Riyadh's Network Disconnected

Riyadh's Network Disconnected is a contemporary social novel set in Riyadh that explores the psychological, emotional, and relational consequences of digital dependence. The story begins when a sudden and unprecedented network outage hits the capital, cutting off internet and mobile services due to a solar storm. What initially appears to be a technological inconvenience gradually exposes deeper fractures within families, relationships, and identities.

The novel centers on a middle-class Saudi family living in Al-Yasmeen neighborhood: Mr. Ali, his wife Badriya, and their three children-Lamis, Abdul Karim, and Roaa. On the very day of Lamis's anticipated engagement ceremony, the network collapse disrupts communication, logistics, and social coordination, forcing the family into an unfamiliar state of digital silence.

As devices lose their dominance, hidden emotional tensions surface. Lamis struggles with a secret romantic relationship conducted online and questions the authenticity of her feelings. Roaa, immersed in K-pop culture and online fandom, confronts the emptiness beneath her digital obsessions. Abdul Karim, disciplined yet socially withdrawn, reveals the loneliness masked by routine. Badriya begins to realize how technology has distanced her from her children, and Mr. Ali grapples with societal expectations and control.

Through intimate conversations, interrupted plans, and forced face-to-face interactions, the novel critiques social media culture, digital addiction, performative relationships, generational gaps, and the illusion of connection. It raises philosophical questions: Are we connected or merely adjacent? Has technology strengthened relationships or hollowed them out? What happens when the "network" that defines modern identity suddenly disappears?

The narrative blends realism, family drama, psychological exploration, and social commentary. It portrays a Saudi society navigating modernization while negotiating tradition, identity, and emotional authenticity.