My Name Is RedMy Name Is Red
Score Modern
What it's about
The Sultan commissions a great book celebrating his reign, illuminated in the European style by the most acclaimed artists in the land. Since figurative art could be an affront to Islam, the project is dangerous, and kept secret.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
The Name of the Rose
Istanbul
A Strangeness in My MindGood to know
It's set among the Sultan's artists.
By the numbers
- Readers14 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1532 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2867 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Orhan Pamuk
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Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 1990sTop 25 · 305 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is My Name Is Red worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,867 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is My Name Is Red about?
The Sultan commissions a great book celebrating his reign, illuminated in the European style by the most acclaimed artists in the land. Since figurative art could be an affront to Islam, the project is dangerous, and kept secret.
How long does it take to read My Name Is Red?
About 10 hours (417 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after My Name Is Red?
If you liked it, try The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Istanbul by Orhan Pamuk or A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk.