Orhan Pamuk - A nevem Piros (2022)

"...people are only interested in wealth, power and fairytale love stories."

The bigger and more colorful a city is, the more corners there are where we can hide our sins, and the more people there are, the more chances you have to get involved with your sins. The smartness of a city is not measured by its scholars, libraries, miniatures, calligraphers and madrasahs, but by the murders perpetrated in the dark streets over millennia. I have no doubt that according to this Istanbul is the smartest city in the world.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006, Orhan Pamuk (1952-), born in Istanbul and still living in Istanbul, is the best-known figure in contemporary Turkish literature and enjoys great popularity worldwide. He originally trained as an architect, but eventually graduated in journalism in 1977. His works have been translated into more than 40 languages, and his novels have won significant literary awards not only in his home country, but also in several Western European countries - including England, France, Germany and Italy. Pamuk, who was selected by The Guardian as one of the twenty-one most significant writers of the 21st century, is also well known in the United States. His novel Snow, which was also published in English in 2004, was ranked among the ten best books of the year by The New York Times. In his works, the writer presents Turkey, forced to choose between Europe and Asia, tradition and modernity, in a postmodern style.
The devilishly tangled threads of a murder, the fire of a love that has been consuming for decades and the overriding power of art are interwoven in this captivating story. The tale of My Name is Red is driven by the dark intrigues hidden behind the glittering splendor of 16th-century Istanbul.
The sultan gives a secret commission to the finest miniature makers of his empire: they must produce a book proclaiming the glory of the ruler, which bears the stylistic features of contemporary European painting. However, Islam forbids the depiction of people and animals, so the task is not only exciting, but also extremely dangerous. When one of the miniaturists working on the book goes missing, panic breaks out among those who have no idea of ​​the book's true purpose. The solution - or the clue that reveals the murderer - is hidden in the half-finished drawings. The story of my name Piros, which mixes historical tableau, crime story, love story and philosophical reflection, kaleidoscopically organizes the interconnected pieces of art, religion, love, sexuality and power into new and new forms.