"This is a wonderful existential novel." - Booklist "This powerful, thought-provoking novel offers a fascinating glimpse of the mechanics of repression worldwide." - Library Journal "Possesses both uncanny contemporary relevance and, in its surreal climax and denouement, tremendous narrative and symbolic force." - Kirkus "This spare, swift and ultimately chilling fantasy of interrogation and persecution in contemporary Egypt suggests that all of us are controlled by forces we often have no inkling of. The novel begins with a frustrating and unexplained interview conducted by a group known simply as the Committee. In keeping with Ibrahim's reputation as the 'Egyptian Kafka,' the Committee is anonymous, oppressive and symbolic of familiar social forces-though recent world events will prompt readers to associate it with more specific clandestine organizations. Ibrahim . creates a highly claustrophobic mood with elegant descriptions and the smooth incorporation of historical detail, bringing global depth to this work.

As the dark narrative proceeds, its critique of broader social madness masquerading as civilization becomes clearer and clearer, making this a provocative addition to Ibrahim's respected oeuvre." - Publishers Weekly.