The Goncourt Prize: A Promise of a New Perspective on the World
The Goncourt Prize is not only a prestigious literary award, but also a promise of a new perspective on the world. As such, the selection gives a platform to a new generation of writers, young and determined to make their voices heard.
As autumn slowly sets in, another tradition takes center stage in the cultural landscape: the revelation of the first selection of the Goncourt Prize. Earlier this week, the Academy unveiled the 15 novels in the running, marking the beginning of a highly anticipated competition where established voices and new talents, intimate stories and collective frescoes, come together.
Among the 15 selected works, the presence of Caroline Lamarche, a Belgian author, immediately grabs attention. Her novel "Le bel obscur" is also featured in the selection of the "Décembre" prize this week, highlighting the impact she is having on the French-speaking literary landscape. Lamarche, whose prose often combines poetry and gravity, embodies a writing style that is both sensitive and incisive, exploring the darker areas of the human soul.
Alongside this unique voice, the selection boasts the "heavyweights" of contemporary French literature. Emmanuel Carrère, a major figure in the genre that blends autobiography and investigation, returns with "Kolkhoze", promising a dive into the meanders of history and collective memory. Nathacha Appanah, known for her sensitivity to migration trajectories and human wounds, offers "La nuit au cœur", while Laurent Mauvignier, a master of psychological nuances, signs "La maison vide", a title that already evokes the silences and absences at the heart of the narrative. Maria Pourchet with "Tressaillir" and David Diop with "Où s'adosse le ciel" complete this circle of authors with undeniable literary weight, each questioning our time with finesse in their own way. But the Goncourt Prize is also a promise of a new perspective on the world.
Thus, the selection gives a platform to a new generation of writers, young and determined to make their voices heard. Paul Gasnier with "La collision", Hélène Laurain and her novel "Tambora", and Ghislaine Dunant with "Un amour infini" are part of this dynamic of renewal. Their works, driven by energy and often bold inventiveness, question current themes with a sharp eye, renewing the palette of literary sensitivities.
Additionally, the names of Yanick Lahens (Passagères de nuit), Charif Majdalani (Le Nom des rois), David Deneufgermain (L'Adieu au visage), Alfred de Montesquiou (Le crépuscule des hommes), Guillaume Poix (Perpétuité), and David Thomas (Un frère) enrich this heterogeneous list, a true kaleidoscope of contemporary writings. These authors, sometimes less known to the general public, represent the vitality and diversity of a literature that is always in motion, capable of making stories from all horizons resonate. The course of this selection is marked by important dates: on October 7, the jury will reduce the number of novels to eight, before revealing the four finalists on October 28.
The epilogue will take place on November 4, with the announcement of the winner. Last year, it was the controversial and polemical "Houris" by Kamel Daoud that won the favor of the jury. In an era where Francophone literature navigates between identity quests, collective memory, and contemporary issues, this first selection of the Goncourt Prize 2025 promises to be a reflection of our plural, complex, sometimes disturbing, but always rich in stories to tell, era.
