The mirage

A unique psychological novel among the works of Naguib Mahfouz, where he dives deep into the human psyche and unearths its hidden secrets. The story centers on the character of Kamel Ru'ba Laz and the psychological and social environment of his upbringing, which fueled his psychological and behavioral crisis. It begins with his childhood and his relationship with his mother, who was divorced from his profligate father and lost her other two sons to his guardianship. This trauma led her to form a pathologically intense bond with Kamel, leaving him a prisoner of this relationship—stamped with severe shyness, social anxiety, and a total lack of confidence that renders him unable to face society or the demands of life. First published in 1948, the novel was later adapted into a film in 1970.