Why have the values in our lives become so materialistic that principles are violated and conscience dies, where baseness becomes courage, trust in people becomes foolishness, and the motto 'pillage and flee' is the standard for success? In her remarkable novel "Bleeding Dreams," Syrian novelist Haifa Bitar tells stories from real life, narrating through her characters the plight of the vulnerable and deceived who fall victim to fraud and scams by investing their money with others—a common phenomenon in our modern era.

Among them is Abu Salim, an elderly father who was happy to be trading, making huge profits, and investing his wealth well with Iskandar, a young man he trusted implicitly with his money. Iskandar, however, covets his millions and flees to Qatar. To him, life is about a 'thief and a victim; my destiny is to be a thief, and yours is to be a victim, and you can't get rich unless you take someone else's money.'

The events unfold in a compelling dramatic plot involving other characters who also fall prey to this thief, including Mrs. Suad, a poor widow whose husband died leaving her with three children. She possesses 'neither education, nor a craft, nor money,' only a big heart full of love for her children. With a strong heart, she faced the world, indifferent to all difficulties, turning into a 'fierce fighter' who must provide for her children.

Through Suad's character, Haifa Bitar raises an important issue faced by most women in the East: the concept of marriage devoid of partnership and dialogue. All she understands—as she was taught to understand—is that a woman should offer her body to her husband whenever he desires. It never occurred to her to refuse him, nor did she dare admit, even to herself, that she never desired him, despite his beauty, because he lacked the most important quality: sensitivity towards his wife, his partner in the act of love, which he reduced to mere lust.

The novel also highlights the stark class differences in our Arab societies today, the division of people between rich and poor to the extent that the middle class—the balance of society and the safety valve for social and political stability—has vanished.

This interesting and thought-provoking novel holds many events, raising crucial issues that have become characteristic of our time. The author draws attention to the flaws and mistakes in our Arab society and the need to rebuild the human personality in a new way, where the human being is respected as the highest value in existence, and money is merely a means, not the goal of this existence.

• Publishing House: The Arab Scientific Publishers/Lebanon
• Author: Haifa Bitar
• Number of Pages: 224
• Year of Publication: 2009
• ISBN: 9789953878881