November 1979. Violence has broken out in the holiest site of Islam after a charismatic rebel and his followers have attempted to announce the coming of the Redeemer. Amid the horror and chaos of the siege, Sarab, an insurgent, kidnaps a French officer. Caught between hostility and mutual attraction, the two forge an unusual relationship, each confronting the traumatic history that has brought them to this point?and how they might help each other overcome the memories that haunt them.
In this sweeping narrative ranging from the Najd desert to the green heart of Paris, award-winning writer Raja Alem examines the nature of identity, love, faith, and ultimately what it means to be human.

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