This book reminds me of Hervé Le Tellier’s L’Anomalie, which feels insulting and maybe even heretical. L’Anomalie is a Prix Goncourt-winning, highbrow, Oulipo novel; this is by a guy who writes Star Trek parodies and kaiju books. L’Anomalie is relatively restrained in its conceit, with an impossible “duplicate” plane landing three months after the original one; this has the moon turn into cheese for a lunar cycle.

Yet, both books are powerful in their exploration of how the world responds when something ridiculous and clearly impossible happens. This one is also a quick, easy, funny read in a way that prize-winning French books aren’t always.

The best science fiction treats ridiculous premises seriously, and this does a good job of that. Yes, it makes me want to reread L’Anomalie, but it also does a great job on its own.

• When the Moon Hits Your Eye
• John Scalzi
• Hervé Le Tellier
• L'Anomalie