Inthisfinelyobservednovel,fiveyoungLebanesewomennavigatetheirprofessionalandsociallivesinacityinterruptedbyrandomexplosions.Itisnotawarzone,butthereisnopeaceeither;Beirutstandsattheedgeofboth.Thesewomen,muchliketheircountry,havebeenshapedbytheeventsofalongcivilwar,theirchildhoodspentinshelters,theiradolescenceinanunrecognizablecityunderrapidreconstruction.Andheretheyarenow,negotiatingthedetailsoftheiradultlives,fightingtoprotecttheiridentities,voices,andrelationshipsinasocietyconstantlyunderquestioning.Talkofpoliticsandgossipbytheyoungandoldanimatethecoffeeshops.Heateddebatesandpowerdynamicsunfoldinbarsandonthestreets.Mandour’sfunnyanddefiantstyleinvitesanintimacy,givingreadersaglimpseintotheabsurditiesandinjusticesofeverydaylifeinLebanon.Withempathyandadeephonesty,MandournarratesthelivesofthesewomenwhostruggletocreatetheirowndestinywhileatthesametimecomingtotermswiththeidentityoftheirMediterraneancity.
