The Tale of Mr. Screw

The novel explores the claustrophobic bureaucracy of a totalitarian state's censorship office, where an anonymous clerk spends decades inspecting documents and deciding the fate of literature, shielded by his indifference. His routine collapses when he encounters the writings of a dissident author, "Mamdouh Haddad," forcing him to confront his identity as a mere replaceable screw in a vast machine of systemic repression. Through a dense psychological duality between the censor and the author, Shehada deconstructs state surveillance, political apathy, and fake freedom. The plot illustrates how authoritarian systems strip individuals of their autonomy, transforming human conscience and relationships into mere calculated maneuvers within an unyielding power apparatus.

It offers an Orwellian, intellectually rigorous critique of censorship, bureaucracy, and totalitarian control, capturing the psychological struggle for individuality and moral agency within a oppressive state machine.

Ideal for readers of political and psychological fiction, fans of contemporary modern Arabic literature, and those interested in themes of state censorship, bureaucracy, and human resistance.