Reviews

Well. I can definitely say that I found the book interesting and liked some of the things it was trying to do. I also think it provided an interesting perspective on the events and Baghdad during the time it's set, and the use of a Frankenstein's monster character was a cool addition. That being said, this unfortunately was not a fun reading experience for me, because it just never caught my attention and I also didn't like the the way the story and main plot lines were alluded to and kind of happened in the background of what was actually being written. I'm glad I read it through.

quizlitbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

Saadawi conjures a monster in this macabre comedy that requires human flesh to thrive - first from the underbelly of society, then from anybody in its path.
Hadi, a trash merchant, gathers human body parts and puts them together to construct a corpse in the desolate streets of US-occupied Baghdad. His stated objective is for the government to acknowledge the pieces as humans and provide them with proper burial. When the corpse goes missing, a wave of weird murders sweeps the city, and stories of a horrifying-looking criminal who, despite being shot, cannot be killed flood in.
Despite the dark elements to this concept, Saadawi handles with a light touch. He creates some fantastic characters and captures with white-knuckle horror and black humour the surreal reality of a city at war.

I included this excellent book in my Best Middle Eastern Books to read.
https://quizlit.org/10-best-middle-eastern-books

roseth0rns's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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