Literary prize Evok Collection
Every year, the Prix Littéraire Evok Collection showcases six works meticulously selected by the co-founders of the prize, Tristane Banon and Emmanuelle de Boysson. This prize picks out French novels or collections of short stories of indisputable literary quality, an ideal accompaniment for the summer season. A demonstration of cultural commitment, it illustrates the daring, energy and freedom of Evok Collection, which constantly steps away from the beaten path and invites us to escape, to discover new voices, and to immerse ourselves in unique and inspiring worlds.
Ceinture – Céline Robert (Éditions Calmann-Lévy) Winner 2025
« Ceinture » published by Céline Robert, published by Éditions Calmann-Lévy, this is a delicate and daring debut novel. Laureen is cheating on her husband with Maxime, whose wife falls in love with the babysitter… All the characters are connected, like the notches of a belt. An intimate exploration of romantic ties, desire, fidelity, and everything that binds or slips away from us. A tense, sensual, and brilliantly crafted novel.Tout le monde garde son calme – Dimitri Kantcheloff (Éditions Finitude)
Finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, “Tout le monde garde son calme”, published in 2025, is a rock’n’roll tragicomedy set in the 1980s, blending heists, love, and rebellion in the streets of Lyon. Its cinematic style, packed with cult references, has won over the critics.Tout le bruit du Guéliz – Ruben Barrouk (Éditions Albin Michel)
Finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, “Tout le bruit du Guéliz”, published in 2025, is a debut novel weaving together stories of exile, tradition, fragile connections, and identities lost in the noise of the present. Through the streets of Marrakech and the echoes of memory, Ruben Barrouk crafts a fragmented tapestry where the personal meets the universal.Impardonnable – Mathieu Menegaux (Éditions Grasset)
Finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, “Impardonnable”, published in 2025, weaves together the voices of Anna, the mother of a victim, and Paul, the man responsible for a hit-and-run. Two lives upended by a shared tragedy, with the question of forgiveness running silently beneath it all. A powerful novel about guilt, justice, and what remains unspoken.Célèbre – Maud Ventura (Éditions L’Iconoclaste)
A finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, “Célèbre”, published in 2025, follows Cléo, a woman thrust into the spotlight. Through her daily life, the novel explores the inner workings of fame its codes, its excesses, and its impact on the private self.Le lit clos – Sophie Brocas (Éditions Mialet-Barrault)
A finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, “Le Lit clos”, published in 2025, takes us into the heart of the 1924 sardine workers’ strike in Douarnenez. Rose and Louise, two very different women, meet in the midst of this struggle. Within the enclosed bed a private, secret space they discover the freedom to be themselves, to think, to love, and to desire. A powerful novel about women’s courage and their fight for emancipation.Ce que je sais de toi – Éric Chacour (Éditions Philippe Rey) Winner 2024
The jury of the 5th Evok Collection Literary Prize awarded “Ce que je sais de toi”, the debut novel by Éric Chacour. Set within Cairo’s Levantine community, the book follows a man’s search for truth through bold and skillful storytelling. The jury praised its refined writing full of humor, sensuality, and delicacy as well as the author’s deep understanding of human nature.La fille de Lake Placid – Marie Charrel (Éditions Pérégrine)
Finalist for the 2024 Evok Collection Literary Prize, Marie Charrel reflects on “La fille de Lake Placid”, her novel published in 2024, in conversation with Anne-Marie Revol.Rousse – Denis Infante (Éditions Tristram)
Finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, Denis Infante reflects on “Rousse”, his novel published in 2024, in conversation with Anne-Marie Revol.
Partout les autres – David Thomas (Éditions L’Olivier) Winner 2023
Winner of the Evok Collection Literary Prize, David Thomas delivers Partout les autres, a striking short story collection published in 2023. Unfulfilled love, quiet violence, cherished places, a philosophical rat, and cherry pits across sixty stories, the author captures the raw, imperfect essence of humanity. Like a mirror held up in silence and truth, the book reflects our nature without artifice. The jury was deeply moved by this sensitive and singular exploration of the human condition.Insula – Caroline Caugant (Éditions du Seuil)
Finalist for the 2024 Evok Collection Literary Prize, Caroline Caugant reflects on “Insula”, her novel published in 2024, in conversation with Anne-Marie Revol.Stella et l’Amérique – Joseph Incardona (Éditions Finitude)
Finalist for the Evok Collection Literary Prize, Joseph Incardona reflects on “Stella et l’Amérique”, his novel published in 2024, in conversation with Anne-Marie Revol.Ceux qui appartiennent au jour – Emma Doude van Troostwijk (Éditions de Minuit)
Emmanuelle De Boysson and Tristane Banon talk about the 2024 Evok Collection Literary Prize, starting with the first reading “Ceux qui nous appartiennent” by Emma Doude van Troostwijk.
