Renowned French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud received the prestigious Prix Goncourt for his novel “Houris” on November 4, 2024 in Paris. However, following this literary consecration, a controversy erupted around the author’s work. A woman, Saâda Arbane, claims that the story told in the book is based on her own life, a public story in Algeria.
The story of Saâda Arbane, who survived an attempted throat-slitting by jihadists in 1999, is said to have inspired the main character of “Houris”. She claims that Kamel Daoud learned about her personal life through his psychiatrist wife, who allegedly had her as a patient. Despite these statements, the writer claims that his novel makes no direct reference to this woman and that there is no connection between the two.
The complainant subsequently made emotional comments during a television interview, expressing her discomfort with the situation. She claims to have been followed in consultation by the writer’s wife, and did not want her personal story to be revealed in a literary work.
Kamel Daoud, for his part, rejects the accusations of plagiarism and asserts that his novel is a work of fiction, with no direct link to anyone’s private life. He also denounces the possible political manipulation behind this affair, highlighting the pressure he has been under since the publication of his book in August.
The writer is also facing another complaint from associations of victims of terrorism in Algeria, but he remains firm in his position, stating that his novel in no way aims to exploit human tragedies.
Ultimately, this controversy highlights the complex issues related to literary creation and the representation of real events in fiction. It questions the boundary between inspiration and exploitation, between artistic freedom and respect for privacy. Despite these accusations, Kamel Daoud maintains his position as a committed writer and continues to defend his work, while ensuring that literary truth takes precedence over all other considerations.