Scar Tissue (novel)
Scar Tissue is Michael Ignatieff’s second novel, published in 1993. It tells the story of a family dealing with Alzheimer's disease, told mainly through the voice of one son who is a philosophy professor. His brother is a neuroscientist living in Boston and is less present in the narrative. The narrator bears most of the burden as his mother’s dementia worsens—from repeating stories to failing to recognize her own family—while he also tries to repair his troubled marriage and maintain his career.
As the experience of caregiving deepens, the prime caregiver ends up separating from his wife and living under difficult conditions, yet he remains hopeful about life and death, believing there is more beyond this life. The novel explores mental illness, aging, family, love, and nursing, along with questions of survival and the pain of loss.
Scar Tissue was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in its year and received wide critical praise. Reviewers described it as powerful, intense, and beautifully written, noting its autobiographical underpinnings since Ignatieff faced similar family struggles while writing. Critics also highlighted its layered storytelling, blending flashbacks with scientific and philosophical reflections, including speeches the narrator writes for students and readers. The book has been described as moving and intellectually challenging. It was later adapted for the theatre in Vancouver by the Arts Club Theatre Company.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:34 (CET).