Thélyson Orélien continues his journey in the French literary rentrée despite the controversy now surrounding his novel, C'était ça ou mourir. Published by Grasset, it has made it to the second selection for the Renaudot prize, announced on Wednesday, October 7, and has also joined the selection for the literary prize of the Porte Dorée.

Nine novels have been selected for the second stage of the Renaudot. The book by the Haitian-Canadian writer is among them, alongside Minotaure by Boris Bergmann, Nos vies sauvages by Hemley Boum, Le Palais by François-Henri Désérable, and Un corps indocile by Osvalde Lewat. The jury, presided over by Frédéric Beigbeder, is set to announce the winner on November 3.