Book Review; I'jaam by Sinan Antoon

A while ago, I read the novel I'jaam by Sinan Antoon and today I'll post my review of the book.

Description from Goodreads

An inventory of the General Security headquarters in central Baghdad reveals an obscure manuscript. Written by a young man in detention, the prose moves from prison life, to adolescent memories, to frightening hallucinations, and what emerges is a portrait of life in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

In the tradition of Kafka’s The Trial or Orwell’s 1984, I’jaam offers insight into life under an oppressive political regime and how that oppression works. This is a stunning debut by a major young Iraqi writer-in-exile.

Sinan Antoon has been published in leading international journals and has co-directed About Baghdad, an acclaimed documentary about Iraq under US occupation.

My Thoughts on the Book

I'jaam is one of the best books I've read in quite a while as the author uses the prison narrative as an example of how totalitarian government can affect both the populace as a whole and the individual psyche. The combination of lyrical imagery, the author's poetry background shines through too, which makes it such a good read. If Orwell or Kafka were Iraqi, they would probably have written this book.

I'jaam is a book I'd totally recommend and wish more people would read.