Kamel Daoud Wins Prix Goncourt for 'Houris'

The Algerian writer's novel, addressing the silence around Algeria's 'Black Decade', earns France's top literary honor.

Kamel Daoud's 'Houris' explores the Algerian civil war, known as the 'Black Decade', from 1992 to 2002, a topic often avoided in Algeria.
The novel's protagonist, Aube, is a survivor of a village massacre, symbolizing the silenced voices of the war's victims.
Daoud, a vocal critic of Islamist extremism and Algerian societal issues, has faced significant backlash, including a fatwa against him.
The award has political implications, as the Algerian government banned the book's publisher, Gallimard, from a book fair in Algiers.
Winning the Prix Goncourt is expected to significantly boost sales of 'Houris', which has already sold 80,000 copies.