Toltz's work Quicksand has the same narrative style that draws together his previous work A Fraction of the Whole, mainly off beat characters with rich layers of language that reference to a wide range of topics. I found myself skimming back over the work at times to track down the references and musing on the way he weaves literary tales. His theme of following the down and out is followed again in this book and I found myself cheering for the outcast, laughing at the same time. At times a bit long winded, but when it finally winds down to the end the book shows you a reason for all the burps, farts, hiccups, pain and suffering that the main character goes through.