Run Over: A Boy, His Mother, and an Accident

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

Close to the end of Run Over, Douglas Bell to a friend: “Two years ago
my mum died, at which point I started writing a book about that event
and other matters pertaining to me: a terrible accident I suffered as a
teenager, wretched debilitating illness that plagued me thereafter. Then
in the midst of writing I had an affair.” In many ways, this fragment
summarizes the disjointed nature of both the author’s life and this
book. Ostensibly about an accident Bell had while riding to school in
1975, the book is more an examination of the author’s self-loathing,
guilt, and rather destructive personal life.

The core of the book seems to be that while Bell’s mother was able to
comfort him during his long childhood illness and recovery, Bell was
unable to do the same while she was dying from cancer. Unfortunately,
the writing fluctuates confusingly from factual to stream of
consciousness. The themes jump all over the place (the accident occupies
only about a third of the total text) and often appear with startling
suddenness. Ultimately, the book is about the author’s lifelong
attempt to live up to his mother’s expectations, real or perceived.
Unable (or unwilling) to do so, he lives a life that is satisfactory on
no level—he can’t live with the expectations placed on him by his
emotional attachment to his mother, nor can he successfully cut the
bonds and live his own life in comfort.

Although Run Over offers some insight into the nature of emotional
responses to illness and strong parental bonds, the target audience is
unclear. Who wants to read 200 pages of self-flagellation?