A novel rich in realistic elements, strange in its imaginative fantasies, beautiful in its flowing language, replete with metaphors and allusions, aspiring to grasp the being oscillating between human nature and mythical shadows... The reader will not escape its charm before absorbing its connotations and symbols, which are inspired by childhood scenes intertwined with the history of Morocco before and after independence. He will also pause to examine the characters of Idris, who called himself "His Highness"; and Souad, who studied English literature and faced the experience of self-realization through an ambiguous love affair with Idris, who is fascinated by the history of Russia, the heroes of its revolution, the novels of its writers, and the symphonies of its musicians.

The 2023 Booker Prize Longlist