A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
This is the first book I have read by Jodi Picoult. I know, I know, even the rock I live under has heard of her. Having finally read one of her books, I will say she is a masterful writer, and I plan to read more.
Cover Description
A typical day at the Center, a women’s reproductive health services clinic, dissolves into chaos when a gunman bursts in and threatens the patients and staff. Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, fights for control of the perimeter and tries to communicate with the gunman. His phone vibrates with incoming texts messages, and he discovers his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is among the hostages.
Characters
The story shifts perspective among clinic patients, staff, the shooter, police, and Wren. Picoult masterfully weaves backstory into the tension, and each character has a complex history that informs how they respond to the situation. I felt a great deal of empathy toward all involved, as if I personally knew them.
Plot
The plot counts backward, starting with the shooting and regressing to reveal how each person ended up at the Center. Tension is tight throughout, and despite numerous flashbacks, the pacing accelerates through each chapter.
Writing Style
As I alluded to earlier, Picoult weaves in character backstory throughout moments of high conflict to great effect. Her descriptions are eloquent, and her vignettes build enormous empathy for the characters and their struggles. The entire story is saturated with emotion, and the prose is beautiful. I can see why she is such a famous author.
Miscellaneous: Writer Bias
Abortion is a contentious topic in the US. If an author is passionate about it, I don’t believe bias-free writing is possible. I commend the author for poignantly capturing the complexities involved in abortion decisions.
While she makes many valid criticisms of the pro-life position, she also makes many errors. She often pits the worst/most fringe pro-life arguments against the best pro-choice ones, and some of her portrayals are hugely inaccurate. The book’s crisis pregnancy center is particularly laughable, but mischaracterizations plague most of the subplots.
Why should readers care?
Imagine this situation from the other side. Let’s say a pro-life author portrays pro-choice advocates legalizing infanticide. Are there pro-choice people who believe killing infants is morally acceptable? Yes—Alberto Giubilini, Francesca Minerva, and Peter Singer, to name a few—but this position is hardly mainstream. Polling consistently shows not only that pro-choice people are horrified by infanticide, but that they also strongly disapprove of third-trimester abortions. Such a portrayal would unfairly misrepresent the pro-choice position.
Genres like science fiction or dystopian fiction (e.g. The Handmaid’s Tale) are well-suited to exploring such extreme scenarios, but contemporary fiction ought to reflect real life. In portraying fringe or inaccurate positions as mainstream pro-life advocacy, Picoult diverges sharply from reality. This not only deceives readers, it breaks genre expectations.
Was this malicious intent by the author?
I doubt it. She took great pains to humanize her pro-life characters, even portraying the protestors being nice to the Clinic staff. I think she wanted to give the pro-life side fair treatment. She just isn’t familiar with good pro-life advocacy. Much like our hypothetical author who believes pro-choice advocates endorse infanticide, she believes pro-life advocacy conforms to her preconceived picture of it.
Secular Pro-life and Equal Rights Institute are two sources I recommend if you are interested in learning what pro-life advocates actually believe. I won’t list any arguments here (or in the comments) because this is a book review, not an abortion debate.
Conclusion
Was this a good book?
Yes. Ripe with tension from page one, this emotional journey back through time delves into the complexity involved in the abortion debate. Empathetic and heart-wrenching, each character’s story shows the breadth of reasons for ending up at the Center. The story humanizes women facing unplanned pregnancies and builds empathy for their difficult decisions. I’m glad I read it, and I would love to read more books on the topic—from either side.
Was this book the great bridge over the abortion divide the reviews claimed it was?
Not even close. Though the book claims to give voice to both sides, it unfairly misrepresents the pro-life position and, in many cases, is factually inaccurate.
Worth reading?
If you want a book that will keep your heart pounding from page one to “the end,” this is a great read. If you want a balanced view of abortion portrayed in fiction, keep looking.
WANT MORE BOOK REVIEWS? CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO PURCHASE FROM AMAZON*
Before you comment
This is a book review, not an abortion debate. The comments section should reflect this.
- If your comment pertains to this book, comment away.
- If you have recommendations for other books—fiction, non-fiction, pro-choice, or pro-life—I’d love to read them in the comments.
- If you want to pick a fight with people about abortion, skip the comments section and hop on twitter. You’ll find plenty of belligerent people there who will happily engage with you.
C.C. The Word Nerd 