Crystal is a 29-year-old single mother raising her 14-year-old daughter, Becky. Struggling to make ends meet and living in social housing on the brink of homelessness – a fate she is all too familiar with. After an incident at school, Crystal’s friend Jean arranges for Becky to attend a small Catholic school. It is suspected that Becky suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, but she has not received a formal diagnosis. The change of schools seems to be working, and Becky is off to a good start in the new religious community. She is making friends for the first time and learning Latin. Becky’s presence in the classroom and the school community is also embraced by the parents of her classmates.
Crystal meets Tim riding the bus, and a friendship blooms. Tim is a strict Baptist who appears kind, but trouble lurks behind his charm, and his concept of Crystal does not match reality. In his eyes, she is sweet, naive, innocent, and virginal. But Crystal is haunted by her traumatic past, and through flashbacks, the reader learns that she grew up in a home where alcohol was more readily available than food, and she often went to school hungry. School was a safe place where Crystal could disappear into the background. She was dependent upon the school lunch program for nourishment and teachers for a kind word. Crystal was forced to leave home after her mother discovered she had been molested and impregnated by her molester.
Crystal is, in many ways, a complex character; for her, there is no clear line between what is true and what is a lie. A falsehood she tells making her life easier at the moment will later trip her up with the consequences of keeping up the pretense. At times, this novel feels like an emotional rollercoaster ride of bad decisions. Crystal’s wilful ignorance is made more complex by a possible learning disorder that has gone undiagnosed.
“A magnificent debut novel with the type of characters rarely given a voice on the page, as much as they are silently ignored in real life.”
Readers may find Crystal’s story sadly familiar. These characters may remind readers of someone they know or have encountered. I found myself thinking about Crystal even when I was not reading her story. With an accessible style of prose, a strong voice, and perfectly timed pacing, this is a story that pulls the reader in, and as much as they may want to look away, they will not be able to. Most Grievous Fault is a magnificent debut novel with the type of characters rarely given a voice on the page, as much as they are silently ignored in real life. This novel is not typical entertainment, but a compassionate glimpse into the life of a character on the fringe.
About the Author
Meg Todd is a two-time finalist for the CBC short story prize, and her work has appeared in Ploughshares, Prairie Fire, PRISM international and elsewhere. Her debut short story collection, Exit Strategies, was a finalist for both the ReLit Award and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Calgary. She lives on Vancouver Island.
About the Reviewer
Pamela Sinclair is a writer and lifelong reader. She enjoys reading multiple genres, both fiction and nonfiction. Pamela lives in Halifax, NS, with her husband, daughter, and a grumpy grey cat named Ben. She is currently working on her first novel.
Book Details
Publisher : Nightwood Editions
Publication date : Oct. 7 2025
Language : English
Print length : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 0889714983
ISBN-13 : 978-0889714984