My Name is Red (May'12 Group Read)

[Kelly]

Of course Sherin just like any book!. :0)

[dely]

@Sherin: I don't like murder mystery and I dont' like love stories; it is because of this I will not continue this book.

@Furny: I am sorry that I am reading the book in Italian otherwise I had written the sentences I didn't like about "the big thing". Disgusting! And out of place, in my opinion.
And Shekure's behaviour with her sons! She cuddles them and then she slaps them :/ I got nervous reading the chapters told by her.
Keep on the reading, perhaps you will like it. I have seen a lot of good reviews about this book and the average of rating is high. Perhaps it is only me who has different tastes.

[Parikhit]

dely wrote: "@Sherin: I don't like murder mystery and I dont' like love stories; it is because of this I will not continue this book.

@Furny: I am sorry that I am reading the book in Italian otherwise I had w..."

I read this book years ago but abandoned it after a couple of chapters for I had to leave town and return the book. I think multiple narrators put an abrupt end to a single flow but at the same time brings together layers of ideas. Do I sound paradoxical? I don't love it nor do I hate it.

[Ahtims]

@Parikhit, planning to finish it now?

[Kelly]

Well, having read quite a bit more of the book yesterday afternoon I have to say I am rather enjoying it, it's different and very unusual with the multiple narrators but I feel it's adding to the suspense. :0)
Smitha- I am also reading Agatha Christie and have just joined the club, I see you are a member! :0).

[Parikhit]

Smitha wrote: "@Parikhit, planning to finish it now?"

I don't know Col. After a lot of serious literature I am back to Famous Five. May be after that :)

[Vinoth]

OMG.. 50 posts and i was off to Hitch hiking the Galaxy..now i have to stop hitching and jump off to this book..will try to catch up fast...

[Ahtims]

am now getting a bit bored. I have encountered the second murder (by the same murderer) and things are so confusing. I am fed up of reading about the art of miniature and gilding etc. etc.

[dely]

Smitha wrote: "am now getting a bit bored. I have encountered the second murder (by the same murderer) and things are so confusing. I am fed up of reading about the art of miniature and gilding etc. etc."

Ahahah, you too?! :D

Who does he kill? Write it in a spoiler or send me a private message. I am too curious!

[Karan]

Guys, what is your target date for completion of My Name is Red? Can I pick it up now and finish by 31st May?

Asking to confirm that you people don't plan to complete it in a couple of days and move on to another book!

[Kelly]

Karan- The finish date is May 31st so plenty time for you to join in!. :0)

[Karan]

@Furny: Thanks! Shall pick it up tonight, then! :)

[Ahtims]

@dely (view spoiler)[ the second person he killed is Enishte Effendi (hide spoiler)]

[Parikhit]

Smitha wrote: "am now getting a bit bored. I have encountered the second murder (by the same murderer) and things are so confusing. I am fed up of reading about the art of miniature and gilding etc. etc."

I think,after reading the mized reviews, this book should not be my first Orhan Pamuk read. Would pick up Snow or Museum Of Innocence.

[dely]

Smitha wrote: "@dely [spoilers removed]"

I don't know who this character is :/
Is he/she present since the beginning of the book? It is surely fault of the translation. In mess. 35 in fact I had asked for the English names in order to understand each other when we talk about them.

[Sherin]

Karan wrote: "@Furny: Thanks! Shall pick it up tonight, then! :)"

Even if you finish it later,this thread will be active.
Come and comment :)

[Sherin]

dely wrote: "Smitha wrote: "@dely [spoilers removed]"

I don't know who this character is :/
Is he/she present since the beginning of the book? It is surely fault of the translation. In mess. 35 in fact I had a..."

(view spoiler)[He's Shekure's father (hide spoiler)]

[dely]

Thanks Sherin!
Why do they change in this terrible way the names?! Sometimes they are only written in a different but similar way but this time some names are completely different.

[Sherin]

:)

[Debamitra]

I enjoyed reading this book. This was the first Orhan Pamuk that I read and I fell in love with his language. Though I went on to read much better stories by him, this book still remains very special because it helped me through a major transition in my life.

[Ahtims]

am at page 240 and things are picking up. Am eager to finish it now.

[Ahtims]

have reached page 355 - its turning interesting again. This has been a peculiar read - interesting in some parts, boring in others, the story is slowly evolving as a jigsaw; love trying to piece the various puzzles together. Now I have reached the part where (view spoiler)[ Black and the master miniaturist (forgot what he's called) are together in the Sultan's treasury going through the books and the master , yes, Osman is his name, blinds himself using a needle and then they find the horse with the misshapen nostrils in an illustration (hide spoiler)]

[Ahtims]

One thing that surprises me is that, the book doesnot conform to whatever little knowledge I have of the Islam religion. Here, making drawings of humans and animals are allowed, alcohol is consumed (I faintly remember, or am I wrong) and there is lots of reference about homosexual love - it seems the norm of the Turkish society at that time, though Indian Mughal dynasty history is quite straightforward.

[Ahtims]

Effendi = master.
For a long long time I was under the impression Effendi is a family name and was wondering why all are called Effendi. Then common sense prevailed :D

[dely]

Smitha wrote: "One thing that surprises me is that, the book doesnot conform to whatever little knowledge I have of the Islam religion. Here, making drawings of humans and animals are allowed, alcohol is consumed..."

So true!
I was surprised too and in addition to homosexual love there are also some allusions to "cuddle" little boys. These cuddles weren't normal in my opinion, there were kisses in some parts of the body and a passional way to do it. What they call "cuddle" in the book here is considered pedophilia.

[Ahtims]

am struggling with the last fifty pages - its turned boring again. I dont know what it is with this book and myself. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes quite boring and unworthy of spending my time on.

[Vinoth]

Smitha wrote: "am struggling with the last fifty pages - its turned boring again. I dont know what it is with this book and myself. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes quite boring and unworthy of spending..."

same here Col.. the month is about to end and i have not even crossed 100 pages :(

[Anbu]

Vinoth wrote: "same here Col.. the month is about to end and i have not even crossed 100 pages :(
..."


Same with me.. Just completed 100 pages.. But I won't say it is boring.. It is good read whenever I take up the book.. But it is not unputdownable...

Whenever I take the book I read about 1 chapter, then something would come up.. Also it is not the kind of book that makes me pick it up whenever found time..

All said, I liked the book till I read so far.. :D

[Vinoth]

the book has not been boring so far..but yeah.. its not "unputdownable" and "nothing can keep me from it" type..at least so far.. :D

[Suchitra]

i have finished reading this book and am disappointed. at times the writing is beautiful and the story too. but that's it. i am not really interested in painting and maybe that is why i had to start skipping a lot after a while and even when the murderer is revealed, it was not an aha moment! he had not really been revealed to me as a character properly i feel.

[Suchitra]

dely wrote: "I have re-read the first 30/40 pages in order to understand better. It is not difficult to understand but seen that every chapter is told by a different character at a first read I couldn't underst..."

i agree. it took a while to get used to narrators changing. but i do not think i like that style though. especially so often!

[Ahtims]

I am still in the last few pages, not at all motivated to finish it. Somehow I have to, atleast within this month.

[Vinoth]

Smitha wrote: "I am still in the last few pages, not at all motivated to finish it. Somehow I have to, atleast within this month."

I haven't made much progress either.. some 30 pages or so ahead.. have finished 2 other books in between.but not motivated to take this up @ all.. :(

[dely]

I am happy I am not the only one who didn't like this book! And I am so happy I put it away without finishing it.

[Vinoth]

dely wrote: "I am happy I am not the only one who didn't like this book! And I am so happy I put it away without finishing it."

hehe.. hope i dont do that :)

[Parikhit]

dely wrote: "I am happy I am not the only one who didn't like this book! And I am so happy I put it away without finishing it."

Lol Dely. I think I should not begin my journey with Orhan Pamuk with this book then.

To all of you there who didn't like the book, what went wrong with My Name is Red? I am aware of the constant shift in narration. Is there anything beyond that? A weak plot?

[Suchitra]

the constant shift in narration is quite interesting initially, then u get irritated and then u get used to it......so as u read, that is not a big problem as it started out to be.....
to me, what really got on my nerves was the descriptions of the paintings and how miniaturists adore them and their views on frankish, that is western painting......it was too much detail and too often.....i did read once or twice.....but it got really boring and tedious....for someone not interested in paintings.......
and i was skipping a lot after a while.......
and when the murderer is revealed, u are not really satisfied because u did not know all the suspects properly really.....and so it makes no difference who is the murderer......

the redeeming features
- the beauty of the writing on and off......it is lyrically wonderful at times.....
- the information about how olden day turkey was and the attitudes prevalent then and how people behaved and their customs presented as part of the story......

p.s. how wonderful it is to discuss a book i have read as soon as i have read it.....ah.....this is bliss......

[Parikhit]

Thanks Suchitra for the inputs. May be when I will eventually pick up the book one day.

And agree on discussing a book. Wish there were more number of people.

[Anbu]

Pari.. the book is not bad.. Only thing is that this book is not an easy read..

[Ahtims]

its not the shift in narration, really. In fact, that was one enjoyable thing about this book. I found the story pointless, boring and dragged on and on. This was one murder mystery wherein I was not at all interested to find the murderer. I was thoroughly fed up and just wanted to finish the book and do away with it. But I see that many others have immensely liked this book. SO I dont know. Finally it comes to individual preferences.

[Aravind]

It is a philosophy book. Thoroughly enjoyable. The plot is irrelevant. Pamuk pulls all the ideas on art, morality, faith etc and it is debated throughout, and we become part of it.

[Ahtims]

maybe that's why I didnt like it - somehow philosophy and my mental setup do not match.

[Suchitra]

Aravind wrote: "It is a philosophy book. Thoroughly enjoyable. The plot is irrelevant. Pamuk pulls all the ideas on art, morality, faith etc and it is debated throughout, and we become part of it."

it still surprises me that people are so different. a book i did not really like is loved by others. and a book i adore does not seem to be a hit with others.....
so, when i consider whether to read a book or not......i have to usually rely on the average rating......ok.....most people liked the book...maybe i too will.......
tastes are so different!

[Kunal]

averages are often as misleading. the only way that seems to work is close-reading. close-reading the blurb, passages, extracts et al, i.e. actually physically, browsing through the pages of a book in a store and feeling it up so to say and then deciding whether it is for you or not. there's nothing like discovering joys where others have never looked so i normally don't go by averages or reviews but I like to stumble upon books. but yes, once i'm face to face with them, i put them through a very personal, visceral test by reading their bits in details. i guess everyone has their own remedy.

[Suchitra]

Kunal wrote: "averages are often as misleading. the only way that seems to work is close-reading. close-reading the blurb, passages, extracts et al, i.e. actually physically, browsing through the pages of a book..."

i used to pick up books and read but sometimes i have felt that it was a complete waste of time. so i stopped doing that.
nowadays i read books mainly if someone has recommended it.
and after joining goodreads, that list has increased quite a bit!
i agree about averages. they are not helpful all the time.
and that is why i started that desert island books topic too. i wanted to find out what are the best books according to each person here.
so that i can try!

[Kunal]

lucidly explained, and you lead me to a larger point. about why we read what we read.

"i used to pick up books and read but sometimes i have felt that it was a complete waste of time."

interesting. was it then a question of the books being more disappointing than the blurbs, or the possibility that the time-investment it demanded did not seem worthwhile to you?

[Ahtims]

but Suchitra, even desert island theme may not help you. For example, Kunal may like serious books with complicated themes whereas I am a more frivolous reader who prefers light reading to heavy. And many may come in between. :D

[Anbu]

'My Name is Red' is the perfect example why average ratings and other persons recommandations will not work for all..

You choose a book only if you think you'll like it. Goodreads is a great place, it gives you the synopsis of each book.

I always read the synopsis and read couple of reviews to know what kind of book is that then decide whether to read it or not..

[Aravind]

Anbu wrote: "'My Name is Red' is the perfect example why average ratings and other persons recommandations will not work for all..

You choose a book only if you think you'll like it. Goodreads is a great plac..."

There is another book called The Black Book, if you read the synopsis at the back of the book it makes you think that it is a mystery thriller. The book is actually a surreal introspective piece. It is interleaved with the story part and columns of a newspaper. The story parts are about identity crisis and the protagonist trying to find himself and the other part is a collection of essays/journals on Istanbul. Totally different from what the synopsis suggests! I had picked up My name is red thinking it will be a thriller ride, and it was in a different way. But Black book annoyed me, not for what is written, but for fooling me. :)

[dely]

Anbu wrote: "I always read the synopsis and read couple of reviews to know what kind of book is that then decide whether to read it or not.. "

I choose above all to read reviews of friends with my same tastes, it helps me more that reading random reviews.