The first publication into English of El Saadawi's most recent novel, eagerly awaited by her many fans. It concerns Bodour, a distinguished critic and professor who carries a dark secret: as a young student she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter Zeina, whom she abandoned on the streets of Cairo. Writing a novel based on her experiences, Bodour is forced on a journey of self-discovery, reliving and reshaping her past and her future. Translated from the Arabic by Amira Nowaira.