"Les Inrocks" released their special back-to-school literary issue on Wednesday, in partnership with Europe 1, in which the magazine selects its favorites. The novels, this year, are crossed by "the crisis, the precariousness and the uberization of the world", noted the editor in chief of the weekly, Wednesday, in "Culture Media".

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The literary world is in the starting blocks. In total, 511 French and foreign novels will compete in the coming weeks for the favors of readers. As with every literary season, the Inrocks are releasing their special number, and their selection, in partnership this year with Europe 1 and on newsstands since Wednesday. Nelly Kaprièlian, editor in chief literature of Inrocks , noted Wednesday on Europe 1 that the novels of this new school year were particularly affected by the crisis and precariousness in France. 

Favorite for the novels of Zeniter and Mauvignier

The coronavirus has so far not had much influence on back-to-school novels, both in terms of number (only 13 novels less than in 2019) and in terms of themes. "We feel the way writers see France in crisis. And France did not wait for the virus to be in crisis," notes Nelly Kaprièlian. 

In 2020, strikes, demonstrations, or even yellow vests have inspired writers. "The novels are marked by the crisis, precariousness, uncertainty, France of 'yellow vests', an uberization of the world ... I find that the authors are particularly affected by this climate", supports the editor-in-chief. A climate which inspires authors who "appropriate this theme" or who let "infuse this atmosphere into their novels".

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Nelly Kaprièlian quotes for example the novel by Alice Zeniter Comme un empire dans un empire (Flammarion editions), which "questions the political commitment of young people today". But also Laurent Mauvignier with Histoire de la nuit , published by Midnight Editions, which "plunges a sort of foreign body into a very precarious France, a rural France in disgrace" and which "creates a masterful tension".