THE STRANGE CASE OF BENJAMIN T.

Catherine Rolland

(Les Escales, 352 pages, 2018)

Benjamin Teillac’s wife has left him, and his only son has rejected him, and now epileptic seizures may make it impossible for him to continue as a paramedic. His neurologist offers him an opportunity to participate in a clinical trial of a revolutionary new drug, and he accepts. The side effects are immediate: He is assailed by vivid, life-like hallucinations. The year is 1944.  He is in a small village in the French Alps plotting to blow up a bridge. And then he is back in the present day. We are all somewhat more than one person, but Benjamin really lives two lives.

The Strange Case of Benjamin T. starts with a description of Benjamin T.,  the  antihero, and his less than exciting life. But the tone changes in unison with the increasing pace of his dramatic seizures. Rolland is a fine storyteller who  skillfully guides the reader through the intricacies of the plot making us  empathize with Benjamin’s confusion and fear. She draws a believable picture of a man who has lost control over his body, and whose mind is invaded by the deeds and emotions of another life. 

As the novel progresses, Benjamin’s visions become more frequent and coalesce into the storyline of a life as real as his own.   He is living two lives at the same time:  In one, he is called Benjamin Teillac and, in the other Benjamin Sachetaz. The second Benjamin fights bravely alongside his brother in the French resistance, and the first avoids confrontation at all cost. As Benjamin S. he falls in love with Mélaine, who loves him back; BenjaminT. however, continues to long for Sylvie, who no longer loves him.  The Benjamin of 1944 knows the future, while the Benjamin of 2014 remembers the past. In each case, these lines across space and time have dangerous consequences for both of them. In the midst of his distress and confusion, Benjamin is presented with a rare opportunity to alter—much for the better—the course of destiny.  To do so, he may have to decide which of these two Benjamins he is to be.  

Catherine Rolland is an emergency doctor and a writer. Originally from Lyon, she has been living in Switzerland for a few years. The Strange Case of Benjamin T. is her fifth novel.