Shard Novella

"Shārid" (The Wanderer), an Arabic novel by Ali Al-Sabah, published by Dar Al-Arabiya Lil Ouloum Publishers, 2026. In popular mythology, the raven is known as the "bird of ill omen." Its appearance in a certain place is considered a bad omen for the place and its inhabitants, who then try to get rid of it. In Ali Al-Sabah’s novella, the title bears the name of the protagonist and main character, "Shārid," as the sudden appearance of the "raven" from his childhood to his youth forms a prophecy foretelling the approach of something undesirable. So, the solution for Shārid, whose name carries a share of its meaning, was to leave his family home and wander into a new life that would change his situation! Will Shārid escape the shadow of a raven that never leaves him, or is there a hidden secret behind its repeated appearances?! Through these narrative worlds, and alongside the character of Shārid and interconnected with him, Ali Al-Sabah presents a wealth of characters whose lives represent different intellectual perspectives on life, ways of living, and problem-solving. The characters do this by getting involved in events centered around Shārid, among them the journalist "Dawoud," who prefers to remain in the shadows rather than seek fame, despite possessing writing talent. He took up the profession of writing for celebrities who hold academic titles and try to maintain their image before the public by publishing books under their signatures that they did not write themselves. Dawoud found in writing for them an opportunity for financial gain. As for "Rose Al-Qamar" (Moon Rose), she was captive to a prophetic dream that came to her one night and never left her imagination: to see her name adorn the cover of a book that readers would flock to, lining up in endless queues at her signing table. She found a refuge for her dream in the world of social media networks. And as for "Ramad" (Ashes), she found in a sham marriage a way out of domestic violence and to gain her freedom. Thus, every character in the novel seemed to be searching for their salvation in their own way. Perhaps the author, by using the "raven theme" and introducing the bird of ill omen into his text as a bird flying outside the flock, intended something that resonated with his rebellious characters, and a mirror reflecting the anxiety and frustrations of contemporary man in a world heading towards ruin day after day. From the atmosphere of the novel, we read: "He opened the door and carried his bag, casting a last glance at the house, but he was startled by a sudden attack from a black bird. It swooped down on him and dug its talons into his scalp. He swayed under the shock, lost his balance, and fell to the ground in pain. However, the expressions on his face did not reflect anger or indignation, perhaps due to habit; ever since that day it attacked him in his bedroom as a boy, this accursed raven has been tracking him as if it were an ominous shadow that never leaves him. He had grown accustomed to these absurd fits of aggression that the bird launched without warning. However, this time was different; he felt in its wing beats a doubled fury and a brutal force that knocked him to the ground. He regained his scattered strength, then gathered his bag and walked towards his car, but the strange bird was not satisfied with its first attack; it returned again and repeated the attack with even greater ferocity a second time, then followed it with a third and a fourth. He felt annoyed by the succession of attacks in this manner, so he threw his belongings into the car, then hurried to his seat and closed the door, looking around with his eyes for the accursed bird through the front windshield of the car."