Tahar Djaout was an Algerian writer whose work championed secularism and opposed fanaticism, using a 'fearsome pen' that deeply affected society. He tackled complex themes of his homeland, offering a critical perspective that ultimately led to his assassination. Djaout's literary legacy lies in his courage and intellectual integrity, his writing serving as a powerful tool for understanding and critiquing societal dynamics. His commitment to free expression and opposition to extremism continue to resonate.
Boualem Yekker, a bookstore owner lives in a country being overtaken by the Vigilant Brothers, a radically conservative party that seeks to control every element of life according to the laws of their stringent moral theology: no work of beauty created by human hands should rival the wonders of their god.