bitter blackness

Muhammad Suleiman al-Faki al-Shadhili

In a profound narrative and a plot that grips the heart and mind, Muhammad Sulaiman al-Faki al-Shadhili plunges into worlds of violence, alienation, and the search for meaning amidst the rubble of destruction. The novel's events take place between the Hasakah countryside, Mosul, and London, where the fates of characters torn apart by war intertwine, their souls meeting in the corridors of pain and resistance.
Sami Hamdan is a complex, contradictory character, filled with ashes and sparks. He is a mujahid and a leader in an extremist organization. His life intertwines memories of his childhood, his passion for theater, and his torn past, with a bloody reality driven by blind ideology.
Kajin, the young Yazidi woman, an icon of weakness and strength, becomes a symbol of rebellion and resilience within the hell of captivity, redefining heroism in a different language.
The novel, Bitter Black, is taught in American universities as part of the Middle East Politics curriculum, and has been translated into English, a testament to its depth and uniqueness in addressing the region with a deeply realistic and influential literary voice.