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A review by n_asyikin_
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
challenging
dark
reflective
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? N/A
5.0
A fascinating take on horror that focused not on the actual monster, but rather the horror that derived from political instability & violence & how they interacted with human selfishness. The monster, called Whatsitsname, represented how one may spiral into the chaos of uncertainties with astute philosophical takes on what makes & drives a person to either be heroic or villanous; traversing the fine line between those two based on one's social identity & situations.
Told through the views of different characters with varying privileges, you'd see how violence, lack of security, & displacement affect people: some tried to profit off the chaos; others believing that they held the key for betterment; there were those whose grief & trauma were too heavy that their mind sought an alternate reality.
Gripping in its commentary, Frankenstein in Baghdad portrayed how fraught humanity can be especially in a place that lack safety.
Told through the views of different characters with varying privileges, you'd see how violence, lack of security, & displacement affect people: some tried to profit off the chaos; others believing that they held the key for betterment; there were those whose grief & trauma were too heavy that their mind sought an alternate reality.
Gripping in its commentary, Frankenstein in Baghdad portrayed how fraught humanity can be especially in a place that lack safety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Gore