The Lebanese Civil War, from 1975 to 1990, involved multiple groups fighting against one another and multiple foreign powers, such as Israel and Syria, invading Lebanon.[6] An estimated 120,000 people died as a result of the Civil War.[7] Following the Civil War, all militias were ordered to disband, but a few refused to do so and fought with the Lebanese Army over the next few years.[6] Israel withdrew its forces from Lebanon in 2000.[6] While the book takes place in 2005, the history of Lebanon's Civil War still has a big impact on the way Lebanese society functions and on the way the main character, Saman Yarid, sees his city.[3]