We cannot forget Toussaint, face expressionless, as he hurls that dart into our forehead with his full strength, distinctly grimacing; nor forgive the fact that he is always on the verge of playing tennis. ( )

Décidément, l’humour est une substance curieuse qui touche certains sans même effleurer d’autres.

Chef-d’oeuvre ou divagations inutiles, je ne sais pas. Mais tout cela n’est pas pour moi ( )

Apparently this is important for literary historical reasons, but then, lots of solid but not great books are. What's good here can be found more fully in Toussaint's later work, and, mercifully, what's bad here (numbered paragraphs for no reason, for instance, as well as silly juvenile rebellions) is not. Great cover, though. ( )

"Immobility is not absence of movement but absence of any prospect of movement."

The above observation lies three-quarters of the way through The Bathroom, just before the quasi-authorial ruminations break forth, escaping the previous three room stage design. A change of locale occurs. Not to disclose much, but it is a change of nation as well. The insular goes on the lam. In fact, the section abroad distills the almost static gestation of the earlier salvos. The novel's only act of violence (except for that to Octupi) occurs and maintains, almost despite the postulation previously exhibited. The act is outside of reason. It isn't theorized. It does change matters. Well, to be fair, in a book of less than a hundred pages it pushes matters towards a certain conclusion, albeit without conviction. Then again, isn't that a great deal of our lives? ( )

A young Belgian researcher in Paris strains his relations with his girlfriend and parents by remaining in his apartment bathroom. He emerges into the apartment itself, then bolts to Venice, where he holes up in a hotel, except for the occasional foray out. His girlfriend comes but doesn’t convince him to return home. He checks into a hospital, supposedly for sinus surgery. He abruptly decides to return to Paris and seems about to repeat his bathroom sojourn when an invitation to a reception at the Austrian Embassy convinces him to emerge.

A story that’s simple on the surface but raises more than enough questions. ( )