My Name is Red is one of the most famous novels by Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk. The novel is set in 16th-century Ottoman Istanbul and centres around art, love, faith, and murder. It is a novel written in a postmodern style, in which history and fiction are intertwined. It also contains deep references to the art of miniature.

Plot

The novel is set in 16th-century Ottoman Istanbul and centres around a murder committed amongst the master craftsmen working on a secret book for the Sultan. The characters, searching for the murderer of their master Zarif, enter into a deep philosophical interrogation through the conflict between East-West art, religious prohibitions, love, and jealousy. The novel presents a multi-layered story about the meaning of art, the dilemma of originality and imitation through the perspectives of unusual narrators such as a dead man, a dog, a gold coin, and even the colour "red".

Cast of Characters

Black (Kara): The protagonist, a miniaturist who returns to Istanbul after twelve years away in Persia. He is in love with his cousin, Shekure, and becomes involved in the investigation of a murder.

Shekure: Enishte's beautiful and strong-willed daughter, with whom Black is deeply in love. She is a widow with two sons and navigates the complexities of love and family in a patriarchal society.

Esther: A Jewish peddler and matchmaker who helps carry messages between lovers, including Black and Shekure.

Master Osman: The head of the Sultan's workshop of miniaturists. He is a traditionalist and resistant to the new Venetian style.

Butterfly: One of the three miniaturists suspected of the murders. He is known for painting figures of Death and the Melancholy Woman.

Stork: Another of the suspect miniaturists, famous for his depictions of trees and dogs.

Olive: The third suspect, miniaturist, who paints Satan and dervishes.

Target Audience

The book offers content for lovers of historical novels, art history, and especially for those interested in miniature art.