Scan barcode
A review by book_concierge
My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
3.0
Book on CD performed by John Lee
Set in 16th-century Instanbul, this is a murder mystery, an art history lesson, and a love story all in one. The Sultan has commissioned a new book and directs Enishte Effendi to appoint a group of acclaimed miniaturists to illuminate the manuscript “in the style of the Franks.” But figurative art can be seen as an affront to Islam, so it’s a dangerous commission that must remain secret, and no one in the group knows the full scope of the project. When one of the artists disappears, the Sultan demands answers within three days. Was this the work of a devout follower of Islam, or is this a case of jealous rivalry for the hand of Enishte’s beautiful daughter Shekure?
I’ve had this on my tbr for a long time. I really enjoy reading international literature, and this one puts me smack dab into the world of historic Istanbul. But I found it difficult to follow because of Pamuk’s unusual style. Each chapter has a different narrator – including not only the major characters (Black, Shekure, Esther, Butterfly, etc), but a corpse, a tree, a dog, an ancient coin, and even death. Each chapter is written in first person giving the reader only that narrator’s perspective.
When he focuses on the murder and the investigation, the story is quite compelling. However, Pamuk also includes long passages on art, the history of Turkey, and the teachings of Islam. Some of these helped me to understand the culture and the references, but mostly they interrupted the story arc and sometimes had me scratching my head wondering what I had just missed.
The audio book is masterfully performed by John Lee, whose voice reminds me of Jeremy Irons. He really had his job cut out for him, given the style of writing and the many characters. There were times when I had to read the text to be sure I hadn’t missed something. Still, Lee was definitely up to the task. I would rate his narration at 5 stars. Bravo.
Set in 16th-century Instanbul, this is a murder mystery, an art history lesson, and a love story all in one. The Sultan has commissioned a new book and directs Enishte Effendi to appoint a group of acclaimed miniaturists to illuminate the manuscript “in the style of the Franks.” But figurative art can be seen as an affront to Islam, so it’s a dangerous commission that must remain secret, and no one in the group knows the full scope of the project. When one of the artists disappears, the Sultan demands answers within three days. Was this the work of a devout follower of Islam, or is this a case of jealous rivalry for the hand of Enishte’s beautiful daughter Shekure?
I’ve had this on my tbr for a long time. I really enjoy reading international literature, and this one puts me smack dab into the world of historic Istanbul. But I found it difficult to follow because of Pamuk’s unusual style. Each chapter has a different narrator – including not only the major characters (Black, Shekure, Esther, Butterfly, etc), but a corpse, a tree, a dog, an ancient coin, and even death. Each chapter is written in first person giving the reader only that narrator’s perspective.
When he focuses on the murder and the investigation, the story is quite compelling. However, Pamuk also includes long passages on art, the history of Turkey, and the teachings of Islam. Some of these helped me to understand the culture and the references, but mostly they interrupted the story arc and sometimes had me scratching my head wondering what I had just missed.
The audio book is masterfully performed by John Lee, whose voice reminds me of Jeremy Irons. He really had his job cut out for him, given the style of writing and the many characters. There were times when I had to read the text to be sure I hadn’t missed something. Still, Lee was definitely up to the task. I would rate his narration at 5 stars. Bravo.