A Spark of Light

The Center squatted on the corner of Juniper and Montfort behind a wrought-iron gate, like an old bulldog used to guarding its territory. At one point, there had been many like it in Mississippi nondescript, unassuming buildings where services were provided and needs were met. Then came the restrictions that were designed to make these places go away: The halls had to be wide enough to accommodate two passing gurneys; any clinic where that wasn t the case had to shut down or spend thousands on reconstruction. The doctors had to have admitting privileges at local hospitals even though most were from out of state and couldn t secure them or the clinics where they practiced risked closing, too. One by one the clinics shuttered their windows and boarded up their doors. Now, the Center was a unicorn a small rectangle of a structure painted a fluorescent, flagrant orange, like a flag to those who had traveled hundreds of miles to find it. It was the color of safety; the color of warning. It said: I m here if you need me. It said, Do what you want to me; I m not going.
 
The Center had suffered scars from the cuts of politicians and the barbs of protesters. It had licked its wounds and healed. At one point it had been called the Center for Women and Reproductive Health. But there were those who believed if you do not name a thing, it ceases to exist, and so its title was amputated, like a war injury. But still, it survived. First it became the Center for Women. And then, just: the Center.
 
The label fit. The Center was the calm in the middle of a storm of ideology. It was the sun of a universe of women who had run out of time and had run out of choices, who needed a beacon to look up to.
 
And like other things that shine so hot, it had a magnetic pull. Those in need found it the lodestone for their navigation. Those who despised it could not look away.
 
Today, Wren McElroy thought, was not a good day to die. She knew that other

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including Small Great Things, Leaving Time, The Storyteller, Lone Wolf, Sing You Home, House Rules, Handle with Care, Change of Heart, Nineteen Minutes, and My Sister’s Keeper. She is also the author, with daughter Samantha van Leer, of two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page. Picoult lives in New Hampshire.

Picoult at her fearless best . . . Timely, balanced and certain to inspire debate. The Washington Post

This is Jodi Picoult at her best: tackling an emotional hot-button issue and putting a human face on it. People

Told backward and hour by hour, Jodi Picoult s compelling narrative deftly explores controversial social issues. Us Weekly

Thoroughly realistic storytelling . . . Picoult has achieved what politicians across the spectrum have not been able to: humanized a hot-button issue. Excellent for book clubs, this should also be considered for discussions in critical thinking and political debate. Library Journal (starred review)

The author presents the white-knuckled narrative in a reverse-chronological order. The effect is mesmerizing, as Picoult establishes moments in the overarching event, before revealing how they came to be. Houston Chronicle

Picoult delivers another riveting yarn . . . in this carefully crafted, utterly gripping tale. Booklist (starred review)

An important and thoughtful read that is perfect for book clubs looking for deep conversations. PopSugar
 
Novels such as this . . . are necessary Kirkus Reviews