Love, lust, adulthood and an ancient Fiat in one long hot Maltese summer
School’s out for summer, and for our unnamed narrator, that means three months away from his physics high school students to tinker with his ancient Fiat 131 and fret about his all-consuming obsession: Sarah, a tempestuous artist he met online. They sleep together, they text obsessively, but as July’s barbecues and boat trips segue into August’s festi, their intimate moments always reset into platonic disappointment, and she increasingly ghosts him in favour of an ever-changing group of new besties.
Translated by Joe Gatt, You Know The Sun Bothers Me brings Ryan Falzon’s hugely successful Maltese novel Sajf to English-language readers. The original novel was shortlisted for Malta’s 2023 National Book Prize and earned Falzon the 2024 National Book Prize for Best Emerging Author. The translation received a PEN Translates award.
Pre-order information: This title is available for pre-order. Orders will be fulfilled as soon as we receive copies from the publisher, currently estimated by the end of July 2026.