A graphic novel trilogy set in an imagined modern Cairo,
where first-class wishes are sold in bottles and third-class
wishes are sold in cans, and the more expensive the wishes,
the more powerful their ability to fulfill dreams. Sadly, the
majority of the population can only afford the cheaper, thirdclass wishes. Shubeik Lubeik is the story of three first-class
wishes and how they affect the lives of three characters trying
to achieve their dreams in a wildly classist society. In the first
book of the trilogy, we meet Aziza, a hard-working woman
who falls in love with Abdo, who is later taken away from her.
We see human loss and regret, and we understand what it
means for humans to have the right to wishes.
In some scenes, Yehia reminds us of Franz Kafka’s parable
“Before the Law,” where the protagonist struggles against a
bureaucratic system that denies him access to a better life.
This is a story about perseverance, persistence, and love in a
largely dystopian society.