Khaled

Khaled is the novel’s narrator. He is an introspective and emotionally reserved character whose life is shaped by political violence, exile, and a persistent reluctance to fully engage. His defining qualities are passivity, observation, and a strong tendency toward self-censorship. From the early trauma of being shot at the Libyan embassy protest in London, Khaled begins to withdraw from direct action, both politically and emotionally. This event sets the tone for much of his subsequent life. Although the violence inflicted on him is literal and bodily, his response to it is internal: rather than resist or seek justice, he retreats into silence, secrecy, and detachment.

Khaled is intellectually sharp and emotionally perceptive, but he rarely acts on those perceptions. He maintains relationships with others, particularly Mustafa and Hosam, but at a distance, filtering his interactions through caution and habit rather than spontaneity or vulnerability. Even when he...