A magnificent journey through the simultaneously enchanting and terrible beauty of 16th century Istanbul. I have read nothing like the work. Pamuk has obviously done his homework on the history of his city. 
 Only 3 centuries released from Roman hands and previously known as Constantinople, with a history stretching back to the Roman empire itself, the author paints such an intriguingly multi layered psychological portrait of the place. So much so that some of the time you spend reading My Name is Red is entirely devoted to exploring the muddy alleyways, bazaars, coffee stops, houses, bed chambers, palaces and streets of Istanbul. Pamuk lets you feel the city instead of just see it. And what you are left with is a very strong impression of what Istanbul at the time must have been like. I've always wanted to visit the place, and now i want to travel there more than ever before. 
 The storyline is closely woven with the art of Illumination. A new form of art, done in the fashion of the Europeans or 'Franks' as they are known to the Ottomans, threatens to dilute the purity of traditional Eastern art, also deemed by traditionalists as friendlier to and therefore more accepted by God. The new style is decried as 'blasphemous' and said to be influenced by the devil himself. When a new book is commissioned by the Sultan to be done in fashion of the Venetian painters, malicious rumors are quickly spread against the select group of miniaturists appointed the task of illuminating the Sultan's book. Our story begins when one of them is murdered. 
 The main plot focus is concerned with finding this killer. But it is also just as equally a love story, between our main protagonist, Black, and Shekure, the daughter of his uncle, who is in charge of executing the manuscript. It also devotes a lot of time to the art of Illumination, philosophical ruminations about the nature of art, its relation to God, to history and the clash between tradition, secularism, religion and westernization. 
 The clash between East and West, in a time when the latter is just rising up out of the depths of the Dark Ages is a recurring theme, and fundamental to the socio political emotion of the era. for instance, we are told of one example of the results of trade between Ottomans and the 'infidels'. Adulterated gold coins steadily found their way through trading posts, ports and money exchangers diluting and devaluing the currency of the Ottomans, creating inflation and lowering the quality of life. 
 There are several characters and all tell the story in the first person. Of them all it is the character of Shekure that stands out with the most clarity, while you get the sense that most of the other characters conceal something from you as they narrate the story (yes, they all act as if they are narrating the story real time to an avid listener or watcher). But if his female characters depict clarity and display transparency most of his male characters are enigmatic and elusive, even a tad flat. 
 What made this great piece of writing even better for me, is Pamuk's uncanny ability to use the simplest of language to describe the most subtle, fleeting and inexplicable of elements. As a 'whodunnit' however, its pace is slow. The focus seems to be more on the enrichment of the very tale than actually getting anywhere with it. Its is more about the journey than the destination, but what a journey! It is compelling and in the end, offers a satisfying finish. 
 Be warned though, this is a book to be read slowly. Both because it is complex and ambitiously structured and also because of the rich historical detail and fascinating people it offers up for perusal. 
 "painting is the silence of thought and the music of sight" 
 "to know is to remember what you've seen, to see is to know without remembering"