There are twenty-five stories in this book. This is no coincidence: the author published his first book twenty-five years ago. Each of the stories is a snapshot of Hungary, a mirror image of the past quarter-century. Instant Glue attempts to put these shards together and capture a piece of the past. Why does an Arab boy engage in correspondence with the Ornithological Institute? What is a corpse doing in an exhibition hall? What happened to the woman whose head suddenly fell off in a shopping mall? what drives a middle-aged art teacher to the brink of madness during a trip overseas? Where are the Transylvanian guest workers going in their minibus, and what will happen to the little boy traveling with them? The characters live in very different places, their lives, opportunities, and desires are very different, but what they have in common is that they are facing life-changing moments. However, almost all of them procrastinate when it comes to making a decision, taking the final leap: they cling to others for a moment, and chance encounters could perhaps bring salvation, but they are unable to recognize the opportunity.
In her new book, Krisztina Tóth’s seemingly dispassionate narrator reveals the complex system of relationships between people with infinite precision. Her sophisticated and sarcastic humour shines through in her recounting of difficult fates and sometimes grotesque scenes.
