My Name is Red - Chapters 1-15 Discussion (February 2012)

[William]

For Chapters 1-15

[Deborah]

It was at about chapter 15 that I thought, 'nothing in my life has prepared me for this book.' I feel like I need to read the Quran, study art history and the Ottoman Empire.' It's not just that though, the format is fairly idiosyncratic. Often I can't say, "Oh, look here. It's a literary device. I see what he's doing."
I'm listening to it, and often I'm just a little confused.

It's pretty wonderful.

[Mauk]

The bit about the differences between the two ideals of painting things (photo-like representation vs. the abstract, "true" representation) was a mind-boggling thought for me. The kick I got out of learning that one thing was for me the thing that made me want to read more and faster.

[Sophia]

I'm enjoying the way in which Pamuk plays with his readers: "Dogs don't talk." Nevertheless you seem to believe a story in which corpses speak and characters use words they couldn't possibly know. Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.

Also his profound thoughts on art - style, purity, identity, illustration, vision, perfection, - artists and creativity.

Not forgetting life and the nature of love!

[Adam]

I share your thoughts Deborah - particularly when Black was interviewing the miniaturists. I am pretty sure that I missed some clues in that section, though the aversion to change in Turkish art/culture (at least during that time period) certainly came through clear. The constant switching of perspectives (including to inaminate objects) is a pretty interesting literary device.

[Deborah]

Oddly, as you go along it gets clearer.