Hebta is a novel or a philosophical journey in search for love during different stages of life and its impact over our decision making process. Going through the book, you feel as if your inner emotions have all been spilled out right before you. It has been the top selling book in Egypt and the Arab world in 2014. So if you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you should.
Mohamed Sadek takes us to a world where people are continuously struggling; the world where people are committing the same mistakes over and over again despite the similar stories, incidents, consequences and pain.
1-He takes you through a very unique experience and exposes ‘love’ from a very different perspective.
During a six hour lecture, the speaker Osama takes us through very unique stories of love, pain and hope from around the world. The rules of “Hebta” are summarized in seven stages of very original stories where you get to live through them and understand them.
2-The style is very simple, easy, straightforward and buoyant enough for our generation to grasp. It’s still very much a catchy page turner; I was told by many readers that they couldn’t put it down.
3–The purpose of the novel is to glamorize love and let people not rush into anything throughout its detailed stages. He illustrated every single stage and what really goes on inside both minds in love. Even if the stories were imaginary, he was still able to convey his perception of “love” that way.
4-The seven stages of love and how each one is so sadly true. But he aced it!
1-The beginning: It was said one day that there are no true beginnings only continuous endings…
2-The meeting: They said that love at first sight does exist…They were lying though!
3- The relationship: It was said before that life could never be complete without love, but they didn’t know anything about completion.
4- The Cognition: It was said before that pain always accompanies love but they didn’t know that humans were the offenders.
5-The truth: There is no absolute truth … just lies they admired to accept.
6-The decision: Every second, you are faced with a simple life changing choice that you choose to postpone out of fear so you can remain within the boundaries of your comfort zone.
7- The “Hebta” : I’ll leave you to figure out on your own what this phase means after you finish reading the book.
5- When I had the chance to talk to the very friendly author:
-Me: How did the idea of ‘Hebta’ come about?
Mohamed: Sada2eeny ma3rafsh, but I think at that time everyone was talking about love and falling for the same mistakes and excuses all over again so I thought of translating this topic in a simpler way.
-Me: Any of the stories in the novel actually happened to you?
Mohamed: Yes, of course.
-Me: Is the main character close to your real personality then?
-Mohamed: No author will ever spill his guts out in a novel. The main character doesn’t have to be exactly like someone specific but you’ll find so many things in common between the author and the novel mentally in the work as a whole.
-Me: Why do you think people should read “Hebta”?
-Mohamed: There is no specific reason why people should read “Hebta” except to enjoy it. The novel’s intention is by no means relationship coaching or counseling.
-Me: What is the most important stage in the book from your perspective?
-Mohamed: The fifth stage because it’s when you recognize all the defects which take over relationships.
6-“Teftekry ba3d el hob wel Bahdala di hankon sawa?!”
The finale: “Actually there’s no end but for every end an extension that starts everything. ”Hebta.
