French clouds

Author's name: Doha Assi

Writer and novelist Douha Assi has been knocking on the doors of Egyptians for more than three centuries, blending drama and social history to fill us with amazement at the multitude of principles and mixed emotions that inhabited their psyches during that period. War comes and dreams are swept away with it, making adherence to principles extremely difficult, and with it, challenges, sacrifices, and exceptions abound on an unprecedented scale.

When principles go astray, visions dissipate, and escape may become the only solution. But what about those who chose to stay despite all this confusion?

In the French novel Clouds
Bonaparte returns to France, leaving the command of his French campaign in Egypt in the hands of Kléber. Greed plays a pivotal role, aided by the ignorance and insecurity of some of Egypt's pro-French loyalists. A dramatic tale oscillating between feelings of fear and the ravages of war, ignited by the love between Fadl and his wife Mahbouba. We see the impact of the French influence in the country on its people, and the ongoing conflict between the sons of the Ottoman Empire sitting on the throne of Egypt, with no real impact on the ground of this painful reality.

Poor Mahbouba loses the loyalty of her father, her husband, and every man who would have protected her in these harsh circumstances. So what does she do? What does she sacrifice, what does she cling to?

It is an inspiring and painful story at the same time, about the struggle of man and himself, and the fateful decision to survive, no matter the sacrifice, in the darkest moments of weakness and hopelessness.