A book about Vladimir Putin’s private life and ascent to power, written by two exiled Russian journalists, wins a newly established French literary prize on Tuesday. Reportedly presented as “taboo-breaking,” the book draws on more than two decades of investigative reporting.
The Local and RFI English describe the work as focusing on Putin’s rise and personal life, emphasizing its controversial, sensitive subject matter. The South China Morning Post adds detail on how the book is presented to readers, saying it “reads like a spy novel.”
The prize is called the Prix Strasbourg, awarded by EBRA, France’s largest regional newspaper group. The outlets agree on the authors’ exile status and on the book’s core theme, but differ mainly in the descriptive language used to characterize its tone and style, including comparisons to spy fiction.
