The prestigious Académie Goncourt will announce tomorrow the winner of its renowned literary Prix Goncourt prize, selecting one novel from a final shortlist of four.

For months, literary and media circles have speculated intensely over this year’s winner, with all four shortlisted authors seen as having equal chances. The selected finalists include Emmanuel Carrère for Kolkhoz, Nathacha Appanah for “A Night in the Heart”, Laurent Mauvignier for “The Empty House”, and Caroline Lamarche for “The Beautiful Dark”.

“There is no novel that clearly stands out above the others this year,” said Philippe Claudel, French Author and President of the Goncourt Academy. “The competition is wide open,” he added.

The winner receives a symbolic prize of just €10, which laureates often frame rather than cash. However, the true value of the Goncourt lies in its impact: winning typically leads to hundreds of thousands of book sales. Last year’s prize was awarded to French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud for his novel “Houris”.

Founded in 1903, the Prix Goncourt is the most prestigious literary award in the French-speaking world, recognising outstanding works written in the French language.