A massive scandal is currently shaking the French and international literary scenes. Haitian-Canadian author Thélyson Orélien is accused of writing his debut best-selling novel with the assistance of artificial intelligence, at a time when the book has received unprecedented acclaim and stood as a primary contender for major awards like the Prix Goncourt.

The Novel's Phenomenal Success and Impact:
Published on August 19, 2026, by the renowned publishing house Grasset, the novel C'était ça ou mourir (That Was It or Die) tells the story of Jonas Dorléon, a teacher who flees violence and gang wars in Haiti to settle in Canada. Before this controversy erupted, the book had already won the Prix Méduse and Prix du Roman Fnac awards and was a leading nominee for the prestigious Prix Goncourt.

Source of the Allegations:
The crisis began when an anonymous account on the social network X claimed that the book was written entirely by artificial intelligence. The account used an analysis software called Pangram to "prove" the novel was the product of AI rather than the author. Despite investigations by the newspaper Le Monde, the identity of the account owner remains unknown, dividing the literary world into two opposing camps regarding the validity of this new technology.

Fierce Defense by Author and Publisher:
Thélyson Orélien, 38, vehemently rejected all accusations, telling the newspaper Libération that he is deeply troubled and furious over these baseless claims. Concurrently, Grasset publishing house cast suspicion on these obscure attacks, questioning whether it is a conspiracy or dirty commercial competition within the literary market designed to smear the author's reputation.

Source: Deutschland Funk Kultur