When Breathing Became a Crime

About this book

A sultan claims authority over nature itself. Rain, moonlight and the shade of trees become forbidden pleasures, exposing his subjects to imprisonment for everyday desires. When Breathing Became a Crime follows resistance emerging from that climate of fear. As different lives intersect, the struggle to recover dignity moves closer to the palace. Through dystopia and symbolism, Marwa Abdel Gawad examines the reach of absolute power and the choices facing people whose simplest needs have been turned into offences.