Reading Hervé Le Tellier’s THE ANOMALY (L’anomalie) feels like watching a TV show. Each chapter is from the perspective of a single character, but nonsequentially, strategically planned to unveil the mysteries of the titular ANOMALY.
A 2020 flight from Paris to New York goes through an unexpected patch of turbulence, an incident that not only changes the lives of the passengers on board but also (not exaggerating) the world. On the surface level, the novel is a sci-fi-mystery-thriller; think Alex Garland’s ANNIHILATION or EX MACHINA, combined with LOST or MANIFEST. The book was much more philosophical than I expected, but Le Tellier avoided being preachy, instead opting for vignettes and seemingly unimportant conversations to lay out his opinions.
We’re in an era of maximalism, and THE ANOMALY combines many different genres. I mentioned some movies and TV shows above; now through in some satire and some HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY if you’re trying to understand the book’s mood. So if you’re a fan of any or all of the above, I’d highly recommend reading or listening to THE ANOMALY; I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but it’s literally a wild ride.
