A haunting allegory of man's savagery against man and one of the most essential books to come out of the Iraq War, or any war. -Elliot Ackerman, National Book Award finalist for Dark at the Crossing

Frankenstein in Baghdad is a quietly ferocious thing, a dark, imaginative dissection of the cyclical absurdity of violence. From the terrible aftermath of one of the most destructive, unnecessary wars in modern history, Ahmed Saadawi has crafted a novel that will be remembered. -Omar El Akkad, author of American War

This gripping, darkly humorous fable of post-invasion Baghdad is a profound exploration of the terrible logic of violence and vengeance. -Phil Klay, bestselling author and National Book Award winner for Redeployment

An extraordinary piece of work. With uncompromising focus, Ahmed Saadawi takes you right to the wounded heart of war's absurd and tragic wreckage. It is a devastating but essential read, one that I am sure I will return to again and again. -Kevin Powers, bestselling author and National Book Award finalist for The Yellow Birds

Frankenstein in Baghdad courageously confronts the bizarre events set in motion by the violence after the American occupation of Iraq. . . . It's a painful and powerful story that goes beyond the limits of reality, in an attempt to reach the essence of the cruelty of war. . . . [Saadawi's] lively style is reminiscent of horror movies and detective stories, with touches of black comedy. -Hassan Blasim, author of The Corpse Exhibition

Horrifically funny and allegorically resonant, Frankenstein in Baghdad captures very well the mood of macabre violence that gripped Baghdad in 2005. -Brian Van Reet, author of Spoils

Weaving as seamlessly from parable to realism as a needle weaves a tapestry, Frankenstein in Baghdad perfectly captures the absurdity, mayhem, and tragedy of war. Mahmoud the hapless journalist, Hadi the unwitting Dr. Frankenstein, and Elishva the mother are all profoundly human and appealing, our guides to a rare glimpse of the human beings on the receiving ends of our wars. Funny, bizarre, and captivating, this is a must-read for all Americans who are curious to see the war at last from an Iraqi point of view. -Helen Benedict, author of Wolf Season and Sand Queen

Ahmed Saadawi has divined a dark, rapturous metaphor within the landscape of post-9/11 Iraq and, channeling Gabriel García Márquez, has written a love song to the humanity that endures even amid the ruins of war. -Lea Carpenter, author of Eleven Days

A remarkable book from the heart of terror, where violence dissolves the divide between reality and unreality. -Thomas McGuane, author of Crow Fair and Cloudbursts

A haunting allegory for sectarian violence. -Alexandra Alter, The New York Times

Matter-of-factly, Saadawi sets out a reality-Baghdad in 2005-so gothic in its details . . . that, when the novel makes a turn to the supernatural, it barely shocks. -The New Yorker

Expertly told . . . A significant addition to contemporary Arabic fiction. -Judges' citation, International Prize for Arabic Fiction

This haunting novel brazenly confronts the violence visited upon [Iraq] by those who did not call it home. A startling way to teach an old lesson: an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. -Kirkus Reviews

A harrowing and affecting look at the day-to-day life of war-torn Iraq. -Publishers Weekly

Highly recommended . . . An incisive look at local life in Baghdad in 2005. The multiple narratives . . . intersect to form a complex whole. -Library Journal

Captures the chaos, absurdity, and inhumanity of the recent Iraq War, leaving readers, like the characters, stunned. -Lit Hub

There is no shortage of wonderful, literate Frankenstein reimaginings . . . but few so viscerally mine Shelley's story for its metaphoric riches. . . .