Trench, The
by Munif, Abdelrahman
Set in the 1950s, the novel brilliantly evokes the royal court of a fictional monarchy, in all its fatuousness, turpitude, and savagery – an obscenely rich monarchy that presides over artificial boundaries defined by imperialists, that depends on foreign intriguers and masses of migrant workers for its luxury, and that practices severely undemocratic and repressive policies.