BOOKS
Years of Freckles
LONGLISTED FOR THE KATARA PRIZE FOR ARABIC NOVEL 2025 & BY SAWIRIS AWARD WINNER WAHEED TAWILAH.
In a traditional Egyptian village, “freckles” are far more than skin marks-they are the physical stains of moral decay and inherited historical trauma. Set within the oppressive walls of a patriarchal household, this novel fearlessly exposes toxic power dynamics, contrasting rigid male authority with the resilient endurance of women. We follow Ferial, trapped in a volatile marriage with a self-proclaimed “noble thief,” and a formidable grandmother who suppresses her grandson’s death to prevent a village wedding from being ruined. Infused with dark humor and innovative prose, Years of Freckles is a haunting, masterfully crafted study of time, memory, and human survival under the weight of tradition.
Waheed Tawilah
A distinguished Egyptian novelist and cultural expert who has served in the Arab League and the Katara Cultural Village. Known for his profound exploration of marginalized characters, cafe culture, and the nocturnal underworld of Arab cities, Taweela’s prose is characterized by its cinematic fluidity and deeply poetic vernacular. He won the prestigious Sawiris Cultural Award (Senior Writers category) in 2015 for his masterpiece Bab Al-Lail (The Door of the Night). His rich bibliography, which includes Ahmar Khafeef (Light Red), Hitha’ Fellini (Fellini’s Shoe), and Ganaza Gadida Li Emad Hamdy (A New Funeral for Emad Hamdy), consistently dissects the tragicomic realities of modern Arab life, cementing his status as a masterful storyteller of the human fringe.
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Years of Freckles
