MBI 2018 | Frankenstein In Baghdad
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Hi! I'm Matthew. Here's a video of not only my face, but my face talking about books!
Frankenstein In Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi; translated by Jonathan Wright
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I believe that the issue of lack of morality and having a moral center of the book is related directly to the experiences of people going through a horrific war. I am a Syrian. My friends and I can no longer see the world as black and white, we don't believe in a guiding morality because this is one of the first conceptions to be blown up by war. You witness everyday horrific acts committed by the best people because concepts like choice and right & wrong become distorted, alien and irrelevant to people surviving a brutal conflict abandoned by the entire world. Those who would survive can later, much later, reflect on the events through the traditional lenses of morality, good/evil, heroism, villainy, etc. But for the people living the war, those concepts are meaningless and irrelevant. And in my opinion, Saadawi's brilliance is his ability to capture that distortion and apathy more than anything else.
NisZeBibliophile I agree, but you have expressed these thoughts so eloquently compared to my mishap rambling 😊
I agree as an Iraqi.
The feeling I got from lack or moral commentary is a symbol of randomness at war.
I remember the days during the civil war when people used to be killed and we wouldn't bother asking who did it, simply because there is no real answer.
I read this book in Arabic (I'm Sudanese), and I remember liking the idea behind it, yet finding the execution to be very poor.
In Arabic everything about the bloody and violent scenes sounds more grotesque, yet that was not my problem with it. It was the fact that I found it boring, arbitrary, and a wasted opportunity.
The judges, however, disagree with me because I remember it winning the Man Booker prize (correct me If I'm wrong).
I read it in Arabic too I liked the book but I got your feelings it's not all that would say 6/10
I LOVED it in Arabic! It was complex and blurry just like the blurry lines between what is right and wrong
This book intrigues me SO much! I just love the original Frankenstein so much and anything that puts a spin on it sounds great to me! I'm also completely with you about this being about a war that we've been living through, just something that we millenials aren't really accostomed to reading about.
Amy Pool it’s so odd especially today, now that generations are being born knowing nothing of the American Occupation. It’s that weird joke of “we have to teach kids to be sad about 9/11.” It makes me think about how we never really tend to see ourselves as part of history. We mostly just make our days happen.
Thanks for making the video, even though you aren't feeling so well. I hope you get better soon!
Amy Yuki Vickers thank you very much! I’ve been feeling better, bit by bit 💕
انا من العراق 😍
This was a fantastic review, I've had my eye on this book for a while but this makes me really want to get to it!
Dane Reads definitely consider picking it up 💚
Have you met up with any other book tubers in your area?
Argh, why must you make me want to read all of the books?!? My TBR can’t handle it!
Basking in Books I’m sorry!!! But also I’m not sorry! Because BOOKS!! 📚🌈
Loved the original Frankenstein. Frankenstein in Baghdad sounds good.
I've been wanting to check out Frankenstein in Baghdad for a while now. I think I really need to go order it now. 🤔
ThatTaschReads it’s definitely worth a read!
Wonderful review. I had many similar thoughts and reactions, but id forgotten the burnt diaries. Good catch. I was also struck by the fact that this conflict happened pretty darn recently. I was an adult, but I self absorbed young adult who didn't pay attention. This book kinda grabs you and makes you take a good long look...
Laura Frey thank you very much. The burnt diaries was honestly my favorite moment in the text. Such a resilient and tactile image.
I’m glad you enjoyed the book too 🙂
This book sounds intriguing and I will add it to my TBR. I love Han Kang and sincerely hope her White Book wins Man Booker International this year, but frankly I'm not sure if that will happen. I don't understand why Han Kang's Human Acts was never nominated for Man Booker International Prize last year--that would have had a strong chance! Anyway, can't wait to hear which book wins the prize this year!
I’m glad you’re considering checking out Frankenstein in Baghdad. I get why Human Acts wasn’t nominated, coming off a win just before, but I agree. Han Kang and Deborah Smith are the dream team!!!
I do understand how weird the “fart noise scene” would seem to someone from outside Iraq... and I can only imagine how weird it sounded in English 😂 This is why I felt the need to explain it... Firstly I need to mention that I didn’t read the book in English yet so I am not sure how that scene was translated.... to understand the scene you need to understand the“fart noise” meaning and use. The noise is made with the mouth and it’s usually a sign of disapproval and disrespect for what is the talker saying... it was used in that scene to express how did everyone that was watching the news including the reader felt about what was the government official was saying... As he was obviously was bullshiting the public and pretending that the government did their job stopping the attack which they didn’t considering all the people who died... So whoever made the noise was expressing his disapproval of what he was hearing.
As an Iraqi i understand The book is written to describe the mosaic of divers ethnic and sectarian society morphs into the ugly freak, the moral compass is irrelevant as its morality is relative when every action has a compelling cause
Thanks for the video! My bookclub just finished reading it and we all rated it between a 2 or 3 out of 5 - sounds like you had the same thoughts as us!
I’m always glad to hear that my opinions aren’t singular! What a great discussion this book must have made for a book club though!
Not having a moral compass is actually the purpose of the book because the What's Its Name is a symbol of the whole country, a devided country, a patchwork of people and groups coming from different ideologies and trying to kill in the name of justice. I've just finished reading the arabic version (I'm algerian) and I agree on it being average fiction. In arabic, the writing is very naive and the whole concept is poorly executed. I enjoyed your review and I'm curious about the translation!
I just started reading this & have enjoyed it so far. I am already struck by what an intense war is occurring, 15 car bombs in one day. Unfathomable.
My MBI reading was put off by 'Life Goes On'. My head felt it was in a vice and Krasznahorkai was pummeling it. I must say that it did feel Ecclesiastical; mankind's vain labour under the sun but it also left me too overwhelmed, so I took a break from the short list.
Did the swelling in your face occur after you starting taking the antibiotics? Is the swelling located around your lymph nodes or neck area? If this is a new symptom let your doctor know.
Sandra Tester the swelling was due to a pomegranate sheet mask. Turns out I’m allergic to pomegranate essence. The swelling has since been tamed. But Oi, was it not fun!
I also really struggled with The World Goes On. I’ll hopefully get a review up for it too.
The swelling has been determined to be a pomegranate mask I tried out. No more pomegranate for me!
I also really struggle with Lazlo’s book. This year has kind of slumped for me.
This was the one on the MBI I thought sounded the most accessible so is the one I would turn to first although Vernon Subutex also piqued my interest and of course The White Book although for some reason I want to read Human Acts first. Hope you feel better Matthew!
Jo Smith The White Book and Human Acts are so significantly different, that I wouldn’t worry about reading one before the other.
My review for Vernon will be up soon!
Thank you very much, I’m feeling much better now!
It's interesting when you speak about it. Maybe it is better in english, but believe me as an arabic reader and iraqi reader. I rate it 5 out of 10. The language was really weak as if it was witten by a kid. The slang accent just ruined the whole book. I think i would say hats off for the translator rather than the author.
This is always so interesting to hear!
Hope you get a chance to read Flights some time soon :) ❤️
Aquedita I probably won’t. It’s not available in the U.S. until August.