Vietnamese literature is recognized in France.

On the evening of June 27th, at the Hôtel d'Heidelbach, part of the Guimet Museum of Asian Art, the awards ceremony for the best novel of the year, organized by Éditions Points Publishing House and Version Femina magazine, took place in a warm and dignified atmosphere.

Nguyen Phan Que Mai, along with representatives from publishing houses, receives the award for outstanding foreign literature - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

The debut novel The Mountains Sing by Vietnamese author Nguyen Phan Que Mai beat eight other shortlisted novels to win the Best Novel of the Year award - Meilleur Roman Points 2025.

Hanna Chabchoub, editorial director of Éditions Points publishing house, said this is an important award for bookstores across France, voted on by readers.

Fifty members of the judging panel—loyal readers of the publisher—discussed the nine shortlisted books over several months before voting for the best work from over 300 paperback books published by Points Publishing that year (including both French and foreign literature).

At the awards ceremony, Nguyen Phan Que Mai emotionally expressed her gratitude to translator Sarah Tardy, the judges, and the readers.

She said: "France and Vietnam have a long-standing relationship throughout history. My novel addresses that history as well as the consequences of French colonial rule in Vietnam."

The book begins with the 1945 famine, in which nearly 2 million Vietnamese died. The fact that French readers voted for this book is a testament to their courage in acknowledging the devastating consequences of colonialism and the harsh realities of history.

This means a great deal to me because you are supporting a book that speaks from a Vietnamese perspective, a book that protests against Hollywood films about Vietnam, a country where Vietnamese people often don't have the opportunity to have their voices heard.

Your vote helps show the world that Vietnam is not a war zone. We are a nation with over four thousand years of history and culture."

On the afternoon of June 28th, Nguyen Phan Que Mai was once again recognized at the Créteil en poche book fair in Paris. Her second novel, *Dust Child *, was awarded the 2025 Prize for Outstanding Foreign Literature - Créteil en poche 2025 Prix de littérature étrangère.

This is an international book fair focusing on small-format (pocket-sized) books, organized by La Griffe Noire bookstore since 2009. Over 20,000 readers attended the two-day fair (June 28th and 29th) to interact with and receive autographs from 300 French and international authors.

Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai beat three other shortlisted books by foreign authors such as Anna Stuart (UK), Chris Whitaker (UK), and JR Dos Santos (Portugal) to win this annual award.

The award was selected by eight judges, including cultural figures, critics, book experts, and journalists.

Both novels were written by Nguyen Phan Que Mai in English and were translated into French by Éditions Points Publishing House.

Translated by Sarah Tardy under the French titles Pour que chantent les montagnes and Là où fleurissent les cendres . Éditions Points Publishing House has acquired the rights and is now publishing these two editions in a smaller, more affordable format to reach a wider audience.

QUANG PHU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/van-hoc-viet-duoc-goi-ten-o-phap-20250703223330487.htm