The Anomaly (2020) by Herve Le Tellier

Book Review

The Anomaly (2020)

by Herve Le Tellier

   2020 winner of the Prix Goncourt The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier arrived in English as a certifiable hit, both critical and popular, with the Prix Goncourt cementing one side of the equation and 800,000 in pre-translation sales securing the other.  Le Tellier combines genres: science fiction, thriller, relationship novel with a heavy overlay of Oulipian theory.  Listening to the English language Audiobook, the more esoteric aspects of The Anomaly were lost to me, but the more basic intake still proved fascinating.

   The Anomaly is one of those works of art whose appeal is irremediably compromised by divulging any significant detail of the plot- instead- it's the combination of genres and the critical and popular success that must draw the reader to engage.  So for fans of science fiction-psychological thriller-detective story genres and books that win the highest level of literary award, you deserve to give The Anomaly a spin.