Jesmyn Ward’s novel is a finalist for the Prix Montluc Résistance et Liberté 2026. The announcement was made on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
Prix Montluc Résistance et Liberté honors an author—French or foreign—whose work questions modern methods of fighting oppression or represents an act of resistance itself. The prize, which includes a €5,000 award, was founded by Jean-François Carenco, and past winners include Hubert Haddad, Itamar Vieira Junior , Jean d’Amérique, and Kaouther Adimi.
The 2025 selection process began with the announcement of the longlist on Tuesday, November 18, with the finalists revealed this week. Among the finalists is Nous Serons Tempête, the French translation of Ward’s novel Let Us Descend, published by Éditions Belfond. The book is a lyrical work of historical fiction that follows Annis, an enslaved girl sold from the Carolinas to Louisiana, on her brutal march to the slave markets of New Orleans.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony on April 2, 2026.
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