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adverb17's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The application of the ideas surrounding Frankenstein were intriguing here: vengeance, guilt and innocence, humanity's collective anger and grief. The rest of the book didn't really live up to the promise of this premise: I'd say there were too many plot lines and I wasn't very invested in any of them. The clunky translation also brought the reading experience down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, and War
toffishay's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of my favorite books of all time and I am so intrigued by how stories that we know can be reimagined and adapted to analyze different fears and different times with different actors. In the case of Frankenstein in Baghdad, the tale of a Frankenstein monster is not used to expose fears of science and paternalism, but of exploring violence and the impacts of war, religion and spirituality, and identity and purpose. All that I didn't like was that I would have liked more exploration of the female characters who have interesting stories, but not as much time on the page and some characters get a lot of time, but little payoff. I think that if you are interested in horror and a reimagined classic, this is certainly worth your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Excrement and Religious bigotry
tessieferro's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
“They all dreamed something about Hasib. Parts of one dream made up for parts missing in another. A little dream filled a gap in a big one, and the threads stitched together to recreate a dream body for Hasib, to go with his soul, which was still hovering over all their heads and seeking the rest it could not find.”
Beautiful, somewhat comical in a twisted way, an unexpected twist on an overused concept. Some parts fell short, but the concept made up for all of it.
Beautiful, somewhat comical in a twisted way, an unexpected twist on an overused concept. Some parts fell short, but the concept made up for all of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, War, and Injury/Injury detail
roenfoe's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I wanted to love Frankenstein in Baghdad so, so badly. The blurb was witty, darkly tantalizing, and hinted at an upsetting, modern take on a familiar Western classic. Unfortunately, the actual novel fell very short of my expectations and said summary.
First off, the prose was staccato and largely devoid of flavor. It was difficult to imagine the titular Baghdad, as the luscious descriptions of decaying architecture and its unsettling inhabitants were largely absent. There was a mystery element, but very little intrigue generated. The supernatural elements were not frightening or dark- rather they were discussed in a dry, matter-of-fact way. I read several reviews and papers that classify Frankenstein in Baghdad as a modern Gothic novel, but in my opinion it is severely lacking the crucial Gothic elements to classify it as such. However, after consulting a friend with some expertise, it seems this may have been due to a poor English translation. Over 100 pages were cut from the original text, which likely included some of the meat I felt it lacked.
The characters were one-dimensional and each felt the same as the next. Beyond their initial descriptions, their unique characteristics or personalities were never expounded upon, resulting in a cast of virtually identical men (and a handful of women). The most memorable character was Elishva, and I still had to google her name just now because I couldn't remember. The list of names and roles at the beginning of the book is a necessary tool to understand the story at all. Because these characters all felt the same, I was not invested in any of them and struggled to care about the problems they faced. Even the monster (called Whatsitsname) had the same character voice as the rest of the crew.
It may seem that this book was terrible, but the themes were fascinating: the banality of violence, creation (and the morality of creation), survival in the face of collapse, ritual, religion, and belief, the decay of norms under occupation... I just wish that the author had done something more interesting with them within the story.
I can't remember the ending other than it was underwhelming and gave us no answers. A book doesn't need to do the latter, but after such a drag of a read I was hoping for something good at the end. Part of me thinks I should have DNFed this one, but it was extremely short and I wanted to love it so badly.
First off, the prose was staccato and largely devoid of flavor. It was difficult to imagine the titular Baghdad, as the luscious descriptions of decaying architecture and its unsettling inhabitants were largely absent. There was a mystery element, but very little intrigue generated. The supernatural elements were not frightening or dark- rather they were discussed in a dry, matter-of-fact way. I read several reviews and papers that classify Frankenstein in Baghdad as a modern Gothic novel, but in my opinion it is severely lacking the crucial Gothic elements to classify it as such. However, after consulting a friend with some expertise, it seems this may have been due to a poor English translation. Over 100 pages were cut from the original text, which likely included some of the meat I felt it lacked.
The characters were one-dimensional and each felt the same as the next. Beyond their initial descriptions, their unique characteristics or personalities were never expounded upon, resulting in a cast of virtually identical men (and a handful of women). The most memorable character was Elishva, and I still had to google her name just now because I couldn't remember. The list of names and roles at the beginning of the book is a necessary tool to understand the story at all. Because these characters all felt the same, I was not invested in any of them and struggled to care about the problems they faced. Even the monster (called Whatsitsname) had the same character voice as the rest of the crew.
It may seem that this book was terrible, but the themes were fascinating: the banality of violence, creation (and the morality of creation), survival in the face of collapse, ritual, religion, and belief, the decay of norms under occupation... I just wish that the author had done something more interesting with them within the story.
I can't remember the ending other than it was underwhelming and gave us no answers. A book doesn't need to do the latter, but after such a drag of a read I was hoping for something good at the end. Part of me thinks I should have DNFed this one, but it was extremely short and I wanted to love it so badly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gore
cviii's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Dementia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Xenophobia and Stalking
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As a retelling of Frankenstein and its philosophy - who is the monster, what does it mean to be a person and to purse justice, how do you reconcile your past with your future, the balance of nature vs nurture - Frankenstein in Baghdad did a good job.
I can see why people think it's brilliant and how it won awards, but for me personally, it's fine as a novel. Nothing too special in my reading experience.
As with the original, the monster is the most interesting character and we never get enough time with him. There are a lot of tangents and other character povs, which may be annoying to some readers. I enjoyed how all the characters added to the sense of place and time and the exploration of the American invasion of Iraq and subsequent impacts of war on society. However, this detracted from the framing device of the monster - an extra 20-30 pages with the monster's perspective would've been great.
My favourite characters were Hadi (his story and resolution made me so sad) and Elishva, whose enduring love for her long lost/dead son was bittersweet. I do wish there were more female characters pov than just Elishva, who was painted as the "crazy old woman." Mahmoud - my least favourite and most common pov - had a really awful perspective on women and "love" (aka obsession) that was delusional, disrespectful, and all too common among many men. He frustrated and engaged me as a character.
Overall, an interesting and thought-provoking read that probably won't stick with me too long. I'm glad I finally read this off my shelves.
I can see why people think it's brilliant and how it won awards, but for me personally, it's fine as a novel. Nothing too special in my reading experience.
As with the original, the monster is the most interesting character and we never get enough time with him. There are a lot of tangents and other character povs, which may be annoying to some readers. I enjoyed how all the characters added to the sense of place and time and the exploration of the American invasion of Iraq and subsequent impacts of war on society. However, this detracted from the framing device of the monster - an extra 20-30 pages with the monster's perspective would've been great.
My favourite characters were Hadi (his story and resolution made me so sad) and Elishva, whose enduring love for her long lost/dead son was bittersweet. I do wish there were more female characters pov than just Elishva, who was painted as the "crazy old woman." Mahmoud - my least favourite and most common pov - had a really awful perspective on women and "love" (aka obsession) that was delusional, disrespectful, and all too common among many men. He frustrated and engaged me as a character.
Overall, an interesting and thought-provoking read that probably won't stick with me too long. I'm glad I finally read this off my shelves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment
aegireads's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Grief, Murder, and War
mme_carton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty
spinesinaline's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book follows the original classic with a murderous creature formed out of multiple corpses. However in Saadawi’s story, these corpses are victims of suicide bombings, the story set in Iran following the USA’s invasion, and the creature sets out to seek justice for these parts of it’s self.
While the author doesn’t directly comment on foreign conflicts and warring governments, we see the horrific impacts of this violence on each character in the book and the larger implications and realizations are subtly pushed forward throughout the story for the reader to come to on their own.
Because of this more subtle undertone, it does feel that the descriptions of death and destruction are at times callous or impartial but I think the author’s intentions and style work beautifully in getting his point across.
While the author doesn’t directly comment on foreign conflicts and warring governments, we see the horrific impacts of this violence on each character in the book and the larger implications and realizations are subtly pushed forward throughout the story for the reader to come to on their own.
Because of this more subtle undertone, it does feel that the descriptions of death and destruction are at times callous or impartial but I think the author’s intentions and style work beautifully in getting his point across.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
savvylit's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
More of a political commentary than a horror story, Frankenstein in Baghdad was a fascinating glimpse into post-Hussein Iraq. The story was engaging for two distinct reasons: (1) the literal setting and (2) the multiple points of view. By including the perspective of multiple residents of Baghdad, Saadawi demonstrates how an entire community experiences daily violence and trauma. Each character has suffered immense loss and been witness to unfathomable brutality. Many of the characters have also resigned themselves to daily danger and are unsurprised to be nearly killed.
The multi-character narration is also what conjures the powerful setting. Saadawi portrays a Baghdad that has been utterly destroyed by the U.S. invasion. Not only that, but he also demonstrates the resulting corruption and in-fighting that went hand-in-hand with the invasion. Baghdad is in ruins, no one can be trusted, and the streets are littered with corpses. Residents are fleeing to the countryside or leaving Iraq entirely. The glimpses of the true reality of senseless modern war in this novel are incredibly sobering.
All that being said, I ultimately felt neutral upon finishing Frankenstein in Baghdad. I think perhaps some of the dark humor that has been ascribed to this book fell flat for me, personally. Maybe it is an issue of translation or just general cultural differences. I'm not sure. I definitely got that some of the bureaucrats featured were exaggerated caricatures of real officials. However, I didn't actually experience comedy. Also, the portrayal of women in this novel is pretty terrible. Elishva is pitiful & disrespected and the way that Mahmoud acts around Nawal near the book's end is gross.
The multi-character narration is also what conjures the powerful setting. Saadawi portrays a Baghdad that has been utterly destroyed by the U.S. invasion. Not only that, but he also demonstrates the resulting corruption and in-fighting that went hand-in-hand with the invasion. Baghdad is in ruins, no one can be trusted, and the streets are littered with corpses. Residents are fleeing to the countryside or leaving Iraq entirely. The glimpses of the true reality of senseless modern war in this novel are incredibly sobering.
All that being said, I ultimately felt neutral upon finishing Frankenstein in Baghdad. I think perhaps some of the dark humor that has been ascribed to this book fell flat for me, personally. Maybe it is an issue of translation or just general cultural differences. I'm not sure. I definitely got that some of the bureaucrats featured were exaggerated caricatures of real officials. However, I didn't actually experience comedy. Also, the portrayal of women in this novel is pretty terrible. Elishva is pitiful & disrespected and the way that Mahmoud acts around Nawal near the book's end is gross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual harassment