The novel "A Wish Before Dying" is the first work by Syrian author Rouba Al Darie, published in 2012 by the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing. It revolves around 'Yasmin', an ambitious and educated girl, who accidentally meets 'Adam Portman', a famous Indian artist who still retains some allure, despite his illness, fatigue, and even bankruptcy. The story starts with a prophecy brought by an Indian priest from distant lands, weaving into the curves of reality, giving the novel a mythical and fantastical character.

The novel features a smooth and transparent narrative style, successfully capturing the internal language, especially of women, and conveys it to us in this narrative. The romantic angle, often missing in modern Arabic writing, is apparent in the novel, as the story begins with a romantic path paved with rosy dreams, which then fall into the harsh reality, only to rise again continuing with the same zeal.