A landmark in women''s writing set during the struggle for Egyptian independence, called "a must-read set in Cairo" by Electric LiteratureFebruary 1946: Cairo is engulfed by demonstrations against the British. Layla''s older brother Mahmud returns, wounded in the clashes, and the events of that fateful day mark a turning point in her life, an awakening to the world around her.Latifa al-Zayyat''s acclaimed modern classic follows Layla through her sexual and political coming of age. Her rebellious spirit seeks to free itself from the stifling social codes that dictate a young woman''s life, just as Egypt struggles to shake off the yoke of imperialist rule.