The book

Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeMahfouz is Shalaby’s cousin and a member of the Quell Force who dies during the Disgraceful Events. He never appears alive in the main narrative, but arguments over whether he was a martyr or a participant in state violence shape Shalaby’s place in the queue. The Gate repeatedly changes the account of the unrest, making Mahfouz’s memory part of its propaganda. His exact actions remain filtered through conflicting claims.
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