Popular science books typically extol the marvelous achievements of science in applied mathematics, theoretical physics, chemistry, space exploration, and, more broadly, scientific understanding of the world. Benjamín Labatut takes a completely different approach. His groundbreaking 'work of fiction based on real events' (though it would be more appropriate to call this text a non-fiction novel, as most of the characters, including Fritz Haber, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Alexander Grothendieck, Erwin Schrödinger, and others, are historical figures, and much of the narrative is based on historical facts) rather celebrates the anxiety that accompanies great scientific discoveries and addresses the dark side of rationality. The novel, translated into twenty-two languages, was shortlisted for the 2021 Booker International Prize and has become a notable literary event.