Born into a working-class Coptic family in the provincial town of Tanta, in Egypt’s lush Nile Delta, Yusuf Tadrus is fascinated from a young age by light and shadow, spending his time drawing, making toys out of discarded objects he finds in the alley, and dreaming of becoming an artist and stepping into a broader world.

As he grows into adulthood, he hones his talent, but his ambitions are checked: by the responsibilities of family, marriage, and work; by his own lack of self-confidence, his ambivalence, and at times his recklessness; and by society’s expectations and prejudices.
Adel Esmat provides an intimate glimpse into Egyptian Christian life and, with sensitivity and honesty, tells of the struggles faced by an artist who seeks to remain true to his calling.

REVIEWS

“Intimate and detailed . . . Esmat insightfully narrates an incredible story of struggle and longing.”
—Arab News

“The candid depiction of the worsening situation of Egyptian Christians and their alienation in their own country is touching and sensitively written.”
—The Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature jury