"Originally published in Lebanon as Jumhuriat Ka'an by Dar al Abad, Beirut in 2018"--Title page verso

"From one of the foremost writers in the Arab world comes a new novel banned in his home country, Egypt--a devastating work of fiction about the Egyptian revolution, taking us inside the battle raging between those in power and those prepared to lay down their lives in the defense of freedom"--

Cairo, 2011. Under the regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt is gripped by cronyism, religious hypocrisy, and the oppressive military. General Alwany is a pious man who loves his family. He also tortures and kills enemies of the state. Now, however, the regime faces its greatest crisis. The idealistic young from different backgrounds-- engineers, teachers, medical students, and among them the general's daughter-- have come together to challenge the status quo. As Mubarak is toppled love blossoms across class divides, but the general and his friends mount a devastating counter-attack. -- adapted from Goodreads info