From Haiti to Canada, a Quebec debut novel reaches for France’s top literary prizes

Montreal — Quebec-born author Thélyson Orélien learned that his debut novel had been shortlisted for France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt, an honor he attributed to both Haiti and Quebec. Speaking from Paris, Orélien described the news as “dizzying.” His novel, "C’était ça ou mourir," tells the story of a Haitian man named Jonas Dorléon forced to flee his country due to civil unrest.

The book follows Jonas as he embarks on a perilous journey across the Americas, eventually reaching Quebec. Orélien, who left Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, said the recognition not only provides an opportunity to humanize migrants but also resonates with those who have experienced similar journeys. The book's protagonist, initially a history and geography teacher in Port-au-Prince, becomes a migrant when faced with escalating violence.

Orélien, a professor of literary studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal, notes that Quebec writers, especially debut authors, rarely receive this level of recognition. The novel has also been shortlisted for two other French literature prizes. Orélien emphasized that literature's role is not to replace political debate but to humanize the experiences of those often reduced to categories.

The book has been translated into 22 languages and is being considered for further rounds before the Goncourt prize is awarded in early November.