It Was It or Die (C'était ça ou mourir) is the debut novel by Canadian-Haitian poet and critic Thélison Aurélien, published by Grassier on August 19, 2026. The work won the 2026 Medusa Literary Prize and provides an epic account of the experiences of asylum and migration, far from stereotypes.“Either This or Death” is the first novel by the Haitian-Canadian poet and critic Thélison Aurélien, published by Grassier in August 2026. The novel won the prestigious Meduza Literary Award immediately upon its release. The work presents an intense human narrative that avoids ready-made stereotypical judgments, reviewing through its dramatic lines the details of forced migration and bitter refugee experiences, and shedding light on human motives and their struggle to survive in the face of harsh conditions and the search for...New life.
It was that or death a novel
كان ذلك أو الموت | رواية
Not Translated

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Bibliographic Data
| Author | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | GrassetWebsite |
| Country | فرنسا |
| Primary Category | Languages and Literature |
| Published | 2026 |
| Language | German (DE) |
| Pages | 272 pages |
| Edition | The first |
| Dimensions | 14×20 |
| ISBN | 9782246847069 |
| Translation | Not Translated |
About Thélyson Orélien
Thelson Aurelien, born in 1988, is a Quebec writer of Haitian descent. A poet, novelist, and critic, he created literary works rich in themes of memory, exile, and belonging. Since the publication of his first novel *C’était ça ou mourir* (It Was This or Death) in Quebec by Éditions du Boréal, which is currently being translated into many languages around the world, the novel has received wide international acclaim. This novel heralds a prominent literary voice in contemporary literature.












