My Name is Red
Orhan Pamuk: My Name is Red
This book is very captivating not only because of the plot, but also because of the way the story is told. It is about the life of a group of miniaturist painters in 16th century Istanbul. The reader is presented with a wide array of themes such as love, jealousy, hatred, confusion, anger - and in the midst of these emotions there is a murder mystery and a love story, there is rebellion and submission, there is group-mentality and individualism, and much more.
What Orhan Pamuk does particularly well is portraying the humanity of his characters. The plot could have just as well taken place in any other city, at any other time; the emotions and the characters are timeless. More importantly, the feelings that his characters experience are very real, making this book a very interesting read.
There are many voices telling the story (a murderer, a coin, a dog), allowing the reader to see through the eyes of many narrators, with many perspectives. Finally, the descriptions are done very vividly, as through a painters eyes.
An excellent novel, and well worth the read.