What is it about the future that freaks out so many people? Fear? A perceived threat to one's hegemony? Whatever the reason, the question is multifaceted. Belgian author Jean-Philippe Toussaint explores those facets in intricate detail in The Emotions, an erudite novel that prods feelings and intellect in satisfying ways. The novel consists of three episodes, all centered on Jean Detrez, a European Commission employee. In the opening section, it's the day of the Brexit vote. Jean is separating from Diane, his wife of 10 years, and is about to move out of the Brussels apartment they share. He must go to Paris for a conference on futurology, where he meets a "self-effacing young woman" in a mohair vest who he hopes offers an escape from his uncertain personal future.
This section contains marvelous set pieces, including the arrival of a pompous know-it-all hired to lead the conference's sessions. The second deals more directly with Jean's personal life, focusing on his recently deceased father, a former European commissioner, and the question of what Jean's own children will think of his legacy when it's time to stand by his casket. The final installment concerns the European Commission's 2010 response when an Icelandic volcano erupts, and the chaos that volcanic ash wreaks on once-futuristic technology such as airplanes. Toussaint addresses provocative questions throughout, all of them involving various forms of agitation. Some readers may embrace the future, others may be terrified, but all will find plenty to discuss in this innovative work. --Michael Magras, freelance