The Anomaly

Hervé Le Tellier’s novel L’anomalie was first published in 2020 by Gallimard. After winning the 2020 Prix Goncourt, France’s most important literary prize, the novel became a runaway bestseller in Europe. This guide will cover the first English translation, The Anomaly, which was released in the United States in 2021, translated by Adriana Hunter and published by The Other Press. Le Tellier is a trained mathematician, science journalist, avant-garde poet, and public intellectual with over 30 books. The Anomaly is his ninth novel and the first to reach its level of international success.

The Anomaly at first appears to be a supernatural thriller in the vein of popular television shows Lost and Manifest. It features a large international cast of characters who share one thing in common: On March 10, 2021, they all fly from Paris to New York on Air France 006. After extreme turbulence, the flight lands safely. However, three months later, the flight lands again with the same people on board, having been mysteriously duplicated during the storm. Throughout the novel, Le Tellier mixes genres—from science fiction to romantic comedy and, eventually, metaphysical mystery. As the characters meet their doubles, they reconsider their life choices as well as the nature of the universe.