"Not Like Everyone Else" by Marc Levy, summary

French writer Marc Levy’s novel was published in 2018. The narrative revolves around the residents of a prestigious nine-story building at 12 Fifth Avenue in New York City. An antique, manually operated elevator connects the residents’ lives, revealing their weaknesses, fears, and capacity for genuine empathy. The author explores themes of overcoming the aftermath of disaster, the clash of archaic traditions with modern thinking, and the emergence of a deep emotional connection.

A measured life on Fifth Avenue and the arrival of a guest

For 39 years, Indian Deepak Sanjari has been working as a daytime elevator operator in a prestigious Manhattan building. He expertly operates the elevator car’s lever and meticulously records the distance traveled in a notebook. Over the years, he has traveled over 22,000 kilometers. His goal is to reach 23,448 kilometers, which is equivalent to the height of Mount Nanda Devi in India multiplied by 3,000. He still has about a year and a half left to achieve the world record.

The building is inhabited by people with expressive personalities. On the ninth floor lives economics professor Edward Bronstein and his daughter Chloe. Chloe uses a wheelchair and narrates books in a sound studio. On the other floors are the conservative television commentator Williams and his wife, the art-loving French couple the Leclercs, the devout Zeldoffs, the solitary classical music lover Morrison, and the affable widow Mrs. Collins. The second floor is occupied by the office of the chairman of the residents’ association, the prudent accountant Grumlatt.

The usual rhythm is disrupted by the arrival of Sanjay, the nephew of Deepak’s wife, Lali. The young entrepreneur, who founded a successful digital dating platform in Mumbai, has arrived in the US to negotiate with investors. Instead of a luxury hotel, Sanjay settles into his aunt’s modest apartment in Spanish Harlem, obeying the family duty of respect for his elders. While strolling through Washington Square Park, he meets Chloe, who is drawn to his sincerity. Soon, Sanjay bumps into her in her uncle’s elevator and helps her get to an audition.

An accident and a confrontation between residents

Deepak’s night shift worker, an elderly Puerto Rican named Antonio Rivera, is secretly having an affair with Mrs. Collins. Returning from her apartment early one morning, Rivera trips on the service stairs and suffers a severe compound fracture of his leg. The elevator operator is taken to the hospital for lengthy treatment.

Manager Grumlatt is trying to take advantage of the situation by automating the elevator, hoping to reduce the building’s operating costs. At a general meeting, the majority of residents agree to install a push-button remote control. Trying to save Deepak’s workstation, Chloe and Mrs. Collins go down to the basement and damage the spare set of equipment with a caustic solution. The installers who arrive find that the contacts have been damaged by moisture and say it will take up to four months to manufacture new parts in England.

Lali decides to help her husband achieve his coveted record. She convinces Sanjay to take over night shifts in Rivera’s stead. Deepak reluctantly agrees to train his nephew and makes him promise to strictly adhere to the rules of professional discretion.

Night shifts and the emergence of feelings

By day, Sanjay works hard with finance professionals alongside his college friend Sam, and by night, he dons an elevator operator’s uniform. Chloe is surprised to see a new employee in the elevator. She assumes Sanjay is a simple immigrant, and his previous stories about business were fictitious. Sanjay decides not to reveal the truth about his wealth, wanting to win her favor without the veneer.

Chloe finally breaks off her relationship with her boyfriend, Julius, a philosophy professor. He couldn’t accept her physical condition and was burdened by her forced responsibilities. Sanjay, on the other hand, shows sensitivity and tact. At night, he slips witty notes under Chloe’s door, and during the day, they stroll through parks together. The young people grow closer, finding peace in conversation.

Sanjay’s business success is impressive. He manages to convince the influential banker Mokimoto to invest in the platform’s American division. The project is built on the principles of openness and mutual respect, free from commercial manipulation.

A Mysterious Theft and a Show of Nobility

The tranquility of the house is shattered by an emergency. Mrs. Collins reports the disappearance of a family necklace worth half a million dollars to the police. Inspector Pilges interrogates the building’s residents. Video recordings capture suspicious nighttime absences by Sanjay, who in reality was sleeping in residents’ living rooms, helping an intoxicated Morrison or changing the lock on Mrs. Collins’s door. The police arrest Sanjay on suspicion of theft.

Sam quickly brings in a corporate lawyer and gets his friend released from jail. However, Deepak, deeply angered by his neighbors’ mistrust and wanting to protect his nephew, makes a false confession. He tells the inspector that he stole the necklace out of revenge for the landlords’ unfair treatment of his many years of service.

The residents of the building acknowledge their guilt toward the honest worker. Chloe organizes the neighbors to rescue the elevator operator. The residents, one by one, contact the police and claim that each of them committed the crime, rendering the accusation legally invalid. Accountant Grumlat reveals Sanjay’s financial status to the residents: the young man owns tens of millions of dollars, completely ruling out any ulterior motive. The police release Deepak.

It turns out that Mrs. Collins herself staged the theft. She wanted to collect the insurance money to help Rivera pay for a nursing home for his wife, who suffers from dementia. Rivera decides to leave the service with Deepak to commit to a life with Mrs. Collins.

Overcoming barriers and reconnecting

Sanjay and Chloe spend an unforgettable night at the Plaza Hotel, enjoying each other’s company. Chloe feels desired and happy. However, an inner fear of becoming an obstacle for the ambitious entrepreneur prompts her to flee. Chloe leaves for Connecticut to be with her mother, leaving Sanjay a farewell message.

In her letter, Chloe recounts the trauma she experienced. On April 15th, at 2:50 PM, a bomb detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The blast crippled her, and doctors were forced to amputate her legs below the knees. Chloe writes that Sanjay restored her faith in love, but the difference between them amounts to the forty centimeters she lost in height.

Deepak violates the sacred professional principle of non-interference in the residents’ privacy and informs his nephew of the girl’s whereabouts. Sanjay arrives at Mrs. Bronstein’s country house at dawn. He finds Chloe by the fireplace, assures her of the sincerity of his feelings, and persuades her to unite their destinies.

A new page in life

Sanjay resolves a protracted property dispute with relatives in India. His aunt Lali receives her rightful share and joins the board of directors of the Mumbai Palace Hotel. Deepak returns to his homeland, leads the team of elevator operators at the historic hotel building, and sets a coveted world record for climbing Nandadevi. Rivera moves in with Mrs. Collins, living in an apartment on the sixth floor of their Fifth Avenue building.

In May 2020, Chloe finished her personal diary entries in Mumbai. She held her newborn first child in her arms, thanking fate for the gift of family happiness.