Mark Haddon’s Porpoise Is an Epic Hero’s Tale Buoyed by Its Heroines

The Porpoise opens with action. The new novel from Mark Haddon, whose 2003 hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was the basis for a Tony-winning play, begins with Maja, pregnant wife of the superwealthy Philippe, going down in a small plane in rough weather. Her life is lost, but the baby is saved. "He will call her Angelica. He will never remember the name he and Maja chose.

The Porpoise opens with action. The new novel from Mark Haddon, whose 2003 hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was the basis for a Tony-winning play, begins with Maja, pregnant wife of the superwealthy Philippe, going down in a small plane in rough weather. Her life is lost, but the baby is saved. "He will call her Angelica. He will never remember the name he and Maja chose.