regards pro-lifer activities from a woman who has had an abortion: "I don't need people shaming me because of a choice that already hurt my heart to have to make." Picoult gives the reader yet another informative, insightful and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Hedgehog's Whimsey Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- Alibris.F6250010126
- Title
- A Spark of Light
- Author
- Picoult, Jodi
- Format/Binding
- Trade paperback
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine. Signed by author. Signed on title page w/ author's felt pen scripted initials, and purchased during her public appeara
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition. 1st printing this edition.
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 0345545001
- ISBN 13
- 9780345545008
- Publisher
- Ballantine Books.
- Place of Publication
- New York.
- Date Published
- 2019
- Bookseller catalogs
- Fiction;
Terms of Sale
Hedgehog's Whimsey Books
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About the Seller
Hedgehog's Whimsey Books
About Hedgehog's Whimsey Books
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Trade Paperback
- Used to indicate any paperback book that is larger than a mass-market paperback and is often more similar in size to a hardcover...