Critical Injuries

by Joan Barfoot

At 49, Isla is reveling in second chances. Her first marriage ended horribly, but she has finally found happiness in her second husband, Lyle.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Roddy, a faltering student and occasional shoplifter, devises a plan to escape the confines of small-town life.

Their worlds collide one hot August afternoon when a fake robbery goes horribly wrong, leaving each to reconstruct their lives on new and unexpected foundations.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Literary Fiction

344 pages

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Joan Barfoot is an award-winning novelist whose work has been compared internationally with that of Anne Tyler, Carol Shields, Margaret Drabble and Margaret Atwood. Her novels include Luck in 2005, nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, as well as Abra, which won the Books in Canada first novels award, Dancing in the Dark, which became an award-winning Canadian entry in the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals, Duet for Three, Family News, Plain Jane, Charlotte and Claudia Keeping in Touch, Some Things About Flying, and Getting Over Edgar. Her 2001 novel, Critical Injuries, was longlisted for the 2002 Man Booker Prize and shortlisted for the 2001 Trillium Book Award. In 1992 she was given the Marian Engel Award. Also a journalist during much of her career, she lives in London, Ontario, Canada.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I not know Joan Barfoot before now? I’m Canadian and consider myself a well-informed reader yet it took an English member of my zoom book club to suggest Joan Barfoot and Critical Injuries in particular. I’m so glad she did because I loved it.

Reviewers have called Barfoot’s work “harrowing and hilarious” and “gloriously subversive” and I couldn’t describe Critical Injuries any better. ‘Isla’ is a formidable protagonist - honest and prickly but always real. ‘Roddy’ her antagonist is lost and pathetic. They cross paths in a ‘wrong time, wrong place’ scenario which changes their lives forever, but that is only the catalyst. Their stories are deeper and bigger than their shared drama. Told in alternate chapter voices of Ilsa and Roddy, Critical Injuries captured me. A day in bed allowed me to read it in almost one sitting. I loved it.

[Linda Moens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Langdradig....

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very difficult book to get into. The first half is depressing - lots of anger and hurt. Isla is married to Lyle - a second marriage for both of them. Lyle's first wife died of cancer, and Isla's first husband abused young girls and went to jail. Then they met and were happily married for 8 years. Until the day Lyle and Isla went to get ice cream in town and met Roddy in the process of pretending to rob the ice cream shop with his friend.
I found two quotes that I thought were true and profound. "forgiveness requires investment, it needs constant tending." And " In this moment, this glimpse, the terrible bitterness of punishment, the onerous weight of revenge has lifted to make a space for — what? The word for this might, she thinks, after all be grace." There seems little room for grace or forgiveness in any of the people in this story though each of them needs it for the things they have both done to others and endured from others. There is the possibility in the end that they may learn to give grace to each other if they can get around the anger that is in the way.
Once again, the alternate chapters with different pov I found distracting and I wasn't always sure what the chronology was at the beginning of each chapter. Not my favourite literary style.

[Monica Wies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kon dit boek onder de Nederlandse titel "onvoorziene omstandigheden"niet vinden.
Er zijn 2 hoofdpersonen: Isla en Roddy.
Isla (49 jaar) heeft een mislukt huwelijk achter de rug, haar 2 kinderen hebben eindelijk hun leven op orde en zelf heeft zij een nieuwe man gevonden.
Roddy's moeder is depressief en pleegt zelfmoord als hij 7 is.
Hij moet met zijn vader verhuizen en bij zijn oma gaan wonen.
Als hij 17 is besluit hij met een vriend een overval te plegen op een ijssalon.
Op het moment dat hij de verkoper bedreigt met een geweer, komt Isla binnen, van schrik schiet hij haar neer.
Dan volgt afwisselend het verhaal van Isla en Roddy tot aan dit fatale moment.

[Siobhan Markwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical Injuries is a beautifully structured book that explores the concepts of guilt, remorse and forgiveness with open eyes and without sugar coating. When Roddy shoots Isla in an ice cream parlour the consequences are devastating for her. Ironically, they lift him out of a self-destructive trajectory. Along the way, in the backstories of the main characters and those of their nearest and dearest, we're treated to some lovely characterisation and incisive reflection on what makes and breaks romantic relationships. This was really top-notch writing and a novel that stays with you after you've finished.

[Zoom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parallel stories of two people: a 17 year old boy and the 49 year old woman he inadvertently shot while committing a robbery. He is condemned to jail while she is condemned to life in a wheelchair. The story moves back and forth between them. It's about loss, loyalty, coincidences, consequences and the possibility of redemption. The woman's daughter - she calls herself Starglow - has a need to bring them together, to make everything okay in her own cosmic way.

It's an interesting story, in part because it doesn't even flirt with sentimentality.

[A. ~☆~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly checked this out from the public library out of a limited choice of English speaking books in a foreign country (where English isn't the native language). Literally had no idea what it was about but I enjoyed her style of writing. Wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but I look forward to reading more of Joan Barfoot's books. It was smooth reading, sad subject, but I enjoyed her writing

[Melodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the book in high school, remembered really like it. As an adult I found some parts corny but held my interest enough to finish it. Overall thought it was okay but had to push myself to finish it

[Kathymike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid story and excellent character sketches but, my god! Her habit of splitting phrases into unwieldy asides was exhausting. Would have been rated a 4 but for this clunky pattern of writing. I could barely stop myself from breaking out an edit pencil.

[Liz Helboe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was well -written and held my attention but I think I was expecting more.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the most expository novel I’ve ever read. The characters are so flat as to be barely distinguishable. Against my better instincts I made myself finish it and I regret that. Definitely one for the donate pile.

[Philippa Colassi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This sucks balls could not finish it

[Susan Tremblay · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book, but not as much as the reviews led me to believe I would. I really didn't find it funny at all, except once in a while with a smart-ass comment by the main character, Isla. The alternating chapters by Isla and Roddy were interesting, but I did not find the 17-year-old Roddy's voice very authentic. He was way too introspective for a goalless teen with serious impulse control problems.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will haunt me for awhile. Joan Barfoot shows how lives are changed irrevocably in an instant. She also demonstrates that grace is demonstrated through courage and kindness, and carries a power that has lasting effects. There are life lessons to be learned in this book, and Joan Barfoot is a consummate writer.

[Roman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Айле сорок девять, у нее замечательный муж, интересная работа, дом ее мечты. Роди всего семнадцать, и он больше всего на свете хочет сбежать из городка, где живет со своим отцом и бабушкой. В одну секунду эти две разные жизни неожиданно переплетаются, разрушая и меняя друг друга навсегда. История о судьбе и случае.

[Carly Svamvour · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember starting this book in the spring of '94 when I was away with my daughter in Elora, Ontario.

It held my interest and I finished it when I got home.

.................

October 2k10 - I discarded the book - moving.

[Cassie Hager · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. i liked how the chapters were divided between the two main characters, but I think that this will be one that I will quickly forget. I was also disappointed that Roddys voice wasn't included at the end, especially because I found his struggle to be the most interesting.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally didn't buy the ending. But, I liked the story. Both of the main characters were very engaging.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was on 'London Reads' list.

[Sara]

02 longlisted for booker prize

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing, well-written book. Some of the passages were so impactful I read them over and over.

[Mary Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joan Barfoot came to our book club so I was lucky to get an autographed copy. Catastrophe, hope, and forgiveness are the main themes. An absorbing read.

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wonderful Joan Barfoot does it again. This novel looks at blind luck, bad decisions, and the aftermath of a horrible reaction.