An explosion; a man who stitches together pieces of body parts laying around in an attempt to make a whole body to present for burial; a story of revenge or vengeance, depending on how one sees it; a story of war and the people touched by it; a story of loss that raises thought-provoking questions such as: Who's to bear the blame in a war, if anyone? Is there any one innocent or are we all to blame?

In Frankenstein in Baghdad, Iraqi author Ahmed Saadawi presents us with unexpected twists that end the story with more unanswered questions, more problems than solutions--Isn't that what a war brings after all? This book left me with sad, unfinished, very uncomfortable feelings, but it was worth it. Anyway, when is it that war, death, and loss can ever leave us feeling comfortable & satisfied as if now we have all the questions answered and all the problems solved? I read Frankenstein in Baghdad four years ago, and I plan to reread it soon in order to understand it better. The story is difficult to follow, especially in the beginning, and in some parts the reading is very slow paced. Nevertheless, it is a book worth reading. Frankenstein in Baghdad is an intriguing and disturbing story, at times a little humorous (albeit dark humor), but a very dark account of the effects of war. Saadawi has very cleverly manipulated the story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to tell the story of war-afflicted Iraq. The amalgamation of the real and the absurd sometimes can confuse the reader; however, this adds power to the story as also do the (what felt to me) distant to the reader, objectionable, antipathetic, and unreliable characters.