Reading a Grangé novel means taking the risk that the path you’re on won’t stay the same, losing you in its twists and turns, as his novels are complex, well-researched, and convoluted. Labyrinthine, like the cover of “Le Passager,” Nice Premium presents his latest book: a blood-red maze against a pitch-black background.
“Le Passager” by Jean-Christophe Grangé takes us in the wake of Mathias and Anaïs, him a psychiatrist, her a judicial police officer in Bordeaux. They will face a strange, mythological crime, blending a bull’s head with a man’s body… What starts as a classic investigation morphs into true madness, diving deep into the mind, amid the mystery and anxiety of psychological escapes.
Divided into several parts, each focused on a character, the story takes us from Bordeaux to the depths of Marseille, through Nice and the Parisian art scene. Unlike his previous novels, this time we stay in France. Incidentally, you can’t really say that the southern cities are shown in a flattering light…
It’s slimy, nauseating, and by the end of some chapters, you’re coated with human grime and the stench of cheap wine. We are also completely lost because every time we think we’re close to the goal, finally understanding; just like the hero, we swing once again.
In a terrifying maze, on the trail of fleeing memory and something larger, the reader traces Mathias’s history. Action scenes bear Grangé’s signature, just like his characters with troubled pasts. Mathias carries the story on his shoulders, sometimes charming, sometimes repellent, always on the verge of breakdown. The character of Anaïs is very interesting, both very strong and very fragile. For those put off by very violent scenes, they are very few and relatively mild in this story.
It’s a novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout its 750 pages. One might be surprised by the hero’s sheer luck during his quest, but you absolutely must accept it to fully engage with the story. Some might also criticize the slightly repetitive nature of certain scenes…
This latest novel is meticulously crafted and highly polished, with a perfectly controlled and constructed narrative, despite an ending that’s a bit surprising and slightly far-fetched, which might throw some readers off.
