‘Act of family vengeance’: French defamation case highlights perils of writing autofiction

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Philip Oltermann European culture editorJanuary 12, 2026 at 07:00 AM
‘Act of family vengeance’: French defamation case highlights perils of writing autofiction

AI Summary

long article 4 min

French historian Cécile Desprairies is facing a defamation lawsuit from her brother and cousin over her 2024 novel, *La Propagandiste*. The plaintiffs allege the book, which they describe as an "act of family vengeance," falsely depicts their late relatives as Nazi collaborators. They are seeking to have the book withdrawn and pulped. Desprairies' novel, inspired by her own childhood, falls into the autofiction genre, a blend of autobiography and fiction that has gained popularity in recent years. The case highlights the legal risks authors face when writing about personal experiences that involve real people, particularly when those portrayals are perceived as negative or inaccurate. The lawsuit raises questions about the boundaries between personal expression and the potential for harm to others.

Keywords

autofiction 100% defamation 90% family vengeance 80% legal case 70% cécile desprairies 60% my struggle 50% literary criticism 50% roman à clef 40% life writing 40%

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Negative
Score: -0.20

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Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
France

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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