Status Updates From My Name Is Red

The three miniaturists each make their depiction of a horse.

Demasiados nombres demasiados personajes, ayuda

Black and Osman continue going through illustrations looking for a “signature” to give away the murderer. The illustration found on Elegant’s body is delivered to them from Shekure, where they find an irregularity in the nose. They pore through piece upon piece looking for a matching inconsistency.

Master Osman and Black begin the work of locating the consistent “signatures” of each miniaturist across the various paintings. Master Osman gives a history and personality traits of each.

Enjoying this so far. The rotating narrators are introduced clearly each time, which helps keep everything straight, and there’s a wonderful haughtiness to some of them that I’m finding quite entertaining. It’s definitely experimental and a little weird, but very controlled. The meta commentary on art and perspective, especially through the recurring Layla and Majnun story, is genuinely clever.

After returning from the funeral, Black is summoned by the Sultan and is briefly tortured (tested) and charged with discovering who the real murderer is.

Esther consoles Hayriye and Shekure on the day of Enishte’s funeral and witnesses the children play-torturing the child of another mourner while his sister watches in trembling sadness. Esther is tasked by Shekure to visit Elegant’s widow to discuss missing halva and what she knows of the double murder. Kalbiye produces a piece of paper with a drawing of a horse, something Elegant wouldn’t have been known for.

Master Osman is summoned to the Sultan’s private garden, where the Head Treasurer and Commander relate the details of Enishte’s murder. They inform him of the investigation about to take place, including the torture of the miniaturists.

The soul of Enishte ascends to Berzah, where he bears witness to his funeral and gets a glimpse of heaven, being outside of time and in any place at once. He particularly describes things on the basis of colors and describes being washed in red as he nears the presence of Allah.