A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I do not believe we, as a society, will ever agree on this issue. The stakes are too high, and both sides operate from places of unshakable belief. But I do think that the first step is to talk to each other and more important to listen. We may not see eye to eye, but we can respect each other’s opinions (and beliefs which in my opinion translate to religion)and find the truth in them. Perhaps in those honest conversations, instead of demonizing each other, we might see each other as imperfect humans doing our best. Jodi Picoult
Disclaimer: I AM PRO-LIFE. Going into this read and reading Jodi in the past, I know she is on the left side of and I am on the right side. No pun intended. The narration is emotional, personal and highly intense. Was there a bent on the glorification of abortion. Yes! Was there demonizing on pro-life, a bit of jab. The setting is Mississippi all centered in a Women’s health care facility that performs abortions among other women health issues. The narration starts in the intensity of a father seeking revenge by violence. Another father Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, is on the scene with his own daughter to protect. The patients, doctors and nurses, have their narration as this unfolds. Each on different sides and each with their own reasons.
Dr. Ward a Christian doctor that performs abortions. A personal reason relating to what happened to his mother, he desires for women to have a safe alternative.
Hugh a father first. A single father that has a few things in common with the gunman George. He uses what they have in common to talk George down. Knowing his own daughter is in the closet hiding from the George, he is determined that he is the only one that end this. Will his personal stake make him a hero or will it cause the death of more innocent people.
The Pro-Life protesters that keep guard and give “gifts” to each woman that walks into the center. I felt this group had the jab. No real indepth characterization so easy to dislike.
Wren Hugh’s daughter is 15 and has her aunt Bex to accompany her to the center for birth control. The relationship between father and daughter is endearing. However, Wren is making her own decisions and her aunt Bex is supportive to her younger brother and niece.
Aunt Bex takes a hit protecting her niece and reflects on the relationship with her brother and niece. She has a great secret that you are not aware of until the end that to me proved heroic and redemptive. She is the real hero of the story however, the narration paints a different hero, the woman who decides to abort and the reasons why.
Of course there is more characters that bring out the pragmatic issue of abortion. A unwanted child is easy for society to abort and made easier by calling said child a fetus. The demonizing of men who want to protect the unborn. Here is what is hypocritical. We want fathers to be involved in parenting but only if the child is wanted by the mother. The stats of Planned Parenthood of not receiving federal monies and the issue of a baby not feeling pain as it is aborted. There was a bent that abortion is not as terrible as pro-lifers make it out to be. That abortion does not have any known health issues such as cancer or infertility. All these issues was given a positive light on the side of abortion. No stats on choosing life.
So the 4 star rating is maybe confusing for some of pro-life friends and the reason being is that I thought the human struggle is real and to the point of why we are here. Why there is such on outcry on both sides. Did Picoult cause me to reconsider my beliefs – no but she confirm that there are real women that do not have choice and as a Christian we need to be ready to make other choices that they can live with.
A Special Thank you to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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