The events of the novel "Yahya" by author Samiha Khrais unfold in various regions of the Arab world during a period dating back more than four centuries, under Ottoman rule. The narrative centers on the character of Yahya al-Karaki, a figure the author discovered in ancient books during her diligent research for a historical novel.

In the main character, a simple and ordinary man, Khrais saw an eminent figure among those who paid with their lives for freedom in their daily struggle for change, reform, and the cultivation of noble human values. The novel delves into a range of issues intertwined with the individual's relationship with their surroundings and the impacts of political, social, and intellectual transformations, all narrated with a solid, beautiful, and dramatic storytelling style rich in the details of that time and place.

Khrais begins the novel with an eloquent and knowledgeable depiction of Yahya al-Karaki's birth, crafted with astonishing historical care and attention to detail, reminiscent of famous epic narratives in world literature. The author drew Yahya's story from a historical reality that was only briefly mentioned in the literature of that era, adding her own creative, imaginative narrative description. She uses this to closely observe and track the region's conditions at the time, including the crises and suffering related to thought and identity.

Khrais, the author of acclaimed novels such as "The Leopard Tree," "Flood Notebooks," "Paper Empire," "The Poppy," and "The Crimean," tackles the events of her new novel with an unconventional style, armed with a comprehensive grasp of captivating, realistic narration. She portrays epic situations that have long been challenging for Arab narratives to explore or whose characters have been difficult to capture.

What is most striking about the novel is its unique research survey of a history that has been absent from the creative heritage. It examines historical stages intertwined with grave events and behaviors such as the spread of the plague, natural disasters, invasions, and cultural clashes, in addition to the practices of hegemonic powers towards ordinary people.

• Author: Samiha Khrais
• Publisher: Arab Scientific Publishers – Beirut
• Year of Publication: 2010
• Pages: 452
• Parts: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• ISBN: 9789948446163