Kamel Daoud, an Algerian-French author, faces accusations of ‘stealing’ a woman’s life story in his Prix Goncourt-winning novel ‘Houris’. The book, set against the backdrop of the Algerian civil war, portrays the traumatic experiences of a young girl. A woman alleges that Daoud used her story without permission, claiming he violated medical confidentiality shared during therapy sessions. Daoud’s publisher denies any wrongdoing, stating the narrative is fictional. Meanwhile, the novel is banned in Algeria under laws prohibiting writing about the civil war.