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A novel by Rabih Alameddine about a reclusive woman named Aaliya Saleh, who is 72 years old and lives in Beirut. She spends her time reading literature and reflecting on the past. One day she finds out that she may be forced to leave her home because of an inheritance dispute with relatives. The book won the Prix Femina étranger award and was nominated for several other awards such as the National Book Award for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and PEN Open Book Award.

The novel opens with Aaliya recounting an incident where she dyed her hair blue. She has just completed a translation of a book called “Austerlitz” and is celebrating the occasion with some red wine. Distracted by her accomplishment, she uses too much shampoo to cover up white hair. However, she doesn’t mind because it was only temporary anyway, as the dye will fade eventually.

Aaliya’s mother is back in her life, but Aaliya doesn’t know it. She hasn’t seen or heard from her for the past year and a half. Her stepbrother has dropped his mother off at Aaliya’s apartment without telling her about it. The last time she saw him was when he left to go to college two years ago, so he probably didn’t think of telling her about this visit before dropping their mother off at Aaliya’s place that day.

Aaliya never wanted anything to do with anyone else in the family after she lost both of her parents within six months of each other when she was 21 years old. She had been very close to them and felt abandoned by everyone except one sister who lived nearby. But even that relationship got strained as more members of the family moved into town and started trying to make contact with Aaliya again, especially after they found out how much money she made working as a designer for an advertising agency in New York City. They all thought they were entitled to some part of what little inheritance there was from both sets of parents since they weren’t around anymore—and now here comes another one! It seems like everyone wants something from someone else these days! And now, suddenly, here comes mommy dearest barging into the house screaming…

Aaliya’s mother heard the screaming and forced Aaliya’s stepbrother out of the apartment. Her neighbors emerged from their apartments to try to calm her down. They were unsuccessful, so she went outside for some fresh air. She reflected on various events that happened in her life, such as working at a bookstore, buying a gun, and cultivating an appreciation for music by purchasing albums at a record shop.

When Aaliya gets home, she sees that Fadia has left her a meal. The next day, she goes to thank Fadia for the meal and runs into three witches who live in her building. They invite her to join them for coffee but she declines because she’s going to the National Museum. She hopes that seeing all the art will make her feel better after all of yesterday’s drama.

The woman is at the museum, but she doesn’t feel like it’s a good place for her to be. There are too many tourists and children there who bother her. She wants to leave, but first she needs a quiet spot where she can cry alone in peace before going home.

After leaving the museum, Aaliya goes to her mother’s apartment without thinking. There she meets Nancy, a girl she has never met before. Her mother complains about aching feet and so they give her a pedicure together.

Aaliya’s memories of her friend Hannah are brought back to the forefront of her mind as she makes her way home. Aaliya misses Hannah and their love for literature, which they used to share with each other.