My Name is Red

May 22, 2010 miaaa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to miaaa by: Graeme

Shelves: ophelia-s-library, fictions-others

On-a-high version:

I am called Black, I longed for my dearest Shekure for twelve years;
I, Shekure, not quite sure what was I doing in this story;
I am called Butterfly, I was the one who drew the Death and Mia thought I was the murderer;
I am called Stork, I was the one who drew the Tree and Butterfly always envy me as I was more talented without the help from our master;
I am called Olive, I was the one who rendered the Satan and drew the exquisite horse;
I am your beloved uncle, I was preparing a...more

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Nov 20, 2007 علی rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels

It’s not a historical, though there is sort of history in it (Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, 1591). The mystery death of two master miniaturists doesn’t make it a murder mystery novel either. It’s not a philosophical novel though there are lots of discussions about illusrtation in European style concerning perspective, and traditional Eastern illustrating, which sees the world in the way Allah would see it.
What amazed me is, how Pamuk has taken a now forbiden discussion, to 5 centuries back, to stab...more It’s not a historical, though there is sort of history in it (Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, 1591). The mystery death of two master miniaturists doesn’t make it a murder mystery novel either. It’s not a philosophical novel though there are lots of discussions about illusrtation in European style concerning perspective, and traditional Eastern illustrating, which sees the world in the way Allah would see it.
What amazed me is, how Pamuk has taken a now forbiden discussion, to 5 centuries back, to stablish a better situation to discuss about tabus, concerning the distinctions between Islamic states and Western Europe. It's how the so-called Islamic style of illuminating lost it’s values to the so-called Frankish mode of painting, painting the earthly wealth, rather than images of what God creates on earth. In another word, demonstrating the creative abilities of the artist (European style) which Enishte effendi finds fascinating is forbiden in Islam, as if it’s kind of competing with God in creation. That’s why some other master miniaturists kill him to not loose their stabilities and honour as artists. It means that those who are not seeing the realilty of life and human being (idealists) are going to loose their style and power. This describes the restrained violence of the culture clashes which are so relevant to our world at this time through the allegory of artistic expression as European manner of representing the world, and that of the Islamic faith, in the novel!
اگرچه وقایع داستان در دوران عثمانی (1591) می گذرد اما نمی شود گفت "تاریخی"ست. جنایی هم نیست اگرچه وقایع حول و حوش دو قتل اتفاق می افتد. و اگرچه بحث، بیشتر در مقایسه ی دو شیوه ی هنری، مینیاتور جهان اسلام و نقاشی ونیزی یا مکتب فرانسوی ست، اما رمان در مورد فلسفه ی هنر هم نیست. یعنی نه آنقدر تاریخ در آن هست و نه فلسفه و نه جنایت. اهمیت اساسی در لایه ی دوم رمان است، همان گونه که در "برف"، رمان دیگر پاموک. دغدغه ی فکری پاموک مساله ی جاری زمان ماست، مقایسه و تقابل جهان اسلام و سنت از یک سو و جهان غرب و مدرنیته در سوی دیگر. مساله ای که ذهن اغلب روشنفکران در جهان اسلام را به خود مشغول داشته. انتخاب دو شکل تصویر سازی در دو جهان، به دلیل فلسفه ای که در پس ساختار مینیاتور (یک بعدی بودن آن و پرهیز از خلق دوباره ی جهان) و هنر نقاشی غربی (دید سه بعدی هنرمند از جهان) وجود دارد، انتخاب بسیار ظریف و استادانه ای ست از سوی پاموک، برای نشان دادن تقابل میان دو گونه تفکر در جهان معاصر، یکی سنتی و اقتدارگرا و دیگری مدرن و دموکرات. یکی در فراموشی انسان در مقابل خدا و دیگری در اهمیت به انسان به عنوان هسته ی اصلی جامعه ی بشری. با انتخاب زمان تاریخی در گذشته، پاموک این فرصت را به خود داده تا در مورد بسیاری از "تابوها"ی امروز در جوامع اسلامی، به راحتی و در کمال آزادی صحبت کند.
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Dec 04, 2007 Darcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: keepers, twentieth-century-novels

Generally, when a book starts out with a chapter entitled "I Am A Corpse," you know it's going to be pretty good.

The novel is set up so that each chapter introduces a different narrator, including (but not limited to), Black, Black's uncle, Shekure, a dog, a horse, the murderer and various artists in the workshop. This type of structure for a mystery novel isn't new--Wilkie Collins, for example, employed it several times, most notably in The Moonstone--and it is an effective way to structure a...more Generally, when a book starts out with a chapter entitled "I Am A Corpse," you know it's going to be pretty good.

The novel is set up so that each chapter introduces a different narrator, including (but not limited to), Black, Black's uncle, Shekure, a dog, a horse, the murderer and various artists in the workshop. This type of structure for a mystery novel isn't new--Wilkie Collins, for example, employed it several times, most notably in The Moonstone--and it is an effective way to structure a story so as to hide the whodunit. Each character only tells as much as he, she or it knows and in Pamuk's novel even the murderer hides his or her identity.

The structure in "My Name Is Red," though is less designed to sustain suspense and more to allow room for the various philosophical discussions concerning the purpose of art and, perhaps more importantly, the distinctions between Islamic states and Western Europe. The Frankish mode of painting, particularly of portraiture--to glorify the subject, to paint him or her in terms of his/her earthly wealth and power, to distribute such an image openly as a show of control, to demonstrate the creative abilities of the artist--is at the center of these debates and discussions. Black's uncle finds such images alluring and fascinating while others see them as abhorent. Master Osman, for example, sees himself as being forced to choose between the centuries old Islamic traditions he venerates and the more modern and distinctly foreign style he despises. Such a choice is not made easily, as the artists themselves discover. The Frankish method celebrates the individuation of the artist--it prizes the signature of the artist as much as the commissioner of the image. This reverence for the artist, as much as for the piece of art, proves to be a great temptation to the men involved and leads directly to the murder.

The structure, however, also allows for a second discussion, not about art but about writing on art. As much as this is a novel concerning visual images, it is also a novel about ekphrasis--the verbal description of art. Ekphrasis has the effect of slowing down a narrative, of interrupting it. Thus, in Homer's Illiad, the great battle scene is suddenly punctured by a lengthy description of Achilles' shield. Pamuk plays with this model repeatedly. When the image of the horse, described several times in the novel, is given a voice of its own the narrative is not interrupted, but rather the description of the image becomes the narrative. And, moreover, as the image speaks it refutes the fundamental principles underlying Master Osman's devotion to Islamic traditions of art. Pamuk can hardly resist the joke--this is a novel about art in which not a single image appears, except the map at the beginning and the ones we create in our minds as we imagine the images described. But, are we creating an image of the ideal horse, the horse of God, or one we can actually touch, taste, and smell?(less)

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Jan 07, 2012 ميّ أحمد rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: روايات

كانت هذه الرواية هي المدخل إلى عالم باموق ... لم تكن الجريمة هي ما جذبني إلى هذه الرواية إنما أسلوب الكاتب والأحاديث الداخلية .. حتى الكلاب تحكي في هذه الرواية .. هذا إلى جانب أنه من المدهش أن تقرأ رواية فتجد نفسك في معرضٍ للوحات تراه بأم العين تتخيل كل التفاصيل الذي استطاع هذا الكاتب الفذ أن يوصلها إليك بحرفية عالية ودقة تضاهي دقة رسامين ذلك العصر

باموق من الكتاب المفضلين لدي وسأظل دائما متحيزة لهذا الكاتب

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Jul 29, 2009 Ayu Palar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone :D

Shelves: favorites-ever

‘To God belongs the East and the West’ – Al-Qur’an, Al Baqarah ayat 115.

I had abandoned My Name is Red for how long I can’t remember. The brilliance of it was untouched, what a shame. But after reading Other Colours (an amazing essay collection also by Orhan Pamuk), I thought I should give Mr. Pamuk another shot, and boy, how much I enjoyed the novel! And I understand why Pamuk deserves the Nobel prize. He’s the kind of writer that can bring out the cultural richness but at the same time using...more

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Sep 26, 2007 Lissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I tried very hard to really like this book. But, I suppose it's impossible to succeed in everything.

My Name Is Red is both historical fiction and a murder mystery. It takes place in 1591 (according to the timeline at the end of the book). The over-arching motion of the plot centers around the death of a master miniturist in the Sultan's court. The death is revealed in the first chapter, though the reasons surrounding the his death are much slower in being revealed. What is known, almost at the o...more I tried very hard to really like this book. But, I suppose it's impossible to succeed in everything.

My Name Is Red is both historical fiction and a murder mystery. It takes place in 1591 (according to the timeline at the end of the book). The over-arching motion of the plot centers around the death of a master miniturist in the Sultan's court. The death is revealed in the first chapter, though the reasons surrounding the his death are much slower in being revealed. What is known, almost at the outset, is that his death is related to a book that the Sultan has commission that is to be illustrated in the European style, with respect to perspective and a view of the world as an actual person sees it (as opposed to how Allah would see it). Enishte Effendi, the person in charge of the manuscript, calls his childhood apprentice Black Effendi back from Persia to Istanbul to help investigate the murder and help him finish the Sultan's book. Within this overarching plot is the plight of Enishte's daughter Shekure, whose husband went to war four years prior and never came back. Black has been pining away for her during his twelve year absence from Istanbul, though he is not the only man who is interested in becoming her new husband. Amongst the plot and subplot, there are multiple discussions of style and individualism and what it means to be a father/father-figure, among other topics.

The story is told in a sort of Faulkner-esque fashion, with each chapter being told in the perspective of different characters in the story. These characters are sometimes alive, and sometimes dead (as in the first chapter entitled "I am a corpse"). Also, sometimes the chapters are told in the sort-of perspective of the drawing from Enishte's book - I say sort of, because they're really told from the perspective of a coffee house storyteller who is pretending to be what is depicted in Enishte's book. Are you confused yet?

The was my first issue with this book: at the beginning, it's very confusing. Not knowing a lot about the muslim faith, it took many chapters before I figured out what exactly was wrong with the way Enishte wanted to illustrate his manuscript. My second problem with this book was all of the exposition. There is too much time spent on the exposition on topics like love and style that are obliquely connected with the plot. Certainly these expositions add greater depth to the different characters, but after a while it started to get a little tedious. Thirdly, Pamuk does not inhabit his different narrators in the way that David Mitchell (Ghostwritten, Cloud Atlas) manages to. As a result, the book feels a little bit flat. Fourthly, the ssubplot with Shekure adds very little to the book. I found her to be an incredibly unappealing character, and I found myself wishing that the murderer would murder her next.

All of that being said, the book does have a certain flair to the writing. Some of the exposition is really though-provoking. I also thought that the stories told from the perspective of drawings and corpses and even colors were interesting additions to the plot. In sum, I'm not sorry I read it, but I was expecting more out of it.
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May 25, 2007 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for literature this year. Described as “part murder mystery, part love story,” I found this to be an absorbing novel, but what most interested me, and the reason that I recommend this book to you, were the passages which attempt to describe the late sixteenth-century Istanbul miniaturists’ attitudes towards art. My Name is Red, though it seems to be only loosely based upon historical fact, deals with the repercussions of the meeting of two visual worlds: Venetian...more Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for literature this year. Described as “part murder mystery, part love story,” I found this to be an absorbing novel, but what most interested me, and the reason that I recommend this book to you, were the passages which attempt to describe the late sixteenth-century Istanbul miniaturists’ attitudes towards art. My Name is Red, though it seems to be only loosely based upon historical fact, deals with the repercussions of the meeting of two visual worlds: Venetian portraiture and Islamic illustration.

Also, Pamuk writes some of the most fascinating lists I’ve read. I must admit that when I encounter lists in novels I usually skim them, but I found Pamuk’s lists engrossing throughout. I have typed out a few passages that I found especially significant, but they work better in context, of course.

Describing a painting of a horse.
“It is a handsome horse: a horse of the Ottoman line. It is a symbol that would demonstrate to the Venetian Doge Our Sultan’s wealth and the regions under his control. But on the other hand, as with everything the Venetian masters depict, this horse was also to be more lifelike than a horse born of God’s vision, more like a horse that lived in a particular stable with a particular groom in Istanbul so that the Venetian Doge might say to himself, ‘Just as the Ottoman miniaturists have come to see the world like us, so have the Ottomans themselves come to resemble us,’ in turn, accepting Our Sultan’s power and friendship. For if you draw a horse differently, you begin to see the world differently [emphasis added]. Despite its peculiarities, this horse was rendered in the manner of the old masters” (266).

Note the clever implications regarding Pamuk’s own novel.
Did a painting become legendary for what it was or for what was said about it? (266).

The musings of one of the Istanbul miniaturists.
My paintings reveal what the mind, not the eye, sees. But painting, as you know quite well, is a feast for the eyes. If you combine these two thoughts, my world will emerge. That is:
ALIF: Painting brings to life what the mind sees, as a feast for the eyes.
LAM: What the eye sees in the world enters the painting to the degree that it serves the mind.
MIM: Consequently, beauty is the eye discovering in our world what the mind already knows (281).
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Oct 29, 2012 Mita rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un libro che parla di libri.
Un libro bellissimo, poetico e crepuscolare, triste. Un libro da leggere con calma, da centellinare come un bicchiere di vino da meditazione.
Il ritmo lento della prosa rende perfettamente l’atmosfera quasi rarefatta di un’Istambul cinquecentesca ricoperta di neve, di un mondo storicamente e culturalmente lontanissimo da noi, ma forse proprio per questo estremamente affascinante.
Gli omicidi e la ricerca del colpevole, come pure l'amore, triste, di Nero per Şeküre, p...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Shoshi ♥~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

" قلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ أَمْ جَعَلُواْ لِلّهِ شُرَكَاء خَلَقُواْ كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ قُلِ اللّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ " سورة الرعد 16

" وَلِلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ
فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ الله " سورة البقرة 115

ويقول أورهان على لسان بهزاد في فلسفته للرسم ..

الف : الرسم هو بعث الحياة فيما يراه العقل من أجل متعة العين
لام : بقدر ما ترى العين العالم بقدر ما تخدم...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Ikra Amesta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nobel-prize-laureates

Awalnya mungkin adalah bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa ―walaupun tetap memiliki nilai kehormatan yang tinggi― ketika Sultan Turki meminta beberapa seniman Istanbul untuk membuat sebuah buku ilustrasi yang mengisahkan kebesaran dan kejayaan kekuasaannya. Di abad ke-16 para seniman Turki (terdiri dari miniaturis. Illustrator, dan illuminator) mendekorasi buku dengan lukisan-lukisan sebagai salah satu rutinitasnya yang bahkan memiliki gengsi tersendiri mengingat pada zaman itu, buku-buku seperti itu...more Awalnya mungkin adalah bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa ―walaupun tetap memiliki nilai kehormatan yang tinggi― ketika Sultan Turki meminta beberapa seniman Istanbul untuk membuat sebuah buku ilustrasi yang mengisahkan kebesaran dan kejayaan kekuasaannya. Di abad ke-16 para seniman Turki (terdiri dari miniaturis. Illustrator, dan illuminator) mendekorasi buku dengan lukisan-lukisan sebagai salah satu rutinitasnya yang bahkan memiliki gengsi tersendiri mengingat pada zaman itu, buku-buku seperti itu hanya dimiliki oleh pihak kerajaan. Namun kemudian, penitahan tersebut membuka jalan pada banyak konflik sosial, politik, dan agama yang dihubungkan oleh adanya misteri pembunuhan, kisah penantian cinta, serta benturan budaya yang mengusik eksistensi seniman.

Elok Effendi, salah satu dari 4 seniman yang bertugas mengerjakan buku itu, ditemukan tewas di dalam sumur dengan kondisi kepala terbelah akibat membentur batu saat dijebloskan oleh pembunuhnya. Beberapa hari kemudian, Enisthe, seniman sepuh yang menerima proyek buku tersebut dari Sultan dan mempekerjakan 4 seniman pilihannya itu, dibunuh dengan keji di rumahnya sendiri. Kematian dua tokoh ini memunculkan dugaan konspirasi dan pengkhianatan di antara seniman lain yang masih hidup yaitu Zaitun, Kupu-kupu, dan Bangau (mereka tidak menggunakan nama asli melainkan nama julukan yang diberikan oleh empu atau guru mereka yaitu tuan Osman). Maka dengan gusar Sultan memerintahkan tuan Osman dan Hitam, keponakan Enisthe yang sedang berusaha untuk menebus kekelaman masa lalunya, untuk menemukan identitas sang pembunuh dalam waktu 3 hari dengan mempertaruhkan nyawa mereka sendiri (entah apa pertimbangannya tapi dengan santai Sultan mengumumkan jika tuan Osman dan Hitam gagal menemukan pembunuhnya maka keduanya yang justru akan dibunuh, dengan terlebih dahulu melalui proses penyiksaan dari kepala algojo istana).

Hitam sendiri bukanlah tanpa masalah. Ia belum selesai dengan dirinya. Ia jatuh cinta pada Shekure, anak perempuan Enisthe yang juga adalah adik sepupunya. Rasa cintanya sudah tersemat sejak dulu, saat di usia muda dirinya pernah tinggal di rumah Enisthe lalu menjelaskan perasaan cintanya di depan sang paman yang mengakibatkan dirinya diusir. 12 tahun setelahnya ia kembali dengan masih menyimpan cintanya yang terluka, bertemu dengan Shekure yang bersama kedua anak lelakinya ditinggal pergi oleh suaminya untuk berperang selama 4 tahun dan kesulitan untuk membohongi perasaannya kini terhadap Hitam. Hubungan keduanya berjalan alot, tertahan, dan di satu sisi, memiliki konsekuensi sosial yang berat pertanggungjawabannya. Keduanya saling berkomunikasi dengan menulis surat-surat yang diantar oleh seorang perantara secara diam-diam. Shekure hanya bisa melihat Hitam dari lubang kecil di kamarnya saat Hitam menemui Enisthe di rumahnya. Sementara Hitam hanya melihat Shekure sekali, itu pun tidak sengaja, berdiri di ambang jendela kamarnya saat Hitam melintas di atas kudanya.

Tapi Shekure, yang hidup dalam norma-norma patriarkis dunia Arab yang kental, adalah seorang perempuan dewasa yang sedang kasmaran, di mana dalam situasi demikian, atas nama perasaannya yang tak terbendung, keberanian muncul menyingkirkan ketersipuannya. Rasa cintanya tidak mungkin lagi ia tekan. Setelah menemukan mayat ayahnyadi dalam rumah, Shekure datang menemui Hitam di sebuah rumah kosong, meminta bantuan untuk mengurusi perceraiannya dengan suami yang ia yakini telah tewas sekaligus menuntut haknya untuk segera dinikahi. Tentu saja itu bukan semata-mata sebuah keputusan oportunis Shekure terkait kematian sang ayah, namun justru merupakan pilihan taktis yang diambilnya demi kehormatan dirinya sebagai seorang perempuan, seorang ibu dan (kemudian terbebankan kepadanya sebagai) penjaga martabat keluarga. Shekure melepas atribut dirinya sebagai perempuan yang “diam” manis di bawah atap rumah tangga seraya menikmati kejelitaannya dipuja oleh para lelaki, menggantinya dengan ketegasan seorang perempuan yang “bicara.” Menyuarakan cintanya terhadap Hitam, menyuarakan keinginannya akan pesta pernikahan yang meriah dan tak lupa juga menyuarakan “kuasa”-nya atas lelaki dengan meminta Hitam untuk tidak tidur seranjang dengannya sampai Hitam bisa menangkap pembunuh ayahnya.

Kasus ini mengarah pada pergolakan batin yang cukup kompleks dari para seniman di masa itu, pergolakan yang tidak hanya mempertentangkan antar budaya/peradaban (timur dan barat) tapi juga antar agama (Islam dan non-Islam). Munculnya aliran seni lukis gaya kaum Frank (sebutan terhadap umat Kristen Eropa), yang memamerkan detail dengan melukis objek sesuai aslinya, cukup memprovokasi para seniman Turki untuk mengorbankan orisinalitas demi mengadopsi gaya barat itu. “Orisinalitas” yang dijaga secara turun-menurun sebagai identitas, kebanggaan dan penghormatan kepada seni itu sendiri. Isu “gaya” ini lalu datang berbarengan dengan gempuran keimanan yang menghantam mereka. Keberadaan para pengikut Hoja, ajaran fundamentalis yang menegakkan syariah, mengancam kebebasan para seniman dalam “melukis objek sesuai dengan apa yang Allah lihat.” Para seniman hidup di bawah bayangan keyakinan melukis sebagai perbuatan yang diharamkan dan akan dihadiahi neraka sebagai ganjarannya. Sementara di sisi lain, mereka tumbuh dengan kecintaan mendalam terhadap seni lukis yang bahkan mengagungkan kebutaan di usia senja karena mata yang telah lelah melukis dan memandangi lukisan sebagai bentuk pencapaian tertinggi (para empu yang tidak mengalami kebutaan alami rela untuk membutakan kedua matanya). Dilema tersebut tak heran menggiring jiwa seorang manusia yang belum matang sampai menerobos batasnya untuk keluar dan dengan dingin mencabut nyawa manusia lainnya.

Orhan Pamuk dengan cerdas menyampaikan parabel mengenai negaranya, Turki, sebagai negara yang tidak bisa menghindari gempuran peradaban timur dan barat, Eropa dan Asia, atau juga Islam dan sekulerisme. Dia menampilkan potret lika-liku kehidupan sosial yang berpadu dengan dunia seni dalam alur cerita yang berbentuk curhat dari tiap karakternya. Dan bukan hanya tokoh-tokoh utamanya saja yang bernarasi tapi di dalamnya bicara juga seekor anjing, kuda, setan, warna merah di dalam lukisan, atau bahkan sesosok mayat yang sedang kebingungan. Semuanya saling bertautan menggambarkan kegamangan manusia ketika ditempatkan di persimpangan, ketika yang benar dan yang salah saling berbaur, ketika membunuh dilakukan bukan karena alasan ekonomi, kekuasaan atau masalah pribadi tapi untuk meraih ketenangan batin dalam menjunjung sebuah ideologi. Dan memang sudah menjadi tabiatnya bahwa sebuah ideologi menjerat pengikutnya dalam keterpanaan bulat yang membuat segala perbedaan antara orang lain dengan dirinya sampai pada derajat yang patut untuk dipermasalahkan.

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Jun 07, 2010 DahliaNagaDanBukanDahliaPinky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: other, 2010, dillema

Sebuah repiu saja, akan sulit untuk buku ini karena setiap babnya sarat dengan makna dan pemikiran. Kalau nekat mao merepiu juga, mungkin harus perbab. Jadi ini akan jadi unek-unek g aja *aselinya memang ga pernah serius ngerepiu hahah!*

G bilang buku ini suangat buaguus. Ga ada kata yang bisa mewakili kekaguman g terhadap isinya. G sampe kepikiran betapa hebatnya kepala seorang orhan bisa melahirkan ide-ide sederhana yang taut mentaut dan akhirnya bersinergi menjadi suatu yang sangat komplek.

In...more

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Sep 10, 2009 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kelly by: various GR friends

Shelves: fiction, worlds-lost-dead-and-dying, owned, turkey-and-ottomans, identity-crisis, 21st-century, grand-opera

My fickle heart longs for the West when I'm in the East and for the East when I'm in the West.
My other parts insist I be a woman when I'm a man and a man when I'm a woman.
How difficult it is being human, even worse is living a human's life.
I only want to amuse myself frontside and backside, to be Eastern and Western both.

This is Pamuk's enduring, never ending obsession. He's written fiction and non-fiction, journal articles and newspaper bites, and given endless interviews on this theme. He's ev...more My fickle heart longs for the West when I'm in the East and for the East when I'm in the West.
My other parts insist I be a woman when I'm a man and a man when I'm a woman.
How difficult it is being human, even worse is living a human's life.
I only want to amuse myself frontside and backside, to be Eastern and Western both.

This is Pamuk's enduring, never ending obsession. He's written fiction and non-fiction, journal articles and newspaper bites, and given endless interviews on this theme. He's even been thrown in jail and put on trial for the identity he has chosen. He's won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his commitment to expressing his deeply divided mind and spirit, and that (at least he and many others believe) of his country- Turkey. (I apologize in advance if this ends up being something of a ramble through the literary bramble, but I can only say that that would mirror the experience of reading this book.)

My Name is Red will tell you that it is a murder mystery, set in 16th century Istanbul, under the rule of the Sultan. But it will also tell you that it is about many other things, each of which changes, ephermerally, by the moment. The atmosphere of the story digs a little bit into Garcia-Marquez's garden, but storytelling would never be mistaken for his. Each chapter is told by a different voice- some of which are plausible members of a storytelling round, and some of which would really only belong in that category if you were on acid, but they all seem about equally credible, due to the fact that nobody is really credible, so one might as well be fiction or myth as fact. (For instance, we hear from the voices of the drawing of a horse, the fake voice of a woman who is actually a man, a gold piece and the color red.) It is ethereal, elusive, and there isn't one incarnation of the mind that can be trusted here. Don't fall into the trap of assuming that what you read has anything to do with anything other than the particular pyschology of the moment- Pamuk is a master of depicting the every day track of a mind, and how unreliable each feeling of a moment is- how everything important is changed by the fact that one just happens to feel hungry at a particular moment, or desperately horny at another. It is an absolute masterwork of insight on the psychology of a particular people at a particular time, and all the various reasons why they are that way, and yet he is able to make them as relatable as possible through it all.

What struck me the most throughout the entire book was how terrified, it seemed, that Pamuk was of missing something. While other authors might be striving to become masters of literature, masters of form, I think Pamuk wished that he could be nothing so much as a master of tapestry-making. I think he would die happy if he could have given this book to the theoretical Weaver in the sky and gotten it back as a divine scrap of worked fabric. There are lists upon lists upon lists of endless things that go on for pages, only to stop and start up once again. As a part of his contradictory feelings towards the West, in a culture whose stories and traditions often originated in the East... although he longs for the West, he's terrified, just as his characters are, that everything they know from the East will disappear. It seems like he can't stop himself- there's some sort of driving fear if he doesn't list everything about history and culture and myth, and repeat all the stories again and again to make sure we remember what they are, it will be gone forever. His expression of ambivalence towards Western culture perfectly expresses the mindset of illuminators in 16th century Istanbul terrified that their entire lives are about to become irrelevant.

The other absorbing, fascinating, and horrifying thing was how well Pamuk illustrates the idea that absolutely nobody speaks with their own voice, both through his painters, constrained by centuries of adherance to a perfect style that some random master brought out of Baghdad that depicts the "perspective of Allah." It is considered heresy and a fault to have a "style", and "signatures" are furitively hidden away as much as possible- the idea that blindness is the ideal to be obtained for these artists is just heartbreaking- at least to someone coming at it from a Western perspective, where seeing painters deliberately rob themselves of their sight, their most precious commodity, over and over again, in the course of obtaining a meaningless idea of perfection that is not their own. The murderer throughout this book strives endlessly to hide himself by speaking in a voice that does not at all resemble how we see him in other places. The majority of people who are speaking a themselves tell stories in order to express their feelings- in fact at the beginning all the suspected illuminators speak almost entirely in story form in order to answer any important question on any philosophical, religious, or even personal topic. Expressing one's feelings just isn't done. One doesn't go up to the pretty boy one would like to fuck and tell him so, one tells him a parable about a gorgeous boy in order to show your admiration for him. Much as the pictures are seen as the "perspective of Allah," it seems that there is only one way to speak, too, in the "words of Allah," or those stories which are sanctioned by the authorities as legitimate- the authority of Allah on earth. It was the ultimate tragedy of the book from the Western perspective, and the ultimate triumph of the book from the accepted ides of the time, all of these de-individualized people (as much as can be done or denied or pushed from sight) striving towards the goal of seeing as Allah does, ever in the correct way.

But everyone recognizes the end of the "Eastern" way of life coming from the West, in the guise of the "Venetian" ways that everyone will want to slavishly follow in the future, ways which reactionary preachers and religious people are protesting against before they've even made serious headway, trying to keep their way of life "pure." But the rest of the book poitns out again and again that there is no way that the culture of the Ottoman Empire was pure in any way- no constantly conquering culture with a large army and a long reach could ever be. No autocratic society that entailed artisans, craftsman and soldiers to pick up and serve someone else once their lord was defeated (if they weren't killed out right) could develop in isolation without any influence from the outside. He shows globalization already happening, back in the 16th century, and how deep the effects penetrate then and now.

I loved his Istanbul for his brilliant evocation of identity, living with a burdensome past and an uncertain future, for its poetry and its memory. My Name is Red accomplishes much the same thing, with more magic- but just enough dirt to bring it right straight home where it belongs in 2009.(less)

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Aug 02, 2007 Leslie rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people with patience

Saying I liked it or didn't like it doesn't really capture the complexity of my experience with this book. Part murder mystery, part love story, and part historical novel about the book-art in the ottoman empire....I thought it was right up my alley. Maybe I expected to have more of an emotional connection but it was all very intellectual and somehow that frustrated me...churned up my stomach which was quite contented on the diet of all-fluff, all-the-time. Reading this was like eating roasted b...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Arwa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Amal fahad

حسناً إذاً , أنهيت الكِتاب وأخيراً , قرأته في وقت حرج جداً , كنت أتمنى إن أنهيه خلال يومين على الأقل , لكن الأيام امتدت لـ عشرة أيام تقريباً !

- أجواء الرواية صعبة ! تتحدّث عن شيء مجهول بالنسبة لي , ما النقش ؟ وكيف هو ؟ أريد أن أرى وقة واحد مذهّبة منفوشة , لا أريد صورة خسرو وشيرين , أريد شجرة , عصا على قارعة الطريق , تكفيني ..

- أكثر ما أعجبني " المدّاح " , وكيف يستطيع تقمّص الأدوار , تمنّيت لو أجد مثله الآن , يذهلني بكلامه , وكيف يستطيع تقمّص دور النقود , الكلب , الشجرة , المرأة , حتّى دور الشيط...more حسناً إذاً , أنهيت الكِتاب وأخيراً , قرأته في وقت حرج جداً , كنت أتمنى إن أنهيه خلال يومين على الأقل , لكن الأيام امتدت لـ عشرة أيام تقريباً !

- أجواء الرواية صعبة ! تتحدّث عن شيء مجهول بالنسبة لي , ما النقش ؟ وكيف هو ؟ أريد أن أرى وقة واحد مذهّبة منفوشة , لا أريد صورة خسرو وشيرين , أريد شجرة , عصا على قارعة الطريق , تكفيني ..

- أكثر ما أعجبني " المدّاح " , وكيف يستطيع تقمّص الأدوار , تمنّيت لو أجد مثله الآن , يذهلني بكلامه , وكيف يستطيع تقمّص دور النقود , الكلب , الشجرة , المرأة , حتّى دور الشيطان ! !
أعتقد أن أكثر جمال الرواية كان على يد هذا المدّاح ;)

- كنت أقرأ سابقاً لكتّاب غير مسلمين , وأجد في الرواية من الإيحاءات الجنسية الكثير , لكنّ أن أجد مثل هذه - ليست الإيحاءات بل التصريحات - بيد شخص حاول أن يذكّرنا بتاريخ النقش الإسلامي ؟ ! , ويذكر من آيات الله في الرواية الكثير ؟
مالداعي لمثل هذه المشاهد ؟ مالجمال الذي ستضيفه للرواية ؟
أتمنى أن أستطيع سؤال أي كاتب يقحم مثل هذه المشاهد في كتاباته وأريده أن يجاوبني , خصوصاً أن الرواية ليست رومنسية !
كنت سأعطيها الخمس النجمات لولا القرف الذي أصابني , القرف الذي لم أجد مثله في أي رواية سابقة قرأتها !!

- في الكتاب وصف للموت وتصوير له وكلام على يدّ الميت , من أفضل ماقرأت في وصفهما ومحاولة الحديث عنهما !

- الكاتب ذكيّ جداً , بدءاً بفكرة الرواة المختلفون لحدث واحد , معرفته بكل هذه الأمور والمواقف والأحداث في تاريخ الفنّ , إلى إنهائه الرواية وأنا لم أجد صعوبة في تذكر كل الشحصيات ..(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Nandakishore Varma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literature

I am in two minds about this book.

Obviously, it is an important work. It showcases the miniaturist tradition of the Islamic world, and uses the cloistered world of miniaturists to explore the difference in philosophies between the East and the West. It was all the more interesting to me because I have been fascinated by this difference ever since I began viewing paintings with serious interest. In the East, "perspective" does not exist: the painting flows seamlessy over space and time whereas in...more I am in two minds about this book.

Obviously, it is an important work. It showcases the miniaturist tradition of the Islamic world, and uses the cloistered world of miniaturists to explore the difference in philosophies between the East and the West. It was all the more interesting to me because I have been fascinated by this difference ever since I began viewing paintings with serious interest. In the East, "perspective" does not exist: the painting flows seamlessy over space and time whereas in the West (especially since the Renaissance) the painting is the reproduction of a particular moment in time (we are not talking of abstractions here). The miniaturist paints the world as God sees it: he does not sign the painting, nor does he have an individual style, because he is unimportant. He continues painting (in fact, he paints better!) after he inevitably goes blind. The Frankish painters, in contrast, paint the world as we see it, which is blasphemy according to some of the miniaturists.

I was captivated by the sweep of the book as well as the way it was presented: short chapters, each from the viewpoint of a different character, as though we were looking at a book of miniatures which tells a different story on each page. Moreover, it is a murder mystery in which the victims as well as the murderer directly speak to the reader! It bears a certain resemblance to "The Name of the Rose" in this regard, although Eco's book is much more powerful according to me.

Coming to the minuses: the writing is cumbersome and a task to wade through. I do not know if this is a problem with Pamuk's writing or the translation. The characters are flat: the protagonist (Black) is too weak and cowardly: the heroine (if we can call her that!) too self-centred and manipulative. Maybe the author intended them to be like that, but it does lose reader interest.

I was also rather put off by the amount of lust bubbling on each page. Homosexuality, incest, paedophilia, bestiality, fetishism... everything is there, simmering just beneath the surface. Young boys are regularly presented as objects of lust. Men kiss each other passionately, even when one is about to kill the other! I have heard that Turkey was the centre of "deviant" sexual practices during Ottoman times, so maybe it is a true picture, but it did not vibe with me.

So...adding the negatives and positives, I will go for three stars.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Angus rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nobel-laureates, impac-literary-award, reviewed-and-blogged

Original post at Book Rhapsody.

***

Will the real murdering miniaturist please stand up?

A surprise gift from my bookish little buddy last Christmas, My Name Is Red took me by surprise as much as it did when it landed on my hands. I had no idea then what it’s about (of course; you should know by now that I immediately buy and wish for books that have the Nobel badge on them), so it was a real thrill to read a beautifully rendered mesh of history, art, philosophy, romance, suspense, and mystery. Jam...more

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Aug 22, 2009 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book. It's passionate, provocative and intelligent, surprisingly bringing the field of 16th-century miniaturist painting to bear on aesthetic and ethical issues that seem urgent (at least for artists) today. The main concern is with the notion of 'style' in art: is it desirable to have a personal style as an artist or are traces of style simply evidence of faults? In the process of investigating this question we discover the more fundamental question: what constitutes 'style'? Chara...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Santh memories rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic_fiction, historic_fiction, world_fiction, my-collections

“Orang yang buta dan orang yag melihat tidaklah sama” (Fatir: 19).

Sebuah novel yang disajikan dengan penuturan dari sudut pandang tiap tokohnya. Gabungan antara sejarah dengan misteri pembunuhan yang berlatar di kota Istanbul pada masa kekuasaan Sultan Murat III di Kesultanan Utsmaniyah, khususnya pada musim salju tahun 1591.
Buku ini dibuka dengan pembunuhan seorang penyepuh emas – Elok Effendi – yang sebenarnya sedang terlibat dalam proyek pembuatan buku yang dipesan langsung oleh Sultan. Dala...more “Orang yang buta dan orang yag melihat tidaklah sama” (Fatir: 19).

Sebuah novel yang disajikan dengan penuturan dari sudut pandang tiap tokohnya. Gabungan antara sejarah dengan misteri pembunuhan yang berlatar di kota Istanbul pada masa kekuasaan Sultan Murat III di Kesultanan Utsmaniyah, khususnya pada musim salju tahun 1591.
Buku ini dibuka dengan pembunuhan seorang penyepuh emas – Elok Effendi – yang sebenarnya sedang terlibat dalam proyek pembuatan buku yang dipesan langsung oleh Sultan. Dalam proyek rahasia ini banyak melibatkan para iluminator (3 iluminator) yang diberi nama julukan “Kupu-Kupu”, “Bangau” dan “Zaitun”. Dari pembuatan proyek ini kita akan membaca sejarah lampau tentang cerita-cerita dari Al-Quran, penaklukan banyak negara, penjarahan, berpindahnya banyak literatur, hasil karya seni, kitab, lukisan, dll. Atau bisa dikatakan dari proyek ini bisa dipahami tentang mulai mendesaknya budaya Barat ke negara-negara Islam (Timur). Terlihat pula usaha-usaha para seniman besar untuk mempertahankan apa yang sudah diwariskan secara berabad-abad – atau tergoda untuk mengikuti “gaya” baru.
Adapula seorang Hitam yang telah kembali dari 12 tahun pengembaraannya. Selama 12 tahun itu pula dia membawa cinta untuk perempuan dari masa kanak-kanaknya.
Mengenai seni melukis itu sendiri, kita akan dibawa pada banyak cerita – kitab – yang menggambarkan banyak peristiwa – melihat seperti apa yang dilihat Allah – bahkan sampai termasuk pemilihan warna. Kita akan dikejutkan dengan banyak contoh keterserahan kepada dunia seni ini – yang dianggap sebagai pelanggaran agama – jika dibandingkan dengan seni kaligraf. Betapa merindunya para seniman agung – yang sudah mencapai usia lanjut – dengan keadaan menjadi buta (bahkan ada yang sengaja membuat mata mereka buta). Karena dengan buta mereka akan melihat lebih banyak warna seperti yang dilihat Allah.
Dan untuk menyingkap siapa si pembunuh itu sendiri bisa dilihat dari “gaya” melukis ketiga ilustrator berbakat yang juga terlibat dalam pembuatan buku Sultan – bahkan lebih spesifik mencari siapa yang melukis lubang hidung kuda secara aneh!
Membaca buku ini kita dibawa pada keadaan muram di Istanbul – perkampungan miskin, banyak orang buta, peperangan, pemberantasan terhadap hal-hal yang melanggar agama, nasib dan hak perempuan kala itu, ketidaksukaan terhadap kaum sufi, darwis, dsb (bahkan kopi-pun disinggung di sini!).

Komen:
aku sama sekali nggak “ngeh” soal lukis-melukis. Jadinya cukup lambat untuk bisa mengerti buku ini – yang secara semuanya bercerita tentang seni melukis (bahkan teknis banget), cerita-cerita dibalik banyak hasil karya agung sekaligus para maestronya.

sejarah Turki pada masa itu sangat sulit – belum lagi mengingat semua kronologis peristiwa yang ada…plus nama-nama yg cukup sulit dan susah dihafal (paling apal ya Hitam ama Shekura hehehe).

musti dua kali baca tentang Kupu-Kupu, Bangau dan Zaitun, serta bakat dan sifat-sifat mereka, cara mereka bertutur, dll

but, finally I finished it (ya walaupun endingnya menurutku terlalu mendadak dan tidak terlalu ngagetin…hmm…mungkin kecondongan ngebandingin ama cerita-cerita Agatha Christie kali ya…
hehehe)

(less)

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Feb 08, 2008 laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to laura by: book club

this book sort of felt like a text from an art history elective i never went to but had to study for the final...with all its intricate descriptions of artworks that were interesting, but too unfamiliar to respectably imagine, i skimmed paragraphs and pages waiting to get the chunky parts of the story. i really wish it had pictures to be honest.

as one member of my book club said "i feel like i need to read this book again, but i wish i never read it in the first place". the whole time i was thin...more

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Oct 28, 2009 Melody rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Melody by: Sara Jones

Shelves: historical, second-monday-bookgroup

My rating is more like 2 1/2 stars - because I do want to encourage you to read it. It is a curious mix of murder mystery, religion, violence, sex and art. I felt like I was reading the King James Version of some religious document that covered all these subjects. Very odd to have someone proclaim his praises to God or Allah in this case, and then recall how lovely it was to bugger the pretty boys.

The book is told through the eyes of several narrators - the miniaturists, their master, some of t...more

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Aug 13, 2007 Bina rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: miscreants, artists, infidels

I guess this is in the realm of historical fiction: a murderous tale set in the mystical landscape of 16th century-Istanbul, populated by book illuminators and sultans.

In the Faulknerian (Faulkner-esque?) tradition, it paints a narrative in layers, with each chapter an account from the point of view of a different character. Everyone has a voice, from incorrigible gossips and forlorn lovers to a painting of a tree and death itself.

Here's a gem from Pamuk:

"A city's intellect ought to be measured...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Samuel rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book as much as other reviewers. It was not easy getting into Pamuk’s tale because of how much it reminded me, on the surface at least, of Eco’s The Name of the Rose (the title perhaps subtly recalls this debt, but most professional reviewers prefer to ignore the obvious and point out Pamuk’s indebtedness to Borges). My Name is Red weaves the clash of eastern and western culture, between Islam and modernity, into a tapestry of 16th century Istanbul when it was a supe...more I really wanted to like this book as much as other reviewers. It was not easy getting into Pamuk’s tale because of how much it reminded me, on the surface at least, of Eco’s The Name of the Rose (the title perhaps subtly recalls this debt, but most professional reviewers prefer to ignore the obvious and point out Pamuk’s indebtedness to Borges). My Name is Red weaves the clash of eastern and western culture, between Islam and modernity, into a tapestry of 16th century Istanbul when it was a superpower. The Turkish school of illuminators struggles with the influence of renaissance European portraiture then aflourish with individualism and perspective. Part of the irony of this depiction of the “anxiety of influence” is the degree to which the Turkish miniature school itself was influenced by Persian miniaturists, who in turn were influenced by Mongolian and Chinese artists, and going back even further, by Byzantine Christian miniaturists. The title presumably also alludes to the European word “miniature” which comes from the red lead paint border around a small painting to illustrate a text; only later did it come to mean small in size. Pamuk’s approach, creating verbal miniatures himself—the narrative of a dead man, a dog, a gold coin, a horse, two dervishes, the color red, the unidentified murderer, along with the major characters—is delightful, and I loved this creative use of the unreliable narrator. Passages of the book are quite beautiful, but unfortunately most of his characters, except Shekure and the city Istanbul itself, are weakly drawn. The perspectivism of this device pretty clearly shows which side Pamuk is on, even if some characters make a strong case for traditional representation consistent with a conservative interpretation of Islam. But the story devolves into too many repetitively similar philosophical and allegorical discussions of style for my taste (and I love art and philosophy). And as a murder mystery, the book disobeys the basic rule of allowing reasonably attentive readers to figure out the murderer at least by the time you nab him, instead preferring to give misleading clues presumably for the sake of surprise right up to the end. But instead of surprise, the ending just seems contrived. Or perhaps it ironically proves the fundamentalists’ point—that perspectivism destroys one’s ability to find the truth and lets one get away with murder? A rereading might show that I was not attentive enough or just don’t know enough about Turkish culture or certain aspects of Islamic religion to get the clues, but I’m not sure the book, despite its several beauties, will get that rereading. If you are going to read the book, you may be interested in this web site with discussions by art historians that includes some great examples of miniaturist art: http://www.learner.org/courses/worldl... or should at least consult a collection of images of Turkish and Persian miniatures, as that time will be better spent. For a different perspective, John Updike gives the book a much more positive review: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2001...(less)

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Feb 10, 2011 Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, in-english

~WANDERING THE STREETS~

The beauty of the language enchanted me and I was lost in descriptions of Istanbul, the city I love dearly, the city which is today, in my eyes, is one of the capitals of Islamic Art. The stories of the murdered one, seeking justice; of two love birds, wishing to unite and the history of miniaturist art and apprenticeship of the 16-century Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) and other story lines, narrated by some 10 story-tellers, are masterfully woven in this elaborate, yet easi...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Irwan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished, favorites

I especially like the way the story is narrated. It uses the first person view from different characters and even objects in the story.
Learned more about medieval painters in Islamic civilisation. A glimpse of new way of painting from Europe.
Shortly, I love this book :-)

---
I actually wrote something about this book much earlier. It was in Indonesian though :p
http://irwansyahrir.blogspot.se/2006/...

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Mar 03, 2013 arcobaleno marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Recommended by: Guido e Mita

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Mar 14, 2013 Jelena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: love-beyond-words

Although there is the challenge to unmask a murderer, „My Name is Red” is about as much a murder story as “The Brothers Karamazov”. It is also no mere love story and not just a historical novel. Not a theological dispute. More than an essay on art and even more than a question of identity, of the universal and individual. It is all of the above.

Naming the plot of this novel is very difficult, since ‒ apart from the protagonist trying to solve a murder case, to get the illustrations for a secret...more Although there is the challenge to unmask a murderer, „My Name is Red” is about as much a murder story as “The Brothers Karamazov”. It is also no mere love story and not just a historical novel. Not a theological dispute. More than an essay on art and even more than a question of identity, of the universal and individual. It is all of the above.

Naming the plot of this novel is very difficult, since ‒ apart from the protagonist trying to solve a murder case, to get the illustrations for a secret book finished and to win over the love of his life ‒ there are the personal stories of all the supporting characters and their connections and relationships, as well as contributions to several theoretical problems.

I was very intrigued by the sense that this is not a novel of action with a layer of contemplation underneath, but that the reader is much more focused on the discussion than on the actual ongoing in the fictional world. Or to speak just for myself: I cared much more for the metaphysics than about who did it and whether the hero gets the girl (somewhat like in “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” and again the “Karamazovs”).

Perspective and style are the origin of everything contained in this account. Taking place in the Ottoman Empire of the late 16th century and featuring a guild of master illustrators and everyone in connection with them, the basic question raised is whether to stick to the old, traditional ways by all means or to be open to something different allowing it maybe to change what one is accustomed to. But there is no need to have any kind of background in art history (or religion, for it gets close) for this one. It suffices to follow the question of what makes us what we are and if it is natural to wish for some unique feature that would distinguish an individual from the group or if modesty is the one virtue most difficultly achieved. There is also the question of whether what one sees is always what there is. If a thing changes with perspective, can a momentary view in all of its accuracy be of greater value than the steady and universal idea of the same thing? And even though it is never explicitly political, there is the lingering question of Go East vs. Go West, quite modern given the circumstances, but also a very good historical setting.

The structure of this novel alone is so fascinating that it contributes very much to the overall impression. There are about a dozen narrators, all characters in the novel, but of different age, gender, origin, social status etc, and about equally many that are neither alive nor human nor do they exist for that matter. We never hear the same story twice, for every narrator continues where the previous one had stopped or shows us scenes where the other characters are not present. The whole picture is put together piece by piece, like a puzzle. It is so perfectly orchestrated that you can feel someone pulling the strings and presenting a show. And there are always those fantasy narrators showing you how they know that you know about the conductor in the shadow, speaking directly to the reader (I have a thing for methods like that) etc.

And in case you do care about playing detective, look for some personal features that will reveal the murderer soon enough. This is a matter of style after all. (less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Neena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winners, my-most-favourite, literary-mystery

I kept hearing about this book through my goodreads reading group, then I saw it in the library and out of curousity went through 1st chapter ' I am a corpse'. Right away I knew I had to read this book. I was hypnotized by Orhan Pamuk’s writing. What a beautiful, brilliant read!

This is a multinarrative philosopical thriller. Each chapter of the novel is narrated by different characters, some of them are not living, metaphorical in a sense. Every character tells it's own story based on the truth...more I kept hearing about this book through my goodreads reading group, then I saw it in the library and out of curousity went through 1st chapter ' I am a corpse'. Right away I knew I had to read this book. I was hypnotized by Orhan Pamuk’s writing. What a beautiful, brilliant read!

This is a multinarrative philosopical thriller. Each chapter of the novel is narrated by different characters, some of them are not living, metaphorical in a sense. Every character tells it's own story based on the truth experienced by itself.

The novel is set in Ottoman empire in late 1500, a year before 1000th anniversary of the Hegira. The master miniaturists are commisioned by Sultan to complete a book of illustrations depicting Sultan's Empire at glorious heights of power and wealth which in reality is declining fiscally. Inflation is on rise, counterfeit currency is everywhere. There are artists like Enishte Effendi who are not affraid to adopt the style of venetian painters, find venetian style alluring and are awed by it and then there are others like Master Osman who worship centuries old Islamic traditions, want to keep it alive and consider venetian style worth despising. For Islamic miniaturists, art is worship, for them it reaches a stage where an artist does only need his mind and soul’s eyes to refine his art. That is considered a distinction and achievement of artist's abilities. The venetians paint the object as they see it unlike as Allah wants them to see as in Ottoman miniaturists' opinion. This difference of opinion and thinking of miniaturists in the empire of Ottoman is the reason of two murders in the story.

There's a story of love too in the book; Black's passionate love for beautiful, alluring Shekure. I like Shekure's character in a sense of her strongness. As a woman she's bound by rules of Ottoman's islamic traditions, dependent on men in her life but through her cunning she emerges strong, incharge of her own destiny and secures her childern's future too.

A brillant book, a keeper for sure.
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May 29, 2011 Jaspreet rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked up My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk to fulfill the November destination of the World Party Reading Challenge. It took me much longer than expected to finish the book. While the story was interesting, it is a murder mystery with many possible suspects, I found it hard to get through in the beginning. I was confused by the cast of characters, but I grew to enjoy the subplots as well as the main plot. Looking at paintings and artistic style to determine a murderer was very intriguing. I learn...more

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Feb 04, 2011 د.أحمد فايز rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-books, 2011-reading-list, novels

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. خلال قراءتي للـ50 صفحة الأولى شعرت بحيرة وملل بسبب أسلوب الرواية. لم أكن أعرف من يتكلم ويكلم من. ما دفعني لإكمال القراءة كان رغبتي في قراءة أحد أعمال (أورهان باموق) ككاتب تركي، ووقع الاختيار على رواية (اسمي أحمر) لأبدأ بها. اكتشفت بعد ذلك أن الكاتب استخدم أكثر من راوي للقصة، وكل راوي يحكي الجزء الخاص به، ولذلك رجعت لبداية الرواية وقرأتها مجدداً بناءً على هذا المفهوم.

الرواية تعرض جوانب تاريخية للحياة التركية. معظم أسماء الشخصيات التاريخية والأحداث لم تجد عندي ما يؤيدها من معرفتي القليلة بالتاريخ...more خلال قراءتي للـ50 صفحة الأولى شعرت بحيرة وملل بسبب أسلوب الرواية. لم أكن أعرف من يتكلم ويكلم من. ما دفعني لإكمال القراءة كان رغبتي في قراءة أحد أعمال (أورهان باموق) ككاتب تركي، ووقع الاختيار على رواية (اسمي أحمر) لأبدأ بها. اكتشفت بعد ذلك أن الكاتب استخدم أكثر من راوي للقصة، وكل راوي يحكي الجزء الخاص به، ولذلك رجعت لبداية الرواية وقرأتها مجدداً بناءً على هذا المفهوم.

الرواية تعرض جوانب تاريخية للحياة التركية. معظم أسماء الشخصيات التاريخية والأحداث لم تجد عندي ما يؤيدها من معرفتي القليلة بالتاريخ التركي، أو بمعنى أدق التاريخ العثماني. تجاهلت الأسماء والوقائع التاريخية وركزت على أحداث القصة الأساسية.

الرواية تستحق القراءة، وتستحق تقييم مرتفع، لكن لم يعجبني فيها عدة أشياء:
1- بعض الفقرات التي تصور مشاهد جنسية، بالإضافة لبعض الألفاظ غير المناسبة.
2- اعتقاد المترجم أن القارئ عليم بالمصطلحات التركية، وهو اعتقاد خاطئ، حيث معظم المصطلحات التركية التي استخدمها المؤلف تم تخمين معناها من خلال سياق الكلام، أو تم تجاهلها.

الرواية تحكي عن كتاب رسوم أمر السلطان بإعداده ليبين عظمة السلطان ودولته. وكانت توجد إشكالية هي أن الرسوم محرمة وفقاً للتشريع الإسلامي. شارك في إعداد الكتاب عدة رسامين، أحدهم قاتل، قتل زميله والشخص المسئول عن تسليم الكتاب. وخلال الرواية تبقى شخصية هذاالقاتل مجهولة، ويتم كشفها في النهاية. وتحكي الرواية أيضاً عن قصة عشق بين (قرة) وهو مشارك في إعداد الكتاب، و(شكورة) وهي ابنة خالته، وفي نفس الوقت هي ابنة الرجل المسئول عن تسليم الكتاب للسلطان. قرة أحب شكورة منذ كانا صغيرين، لكن افترقا لأن قرة صرح بحبه لها مبكراً، وتم اعتبار هذا سوء تصرف منه. سافر قرة في البلاد وتغرب، وبعد 12 سنة عاد قرة بناءً على طلب زوج خالته ووالد شكورة والمسئول عن كتاب السلطان، وذلك للمساعدة في إعداد الكتاب. في النهاية يتمكن قرة من الزواج من شكورة بعد مقتل زوج خالته. ويتم قطع رأس الرسام القاتل.
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Jan 09, 2011 Tarfah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: available-at-raspberry-s, never-again, world-voices, 2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Let me preface this by saying that from the get-go I felt that this book was just not my style; the author's style was just too convoluted, and the prose too high-brow. Having said that, I took this book as a personal challenge which I just could not put away unfinished.

The intrigue surrounding the book commissioned by the Sultan around which the entire story was based, and the murders that occurred due to the book's supposedly blasphemous content, were, in my opinion, really just an excuse to g...more Let me preface this by saying that from the get-go I felt that this book was just not my style; the author's style was just too convoluted, and the prose too high-brow. Having said that, I took this book as a personal challenge which I just could not put away unfinished.

The intrigue surrounding the book commissioned by the Sultan around which the entire story was based, and the murders that occurred due to the book's supposedly blasphemous content, were, in my opinion, really just an excuse to go on and on about the history of Arab, Persian (generally Eastern) artistry (calligraphers, illustrators, illuminators, etc.). Lovers of art and history would most likely be enraptured by My Name is Red.

Also, the never-ending repetition of the Shirin and Husrev love story was truly irritating. When I first started this book, I had never heard of them. By the end of it, I didn't want to hear any more! Same goes with the tale of the Whitesheep and the Blacksheep. I kept on thinking "not this again!"

I also did not like the heroine Shekure in the slightest: hated her manipulative and conniving nature, and thought she was a terrible role-model for her sons, who, as the whim struck her, and as they suited her convenience, she could be cuddling one minute, then cruelly slapping the next.

The highlight of the story for me was the chapter "I am a gold coin". For someone who doesn't enjoy overly descriptive novels, I thought the imagery and the reader's imagination were truly captured in telling the story of the coin- truly wonderful.

My favorite character was that of the Jewess, Esther, whose colorfulness and busy-body meddling were truly entertaining, and whose character was the most relatable.

In short, I truly felt this book could have been ALOT shorter than it was- basically the entire story surrounding the Sultan's book and the associated murders could have been told in under 200 pages were it not for the over descriptive nature of the author's writing style and his continuous re-telling of the same/similar tidbits of artistic history.

I can understand why readers would enjoy this book, but it definitely isn't my style.(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Why didn't Elegant Effendi just reveal the identity of his murderer, since he wanted him to be caught?	1	10	09 mag. 07:47
The World's Liter...: MY NAME IS RED. Orhan Pamuk--To ending	15	14	05 mag. 13:22
The World's Liter...: MY NAME IS RED. Orhan Pamuk--To midbook	15	19	30 apr. 01:14
اسمي أحمر	2	55	31 gen. 07:02
Middle East/North...: My Name is Red (March/April)	109	83	06 dic. 03:58
Turkish Reading C...: Discussion for Benim Adım Kırmızı	3	31	22 ott. 06:24

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