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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
mysterious
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At its worst, My Name is Red feels a bit like a rather didactic, educational tome about Middle Eastern painting. At it's best, it's an erudite elegy on the skill of Islamic miniaturists -it's prompted a much greater appreciation of the art form in me, at any rate. Considering that some modern-day extremists in Turkey would probably consider Pamuk's writing sacrilegious, it's intriguing to look back at a time when the Ottomans debated to what extent illumination and painting was an abomination to Allah.
Lovers of Umberto Eco will probably like this book, as it bears quite a few similarities in terms of detail paid to historicity combined with a postmodern sensibility towards narrative.
Personally I found the style of the writing and the evocation of Istanbul in the 1590s a lot more appealing that the characters, who act irrationally and inconsistently, to put it kindly - to put it more bluntly, most are manipulative liars. I think this is largely intentional, considering the structure of the novel, but it doesn't make them any more likable.
Lovers of Umberto Eco will probably like this book, as it bears quite a few similarities in terms of detail paid to historicity combined with a postmodern sensibility towards narrative.
Personally I found the style of the writing and the evocation of Istanbul in the 1590s a lot more appealing that the characters, who act irrationally and inconsistently, to put it kindly - to put it more bluntly, most are manipulative liars. I think this is largely intentional, considering the structure of the novel, but it doesn't make them any more likable.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
mysterious
slow-paced