The Sirens of Baghdad

This post first published on February 10, 2011.

Author: Yasmina Khadra
Published: 2006 (2007: English)
Publisher: Nan A. Talese
320 pages (hardcover)
 
This is a random book I picked up from the library last time I went. I always try to pick one book I know nothing about and never heard of, to read when I go pick up a stack of books from the library. I didn’t really know what to expect but as I read, it became clear that this book is a very well thought out piece of literature (it’s translated from the original French version, just FYI). It offers the Western audience a very valuable new perspective on serious real world issues. From Blogcritics.org: “The Sirens Of Baghdad is a warning and an education that every Western person should have as required reading. If we fail to learn anything from this book or heed its warnings than quite frankly we’re only getting what we deserve.”

The book is split into three parts. Each part has the unnamed protagonist in a different place. The first part has the shy protagonist in his humble little village in Iraq. He used to attend university in Baghdad, but when the Americans began warring in Iraq, he was forced to return home after one year of school. The village becomes increasingly anxious and worried as the American troops and military begin to edge closer and closer to them. As the Americans arrogantly invade — killing a mentally handicapped boy in the village, blowing up a wedding (because they thought there was something suspicious going on) and finally, humiliating the protagonist’s father in front of his family — the protagonist finds himself becoming angrier and angrier. The humiliation of his father is the last straw, and unable to to face his father any longer, the protagonist sets out to Baghdad.

The second part of the novel takes place in Baghdad, where our angry protagonist is hell bent on avenging his family’s honor and righting the wrong the Americans have done to him. Baghdad is constantly under terrorist attacks, from angry groups who want the Americans to leave their country, though there are plenty of people who don’t believe what the terrorists are doing is right and want them to stop. Our protagonist, who is so angry he just wants the whole world t blow up, joins one such rebel group, and this leads to part three, when he travels to the city of Beirut, and prepare for a large terrorist attack in London.

This book is interesting because it is told in first person so I saw through the protagonist’s eyes, yet at the same time, some of his cultural values clashed with my Western ones. I mean, we all know terrorists are bad, yet this book makes that topic a bit of a gray area. Even though he was participating in such a rebel group, I was a little surprised to find myself a little bit understanding of how and why he made the decisions that he did (not that I necessarily agree with them). The protagonist, angry as he is, is not a psychotic person (though there are some stereotypical fanatical terrorists in the novel as well).

Other big themes in this book are honor and and vengeance. The perspective on honor would be the biggest eye opener for Western readers, I imagine. I am not completely unfamiliar with it since I have an Asian cultural background as well, but perhaps to others, some of the trains of thought of these Middle Eastern characters will confuse a bit. I think particularly the concept of family honor will be somewhat novel, since I don’t think in Western countries, people are too concerned with family honor … at least not to the extent of Middle Eastern cultures.

All in all, this is an excellent, excellent novel that I think everyone should give a read. Granted, you do have to be open minded and you can’t be easily offended (Westerners, particularly Americans, are shown in quite the negative light in this book), but if those two things are not an issue for you, give this book a go! When you’re done reading, you’ll feel a bit more … educated? Haha, is that the right word? Well, it certainly makes you consciously realize how people around the world can be so different, yet at the same time, kind of the same.

My Rating: 5/5