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Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge

Injury Time This disastrous tale of Edward’s dinner with his mistress Binny was so delightfully awkward it overthrew my usual discomfort with adultery in cultural consumptions.

In no uncertain terms, Bainbridge throws each new and hilarious twist in the reader’s face, more like a cherry pie rather than a slap in the face, resulting in much laughter. If you love all things British, and even if not, Injury Time is witty and charming, and will pull you in to its little world where the older folks have tumultous sex lives. It’s hard to talk about this book without giving too much away — I suspect my love of it comes partly from the fact that the blurb on my copy of the book said nothing of the plot. Edward’s wife thinks he is have a late meeting with a business associate, while Binny has been slaving in the kitchen all afternoon, worrying what the neighbours will think. As the narrative progresses, the couple become more and more dysfunctional, which is mirrored by their dinner guests.

All I can say is if you haven’t read this woman’s work yet, start with Injury Time. It’s confronting and entertaining, a calculated flurry of wit. My one criticism would be only a cultural observation, there are some terms used that might need a second glance, but as you are drawn into her slightly offbeat universe you will grow accustomed to it.

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March 6th, 2009ReviewsRead More >No Comments