The novel "Faces of a False Statue" revolves around the character of "Marhoun Issa Sahib" and his blatant experiences with corruption in Iraq after the American occupation, which he carries out not with shame or prevarication, but with immense pride. The novel presents a significant portrayal of a negative, murderous, and corrupt personality and its methods for destroying a stable life—a theme previously unexplored in this manner in Arabic literature. Instead of presenting the morally and intellectually upright hero typical of Arabic novels, this work dares to describe the heinous acts of a man stripped of all ethical or social integrity, who has dedicated himself to evil, murder, and extortion for the groups that seized control of the country post-occupation.

The narrative is built on a critical vision of corruption, exposing the corrupt, and the language masterfully contributes to embodying all of this. The author successfully employs suspense techniques that captivate the reader, revealing the fates of innocent people killed for no reason. In its entirety, the narrative functions not just as a fictional story but as an inquiry into the fate of an entire nation.

From a review by Dr. Abdullah Ibrahim: "It demonstrates sound narrative writing skills."

• Author: Hussein Al-Sakkaf
• Publisher: Dar Fadaat
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Number of Pages: 410