November 1979. Violence has broken out in the holiest site of Islam after a charismatic rebel and his followers have attempted to announce the coming of the Redeemer. Amid the horror and chaos of the siege, Sarab, an insurgent, kidnaps a French officer. Caught between hostility and mutual attraction, the two forge an unusual relationship, each confronting the traumatic history that has brought them to this point--and how they might help each other overcome the memories that haunt them.
In this sweeping narrative ranging from the Najd desert to the green heart of Paris, award-winning writer Raja Alem examines the nature of identity, love, faith, and ultimately what it means to be human.