SHORTLISTED FOR THE GILLER PRIZE


"An absorbing, affecting novel of grief and love, it's so assured and deftly executed that it's hard to believe it's a debut." Daily Mail

An internationally-bestselling, and multi-award-winning, tale of impossible love and family secrets in late-twentieth century Egypt.

Cairo, 1980s. Tarek’s whole life is laid out for him. A doctor like his father, he has taken over the family medical practice, married his childhood sweetheart and is well respected in society. When he opens a clinic in a disadvantaged area of the city, he meets Ali, a young man who is free from the societal pressures that govern Tarek’s life. This chance encounter will change everything, throwing Tarek’s marriage, career and his entire existence into question. 

From bustling Cairo to the harsh winters of Montréal, from the reign of Nasser to the dawn of a new century, Tarek wanders and reminisces. 

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, someone is compiling the chapters of his story . . .

Translated by: Pablo Strauss