Prix Goncourt: this year’s favorite novel leaves you speechless

The countdown to the Goncourt Prize is speeding up, between anticipation and debate. In the media and in bookshops, a favorite is emerging, driven by fervent reading.

Why the Prix Goncourt 2024 is already being debated

Every autumn, the Academy selects its winner in a series of easy-to-read stages. The selection process is traditionally carried out in 3 rounds, at a steady pace. Then come 4 finalists and, finally, 1 winner, decided by secret ballot. The Goncourt Prize is awarded to an author who has left a lasting mark on the literary year.

Houris, published by Gallimard, strikes with its vivid, carnal language and nervous imagery. In contrast, the story retains a modest restraint that touches and questions at length.

Many readers say they close this book speechless, still gripped by certain passages. As a result, the rumor mill around the Goncourt Prize is growing from day to day. What’s more, the press praises the book’s precise construction, regular tension and constant breath of fresh air. This dynamic reminds us of the strength of a major literary season and a rare word-of-mouth.

“Literature speaks louder when it dares silence.”

Expectations and doubts surrounding the Goncourt Prize

Gallimard also offers La Nuit au cœur, a novel of intimacy, wounds and recompositions. The narrative weaves together family secrets, silent shame and slow reconciliation.

With La Collision, also published by Gallimard, the energy of the narrative surprises with its nervous clarity. Yet each chapter holds the emotion and imposes a clean, almost kinetic rhythm.

• Check publication date and availability in bookshops.
• Note the strong themes and coherent point of view.
• Observe reader reception, in-store and online.
• Compare a few extracts to gauge style and outfit.
• View the calendar of selections and deliberations.

What could swing the Prix Goncourt

Marchialy’s L’Adieu au visage blends investigation and memory with tenacious sobriety. The text questions traces, absence and the way we look at others.

Published by Éditions de Minuit, La Maison vide progresses through ellipses, silences and blind spots. As a result, its apparent modesty may well count in the Goncourt prize’s arbitration.

From Stock, Tressaillir puts the body at the center, without emphasis or facile effects. The short scenes create a muted beat that lingers long after the book is read.

A look at the Prix Goncourt from the field

Second echo for Houris: on the shelves, it goes fast, sometimes as early as the weekend. In short, demand is now spreading beyond city centers and large departments.

Booksellers are talking about a real appetite for dense, sensitive and well-crafted stories. However, many point out that the verdict is reached late, behind closed doors, without leaks. As a result, sales signals do not always announce the winner of the Prix Goncourt. What’s more, the critical conversation carries as much weight as the impetus of the attentive public.

Final stretch before the Prix Goncourt

A new passage for La Nuit au cœur: the voice gains momentum with each return. Next, readers often cite a pivotal scene, discreet yet decisive and unsettling.

FromEmmanuel Carrère‘s point of view, Kolkhoze feeds conversations with a sharp political eye. On the other hand, its documentary aspect questions its place in the Prix Goncourt competition.

Over the next few days, the jurors will read and reread, sometimes in low, tight voices. Each page can still move the needle, according to the finest balances. The Prix Goncourt remains a compass for the season, but nothing is set in stone. Consequently, the best guide is your own emotions as a reader, precise and sincere.

• Goncourt prize