Le Monde de Noé sold in 20 countries

City Éditions’ “Le Monde de Noé” has been sold in 20 countries within four weeks, according to an August 4 report by Publishing Perspectives, making the French novel one of the fastest-moving rights stories of the summer. The book, written under the pen name Pierre Antoine, has not yet been published in France. (publishingperspectives.com) City Éditions said its domestic release is scheduled for November 4, 2026. Publishing Perspectives reported that agents handling the title see a path to about 30 deals. The speed of the sales matters because foreign-rights momentum usually builds after publication or after a full manuscript circulates widely. In this case, Publishing Perspectives framed the dealmaking as unusual enough to compare it with “La Tresse,” a French rights success that closed 27 deals. (publishingperspectives.com) Livres Hebdo separately reported that the rights to “Le Monde de Noé” had already been sold in around 20 countries in four weeks, before publication. ### How unusual is a 20-country sale before publication? Publishing Perspectives said “Le Monde de Noé” reached 20 territories in just four weeks and called it France’s publishing sensation of the summer. The outlet said the agents involved considered roughly 30 deals realistic, which would put the novel close to the level of some of the most cited French export successes in recent years. (publishingperspectives.com) Livres Hebdo described the same timeline in similar terms, reporting on July 22 that the book’s rights had been sold in about 20 countries in four weeks, ahead of its French release. That makes the rights story notable not only for scale but for timing. ### What is the book about? (publishingperspectives.com) Publishing Perspectives said the novel follows Lisa, a 56-year-old Paris taxi driver and former history teacher, and her 17-year-old nephew Noé, who has been diagnosed with incurable lymphoma. The story unfolds over a single night, from 8 p.m. to dawn, across 35 stops tied to world history, from the Venus of Lespugue to Martin Luther King Park. That description helps explain why the project has been pitched as both commercial and emotionally direct. (publishingperspectives.com) Publishing Perspectives said the author is using the pen name Pierre Antoine and described the byline as that of a journalist and author previously published in another register. (livreshebdo.fr) ### Who is behind the rights push? Publishing Perspectives said the book is the first major success from a closer partnership between City Éditions and agency BAM. The report named Marie Lannurien and Sophie Langlais as the agents, and said scouts had described the market reaction as unlike anything seen in a decade or more. (publishingperspectives.com) Frédéric Thibaud, City Éditions’ founder, was cited by Publishing Perspectives as positioning the book as one of the publisher’s biggest launches of the year outside its Frieda McFadden titles. The report said the house planned transit and station advertising, a Paris press event and a dedicated social and influencer campaign. (publishingperspectives.com) ### Why is City Éditions getting so much attention? Publishing Perspectives tied the book’s breakout rights run to City Éditions’ recent growth. The outlet said the Normandy-based independent publisher posted 2025 revenue of 36.214 million euros, up 203.9% year on year, with net income of 14.615 million euros and a staff of 14 employees. (publishingperspectives.com) The same report said City’s recent expansion was driven largely by Frieda McFadden in France, while Thibaud kept the publisher’s broader list selective. Publishing Perspectives presented “Le Monde de Noé” as a test of whether City can turn that commercial momentum into an international French-original breakout. (publishingperspectives.com) ### What happens next? November 4, 2026 is the next concrete date in the story, because that is when City Éditions plans to publish “Le Monde de Noé” in France. Publishing Perspectives said the launch will include transit advertising, station placements, a Paris event and a social-media campaign, while agents continue pursuing additional foreign-rights deals. (publishingperspectives.com)