January 2023 - December 2023
A sweeping historical saga about a city that defies the eroding power of time In one of the first Arabic novels about the COVID-19 pandemic, relationships begin and end much like the pandemic itself. From his balcony in Beirut, Ezzat notices a solitary light on a lone balcony in the building opposite. From that moment, a connection begins to form across the empty space between the buildings, communicated through the air and signals. The events unfold after the owner of the shadow steps out onto her balcony, confronting the voyeur. They share time, confusion... and desire. Ezzat and Tamer successively both fall in love with the same woman, and a cautious friendship develops between the two men. It soon evolves into more dangerous forms. The story also portrays the experiences of other building residents during the pandemic, who imposed strict isolation on themselves. The protagonists, particularly the two elderly lovers, live on the edge of catastrophic expectations, as when they imagine that a woman pressing the intercom downstairs to ask for food could be a sign of an impending widespread famine. The story does not conclude in a stalemate but rather with losers.
