At the time of the winter sales, here is the literary start of January. More discreet than the sacrosanct autumn literary return, this meeting grows from year to year. As proof, while everyone was worried about the high number of novels published at “THE start of the school year” – i.e. 459 novels in September 2024 – the counters unashamedly show 507 books in January 2025. Thus, while publishers seek to controlling the number of novels in September, we observe lasting inflation in winter (517 new novels in January 2023, 482 in 2024).
However, this return to winter is recent, and no one really seems to know what led to the establishment of this meeting in the first days of the year. “As much as we know that the Goncourt Prize is at the origin of the autumn return since it is only open to books published before October, the start of the year was established for no apparent reason for thirty years”explains Catherine Valenti, publishing historian. A “second return», long mocked as “little return to school”, which she considers to be “more peaceful”.
Back to school with less pressure
While the September start is resolutely part of the prize race, the winter one avoids the media fever, bringing together authors who have already been distinguished and will no longer face the pressure, or even others who are less seasoned who test this strange metamorphosis: becoming a writer. Thus, there are 70 first novels (compared to 68 in September 2024), for which the January start is akin to a “trial run”.
“In the spring, there are many trade fairs, festivals, prizes awarded by readers or the media such as the RTL-Lire prize or the Inter book,” explains Maud Simonnot, editor at Seuil. It is an opportunity to present lesser-known authors, in a climate “less brutal”, continues the editor, mentioning her foal, Corentin Durand, 28 years old, who signs Sarabandesa novel about the Indochina War.
The weight of the Goncourts
Less noisy, therefore, than the prize season, winter is also conducive to reunions, and 2025 is no exception to the rule: no less than seven holders of the Goncourt are present this month of January, from the dean Patrick Grainville (1976 , The Flamboyants) at Goncourt 2013, Pierre Lemaître, eagerly awaited by his readers captivated by the Pelletier family soap opera: A bright future (Calmann-Lévy) is the third volume out of four planned.
But you don't necessarily need to have won the Grail to be expected. Whether it's Vanessa Springora in search of her ancestors with Surname (Grasset), Jean Echenoz back with Bristol (Midnight), or Camille Laurens with Your promise (Gallimard), these are writers followed by loyal readers.
“The start of the January school year is pleasant to settle in, we are no longer fixed on price selections. It’s more of a pleasure read”underlines Caroline Tison, at La Procure de Paris. Readers themselves are more curious, ready to discover new authors. With an argument very appreciated by booksellers and commercial services: January books are on display practically until summer.
“Having this second meeting in the year is a source of dynamism in publishing houses”confides Caroline Babulle, director of the press service of Robert Laffont editions. “It’s a more elegant return to school, which takes time”specifies Maud Simonnot.
In the spirit of the times
This second return to school is also an echo chamber for society. This year she presents the novels The Closed Bed by Sophie Brocas (Mialet-Barrault) on the sardine strike of Douarnenez, and The Working Hill by Philippe Manevy (Le Bruit du monde), which takes place in Lyon. It also remains very marked by the quest for the father and origins.
We can read Frédéric Beigbeder in a more sober register than usual with A man alone (Grasset). It is also the subject of The Avenue of Glass (Seuil), the first novel by Clara Breteau, of Our insomnia by Clothilde Salelles (Gallimard) or even Florence Seyvos, who paints the portrait of the father-in-law in A magnificent loser (The Olivier).
Marie Nimier, for her part, speaks of her mother in The Dark Side of the Queen (Mercure de France), with the shadow cast by the father, the writer Roger Nimier, while Blandine Rinkel explores The Rift (Stock), that of family life that is not always happy.
“It’s a particularly rich start to the school year this year”further analyzes Caroline Babulle, who is delighted with the reception given to Philippe Vilain and his book Bad student (Robert Laffont), who discusses his affair with Nobel literature winner Annie Ernaux. Other subjects are also essential in the edition, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which Nathalie Azoulai addresses with All the lives of Théo (POL) and Pierre Assouline in The Announcement (Gallimard).
-While 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, we can read The Mein Kampf Trialby Harold Cobert (The Stairs), romance story of the history of the publication of My fight In France ; Life in front of me (Flammarion) by Guy Birenbaum, on the story of his mother who escaped the Vél'd'Hiv roundup; The Haunted House (Midnight), by Michèle Audin, about life in occupied Strasbourg during the Second World War.
Topics that are out of the ordinary
Finally, there are “UFOs”, novels that already stand out from the crowd and popular subjects, like Live low by Jeanne Benameur (Actes Sud) evoking Mary, mother of Jesus, who resumes her life as a woman after the crucifixion; Jean de Saint-Cheron who, in Malestroit (Grasset), investigation into a nun with supernatural powers; or Cécile Cayrel, who tells the story of Samuel adopting a fish to break his solitude in Confession of tenderness, published by the new publishing house La Tribu.
Added to this are the best-sellers of all categories, who ignore the calendar and carry away everything in their path, whether it is the Swiss writer Joël Dicker, who signed The Very Catastrophic Zoo Visit (released March 4); by Aurélie Valognes with The Fugue (JC Lattès on March 12); and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt with volume 5 of The Crossing of Times, The Two Kingdoms(Albin Michel, March 26). Something to read until summer…
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Seven Goncourt holders are back
Patrick Grainville (The Flamboyants, 1976) returns with a historical bookThe Nave of Géricault (Julliard).
Andrey Makine (The French Testament, 1995), published Prisoner of the Scarlet Dream (Grasset), a look back at the Stalin era…
Pascale Roze (Hunter Zero1996) signe The Novel of Maecenas (Stock), the friend of poets in Rome.
Jean Echenoz (I'm leaving1999) publishes Bristol (Midnight), enigmatic character.
Pascal Quignard (Wandering Shadows, 2002) signe Hidden treasure (Albin Michel), return from childhood.
Pierre Lemaître (Goodbye up there, 2013) publishes A bright futurethird volume of the saga The Glorious Years.
Leila Slimani (sweet song, 2016) publishes I will take away the fire, third part of his family fresco.
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