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A review by laedyred
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
This book dropped the ball, which is a shame because the premise and message Saadawi attempted could have been solid. Why did there need to be an actual, literal reference to Mary Shelley? Why is there a full ass villain monologue? The writing is so on the nose that it induces a cringe.
So much exploration into humanity could have been done through this premise. The invasion of Iraq, the terrorist and villain that lives in each of us, there were little moments where I thought I might get something valuable. Nope. The mystery of the monster is solved almost immediately. This book doesn't know what it is or what it's trying to do.
Sexism everywhere. A B-plot of one character's crush with no relation to the rest of the story that exists just to have a disgusting scene where he abuses a prostitute. Casual misogyny in the language and characterization. This is a contemporary novel, the "it was a different time" argument is bullshit.
This book is supposed to be a satire, funny, and it just doesn't hit. I'd notice indications that a certain passage was written out of seriousness, but could never really be sure. The worst thing a book can be (besides problematic) is boring, and unfortunately this novel didn't impress me.
This could be a bad translation from the Arabic; some nuance could be missing. However, that isn't enough to explain or justify the glaring issues with the text. The blurb doesn't accurately represent the novel. I can't recommend this book, because I flat out did not enjoy it.
So much exploration into humanity could have been done through this premise. The invasion of Iraq, the terrorist and villain that lives in each of us, there were little moments where I thought I might get something valuable. Nope. The mystery of the monster is solved almost immediately. This book doesn't know what it is or what it's trying to do.
Sexism everywhere. A B-plot of one character's crush with no relation to the rest of the story that exists just to have a disgusting scene where he abuses a prostitute. Casual misogyny in the language and characterization. This is a contemporary novel, the "it was a different time" argument is bullshit.
This book is supposed to be a satire, funny, and it just doesn't hit. I'd notice indications that a certain passage was written out of seriousness, but could never really be sure. The worst thing a book can be (besides problematic) is boring, and unfortunately this novel didn't impress me.
This could be a bad translation from the Arabic; some nuance could be missing. However, that isn't enough to explain or justify the glaring issues with the text. The blurb doesn't accurately represent the novel. I can't recommend this book, because I flat out did not enjoy it.