In Alia Mamdouh's compelling novel, 'Al-Tanki,' the protagonist Afaf returns to her native Baghdad after years of exile. The narrative unfolds through her memories, intricately linked to the water tank (the 'tanki') on her family's roof—a silent witness to her childhood, family dramas, and the city's transformation. Mamdouh masterfully weaves a story of displacement, the fragile nature of memory, and the powerful, enduring connection to one's homeland, exploring themes of love, loss, and the search for identity against the backdrop of a changing Iraq.