Frankenstein in Baghdad

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Author's name: Ahmed Saadawi

The protagonist, Hadi al-Attak (an antiques dealer from the Bataween neighborhood in central Baghdad), collects the remains of victims of terrorist bombings during the winter of 2005. He then pieces these parts together to create a strange human-like creature that soon rises to embark on a widespread campaign of revenge against the criminals who murdered the owners of its constituent parts. Hadi recounts the story to the patrons of Aziz al-Masri's café, who laugh and find it exciting and amusing, but not true. However, Brigadier General Surur Majid, head of the Follow-up and Investigation Authority, sees things differently. He is secretly tasked with tracking down this mysterious criminal. The fates of numerous characters intertwine during the thrilling chase through the streets and neighborhoods of Baghdad, leading to decisive transformations. Everyone discovers that they, to some extent, constitute this Frankensteinian creature, or provide it with the means to survive and grow, culminating in unexpected endings that no one anticipated.