Set in 1930s Tunisia, Zbaida, a young woman from the progressive Rassaa family, is accused of a forbidden affair with Tahar Haddada labor activist and outspoken advocate for women’s rightsher marriage into the conservative, patriarchal Ennaifer family is thrown into turmoil. The accusation rocks not just two of Tuniss most prominent families but also a nation caught between modern ideals and rigid tradition.

Told through the eyes of eleven narrators over several generations, the novel weaves a rich tapestry of conflicting memories, buried truths, and unresolved emotions. As each character revisits the events of that fateful December night in 1935,a calamity of noble houses reveals how personal lives are shapedand sometimes shatteredby history, class divisions, and the struggle for progress. Ghenims powerful narrative invites readers into a world of intrigue, heartbreak, and resilience in a society on the cusp of transformation.

A finalist for the international prize for Arabic Fiction