Denied freedom and voice, al-Muqri's ill-fated heroine remains nameless. As a female she is simply a 'Hurma' - literally 'sanctity', an entity to be protected. Growing up in the oppressive atmosphere in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, her story intersects with those of her siblings, Lula and Abd al-Raqeeb. After undergoing a catalogue of farcical disappointments, Hurma journeys across the Middle East to Sudan to join the Jihadist cause. On her return home, cruel twists of fate await her as her search for spiritual and sexual fulfilment leads to disastrous consequences.