nº105 / 32ND PRIX DE FLORE / LUCIE RICO / PARIS
Updated: 3 hours ago
The literary season continues to unfold with author Lucie Rico, who wins the 32nd Prix de Flore for "Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer?" / "But what is this blood doing on Jennifer's sweater?"
Review by Zoltan Alexander
PRIX DE FLORE
LUCIE RICO a night Germanopratine ends in blood, as a young female novelist takes home the 32nd Prix de Flore for "Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer?"
Founded in 1994 by Carole Chrétiennot of the mythical Café de Flore at the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and French writer Frédéric Beigbeder, the Prix de Flore, true to its flair, is awarded each year to a young author with promising, great talent. The winner receives a check for 6,150 euros and the privilege of enjoying a glass of Pouilly-Fumé, all year round, served in an engraved glass with their name.
The jury consists of Frédéric Beigbeder, Jacques Braunstein, Manuel Carcassonne, Carole Chrétiennot, Michèle Fitoussi, François Reynaert, Jean-Pierre Saccani, Bertrand de Saint-Vincent, Christophe Tison, Philippe Vandel, Jean-René van der Plaetsen, and Arnaud Viviant.
Last year, they honoured Rebeka Warrior for her novel “Toutes les vies” published by Stock. In 2026, the Prix de Flore was awarded to 38-year-old author Lucie Rico "Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer?" / "But what is this blood doing on Jennifer's sweater?" published by P.O.L.
PHOTOS / Jérémy Pradier-Jeauneau at Hôtel de la Marine / Photos © Courtesy of Jérémy Pradier-Jeauneau
Born in Perpignan, director and screenwriter Lucie Rico holds several diplomas in cinema, new media, and applied modern literature. She has directed numerous documentaries, as well as fiction films.
In 2020, she published her first novel, “Le Chant du poulet sous vide”, a story about a young woman who runs a farm and writes biographies of chickens.
Her second novel, “GPS” was published by P.O.L in 2022, employing a thriller about Sandrine, whose geolocation data continues to move after her disappearance and after her body was found.
PHOTO / "Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer" by Lucie Rico - Prix de Flore / Photos © Courtesy of Jean Picon of Say Who
Lucie Rico’s third novel has emerged as one of the most talked-about titles in literary circles. The title was borrowed from a 1972 Italian film “Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?” / "What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood on Jennifer’s Body?" by Giuliano Carnimeo. The author offers an intimate reinterpretation of a thriller, exploring personal obsessions and the difficulty of grasping reality.
The book reveals Rico’s inventive writing style and features an eccentric young heroine, the protagonist Jennifer, who is in her thirties and until now has led a fairly satisfying, but boring life, earning her living by transcribing reports on corporate layoff plans. One day, the period key gets stuck on her computer – a trivial yet hindering mishap – which stirs up a memory, and a frozen fragment of the past resurfaces. Everything is tense, sharp, and obsessive.
What happened during her childhood in Perpignan?
What happened on the day with "Gone with the Wind" in her grandfather’s apartment?
Someone hit pause, then nothing.
PHOTO / Prix de Flore - jury chaired by Frederic Beigbeder with Lucie Rico at Café de Flore / Photos © Courtesy of Jean Picon of Say Who
From this absence arises a doubt, then an obsession. It is a vital need to finish the sentence. Determined to find the truth, she delves into her memories to fill the gap left by this dangling phrase, but as her obsession grows, logic evaporates, and the truth begins to surface.
She leaves Paris to return to Perpignan, where she, almost with manic obsession, recreates her grandfather’s living room down to the smallest detail — like reconstructing a crime scene — that serves as the novel’s turning point, a moment filled with humour in burlesque style mixed with a sense of unease.
Surprisingly and unusually, with an all-female shortlist this year, the 32nd Prix de Flore stood out as an exception. Here are 10 titles from the longlist:
Iman Ahmed “Abdallah superstar“ (Actes Sud)
Eva Bottega “Le ciel ici déborde“ (Denoël)
Arthur Dreyfus “La punition“ (P.O.L)
Nicolas Idier “Hyperkarma“ (Stock)
Patrice Jean “Stay free“ (Le Cherche Midi)
Clémentine Mélois “Choses que je croyais perdues“ (Gallimard)
Marie Petitcuénot “Heures sauvages“ (Héloïse d’Ormesson)
Lucie Rico “Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer ? “ (P.O.L)
Esther Teillard “Fuck Circus” (Grasset)
Ada Walter “Shanghai, cinq heures quarante“ (Calmann-Lévy)
PHOTO / Café de Flore / Photo © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
Until dawn, we celebrated the Prix with Frédéric Rouzaud, the PDG of the Louis Roederer champagne house, and DJ Dorian Fiszel’s irresistible rhythm.
INDEX
COVER
"Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer?"
"But what is this blood doing on Jennifer's sweater?" / Lucie Rico
Photo © Courtesy of Jean Picon of SAY WHO
Cover design © ZOLTAN+MEDIA Paris
BOOK TITLE
"Mais que fait ce sang sur le pull de Jennifer?"
"But what is this blood doing on Jennifer's sweater?" / Lucie Rico
Published by P.O.L
PHOTOGRAPHERS
© Jean Picon at SAY WHO
© photo JOEL SAGET at AFP
VISUALS & WEBDESIGN
© Zoltan Alexander ZOLTAN+MEDIA Paris
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