The Medici Prize jury met on Thursday to distribute its three awards. In French fiction, the award was given to Kevin Lambert for his novel Our joy remains joy (Le Nouvel Attila), already winner of the December 2023 prize and contender for the Goncourt Prize for high school students. He received six votes, and the other four went to Salma Momani Goodbye Tangier (Gracite). In foreign novels, two titles were crowned, for example: Han Kang’s The impossible goodbye (Translated from Korean by Qingran Choi and Pierre Bissio, published by Grasset) and Lydia Jorge Mescordia (Translated from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Monteiro Rodriguez, published by Métailié).
with Our joy remainsYoung Quebec writer Kevin Lambert, 31, has published a major novel, his third, that aims to embrace the current world and its social dilemmas through the image of a “star architect” and her entourage of the super-rich.
An ambitious novel, a little chatty to be sure, but very engaging and ringing true. Kevin Lambert is afraid of nothing and resonates with Proust, especially at the beginning of the novel with long, meandering sentences describing the participants at a ruling-class party in Montreal. Kevin Lambert also quotes Proust on numerous occasions.
But from page 90, the novel picks up a rhythm that we never let go of. To become as vitriolic as a Ruben Östlund film (eg Without filter, Palme d’Or at Cannes 2022). Because if he describes this life above earth to those who see their wealth growing at full speed, it will end up describing the revolution and collapse of this world.
Celine Wachowski is a dazzling architect, a star like Jean Nouvel, Frank Gehry or Santiago Calatrava. It has dominated world architecture for decades, building landmark museums and buildings around the world. Kevin Lambert has studied his subject well and his book treats architecture as we rarely see in literature.
Optimization
At the age of 70, she finally received a major order for her city of Montreal, the first, to build the city. complicated Buy web It is attributed to his architectural studio c/w (his initials). An ambitious and stunning project, installed in a largely deserted fringe area.
“No Filter” is a palm of gold in the fight against filth
But to her glory, she did not see the next wave that would carry her away. The protest is growing rapidly thanks to social networks. He is accused OptimizationThe city, to change its soul, to expel its poor inhabitants, to glorify capitalism that has become murderous. Great investigation into The New Yorker He criticizes him harshly.
the C/W workshops However, they seemed to be at the forefront of society, with a woman at its head, in a profession that often remains very masculine and, moreover, supported by a Haitian, black, and gay male.
But nothing works. Celine, with her private jet and billions in fortune, located far from the tax authorities, is unable to resist the protesters who go so far as to storm her large villa.
Carried by this whirlwind, Selin Wachowski asks herself many questions and gradually realizes her mistakes and the accuracy of the arguments of her young killers.
Our joy remains
Our joy remains – The Motto of These Rich People – is a wide-ranging novel, describing our current society more in the manner of Balzac than in the manner of Proust. It is not only about architecture, but also about environmental, political and social issues that are well expressed in 2023.
Since it’s written by a Quebecois resident, we had fun finding some local words e.g “Comrade” to a friend, “a job” for a job, “Apartments“For apartments “cheery” For gays.
The writer was the subject of controversy after his novel was re-read by a “sensitive writer” for all passages relating to minorities. It is a common practice across the Atlantic which in its case has in no way prevented this book from remaining a highly imaginative and very enjoyable novel to read.
Tania de Montaigne: “Today, artists and writers are beginning to practice self-censorship.”
Finally, the Medici Essay Prize was awarded to Laure Murad Proust, a family novel (Robert Lafont), a text that reflects on the liberating power of literature, which is also a power of consolation and reconciliation with life.