When he sat across from her in the café, staring into her eyes, her body trembled. Her hands and legs shook, and she felt as if fire was erupting from her head. Her hands, always cold and icy, burst into flames, and her palm became glowing and intensely red. Her back felt as if it had split in two. Something mysterious was happening in her body, something akin to pain, but not quite pain. Something like a joyful chirp, but not pure joy. With tearful eyes, she asked me if what she was feeling is what they call love.

Alawiya Sobh is a Lebanese novelist. Her works include 'Nawm al-Ayyam' (The Sleep of Days), 'Mariam al-Hekayat' (Mariam of the Tales), and 'Dunya' (published by Dar Al Adab). Her works have been translated into several languages. She was awarded the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Fiction in 2006.

• Publishing House: Dar Al Adab
• Number of Pages: 336
• Year of Publication: 2014
• ISBN: 9789953891156
• Cover Type: Paperback