warm stone

Author's name: Radwa Ashour

With utter Egyptian flair, Radwa Ashour narrates the details of Egyptian society through a large family of children, neighbors, and siblings, all united by "Shams": the mother whose life revolves around them. The novel narrates the struggle of each family member to build a future, whether through internal opposition—she covers the history of the student movement in the 1970s—or by escaping or living abroad to raise money. Everyone strives and struggles, but the heroine in this work is the woman, with her worries and challenges, and she is also the hope and good news of change. The author presents a model of both a negative and a positive woman who strives to change the lives of others for the better. With the multiplicity of characters and the succession of events, simple details emerge between people and their ordinary day; they add intimacy and warmth that enrich the reader's conscience.