A Spark of Light
Book Review - A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
Reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult at home
Everyone who has an opinion about abortion should read this book. Scratch that. Everyone should read this book. Jodi Picoult is well-known for writing timely books that are incredibly relevant to discussions and debates happening in society. A Spark of Light lives up to this reputation as it attacks the debate over abortion head-on. In writing this book, Jodi interviewed people on both sides of the debate and her dedication to deeply understanding both sides of an issues really comes out in the characters of this book. Reading this book may not change your mind about abortion, especially if you already have a strong opinion about it, but it will certainly make you think and consider the other side’s point of view.
Reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult at home
There is a compelling scene in A Spark of Light that made this book for me. An abortion doctor sits down with a protestor to talk. It is such a simple act, an invitation to have discourse over a topic on which they adamantly disagree. But so few people today are willing to sit down, talk, and listen to the other side. At the end of the exchange, the protestor said to the abortion doctor that it was really hard to hate him after that talk. The abortion doctor replied, “That’s the point.” Of course I’m not doing the scene justice in my re-telling of it, so just go read the book.
Reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult at home
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult is about the circumstances that led to a group of people being at a women’s health clinic when a man begins shooting and killing the people who own, operate, and visit the clinic. Jodi is a master at piecing together the story through a jumbled timeline, like a jigsaw we get individual pieces of the story and slowly we piece it together. It isn’t until the end that we can see the whole picture. Jodi often broke away from the “live shooter” scene to tell the background stories of the individuals who found themselves held hostage. It is really incredible how she was able to piece this story together and how the individual pieces all slid into place just perfectly at the end.
Reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult at home
This book almost makes me want to sit down with those who disagree with me on abortion (primarily extended family and high-school friends) and chat about our different opinions. But I only want to talk to them after they’ve read this book. I think this is a great starting point for these difficult conversations.
Reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult at home
