The Prophet's Trace

Author: Mohamed Abouzeid

"We are presented with a beautiful literary text, brimming with emotions, written by a poet whose captivating language is rich and dense, beginning with knowledge as pain at the book's opening... Mohamed Abouzeid can rest assured after this poetic novel that he has left a mark, even as he 'moves from one street to another like a follower searching for his prophet'; for he is his own prophet." - Farida Al-Naqqash. This novel begins at its climax, when the protagonist returns home to find his flatmate a lifeless body. Feelings of shock and fear overwhelm him, and he doesn't know what to do. The author takes us on a journey with his protagonist, from his childhood in a village to his estrangement in pursuit of education, before meeting his companions on his journey in university housing. They came to Cairo seeking to fulfill their dreams, and he, along with them, ended up living on its margins. In a language that combines poetry and Sufism, Mohamed Abouzeid brilliantly expressed the astonishing details of the world of early millennials, their great dreams and hopes, and their immense losses, in a sensitive and critical era that witnessed the growth of extremist religious groups and a world changed after the second Gulf War. "The Prophet's Trace" is a journey into the depths of the human psyche, amidst feelings of loneliness and pain, friendship and belonging, and the rise and fall of love. Through it, the protagonist attempts to trace the signs of those who came before him and leave a mark for those who come after him.