MY NAME IS RED

Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk takes listeners to a pivotal time in late-sixteenth-century Turkey, when Western influences threaten Islamic art and dogma. Rich in language and philosophy, history and romance, this is a murder-mystery told in the voices of people, animals, and objects. John Lee's performance highlights the lamentations of Elegant, a murdered miniaturist, and offers his killer's rationale. We also hear from a dog, a horse, a tree, a gold coin, the color red, and three remaining master miniaturists, Stork, Butterfly, and Olive. Lee's voicings of Black, the investigator of the crimes, and Shekure, Black's breathtakingly beautiful wife, are simply masterful. With multiple voices weighing in on blasphemy, passion, art, and repression, John Lee's solid performance makes this work a splendid fit for audio. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]