A house consumed by time and reluctantly decaying. Ghosts and archaic memories appear and vanish, while a bewildered city, aimlessly descending, is ravaged by boredom, neglect, and fear of life. The neighborhood, a sloping valley, appears to have lost its purpose. In the crowded streets of Algiers, where life teems, Islamists and rulers are constantly poised for unexpected events and responsibilities, even at the cost of their lives. Men are the focal point, whereas women are deprived of emotion or space. The youth, audaciously absent, dream while turning their backs to walls about the promised land. This world is extreme yet commonplace, where Lamia endures monotonous days filled with solitude and quiet madness. Suddenly, a reckless young girl from another world named Sharifa arrives, residing with her and disrupting her surroundings. She compels her to ponder, revolt, love, and believe in a life she had abandoned and grown to despise. Boualem Sansal, born in 1949, resides in Boumerdes near Algiers. His debut novel, 'Oath of the Barbarians,' was universally acclaimed, and 'The Burnings' is his fourth novel.

Publishing house: Dar Al-Farabi Publishing and Distribution
Number of Pages: 392
Year of publication: 2007