Chicago (novel)

Chicago ( "Shīkāgū") is a novel by Egyptian author Alaa-Al-Aswany.
Published in Arabic in 2007 and in an English translation in 2007.
The locale of the Novel is University of Illinois at Chicago where the writer did his postgraduate studies. The novel is about the conflict between politics, sex and money.
Plot summary.
The novel is about a group of Egyptians who are doing their postgraduate studies in University of Illinois at Chicago, they face many obstacles during their stay in Chicago. The Students are completely controlled by their colleague who is leading the Students' Union Of Egyptians in United States, He is the Secretary General of the Youth Committee of the ruling party in Egypt and he is cooperating with the Egyptian Intelligence Agency to make sure of the loyalty of the students and to transfer information about immigrant Copts.
The Novel shows the racism in Chicago, the conflict between the Arab and Western culture after 9/11 and the corruption in the Egyptian regime.
Criticism.
The novel was criticized by many Arab readers due to intensive description of the sexual life of nearly every character.
Also it described the Hijab as reactionary due to the Wahhabi influence on Egypt.