Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006. He has written numerous novels of stature and excellence that have been translated into more than 60 languages. To say that Pamuk is a successful novelist would be a true understatement. His books are filled with the kind of worldbuilding that has one foot in reality and one foot in his enormous imagination. His latest work, NIGHTS OF PLAGUE, is no exception.

"This beautifully translated work reads like a Salman Rushdie novel. Pamuk is no stranger to grand philosophical discussions, but the staging of the drama and the interaction of the characters take a gigantic premise and make it an entertaining journey."

There is an imaginary island, the 29th state of the Ottoman Empire, called Mingheria. In 1901, on this Mediterranean oasis, the Greek population is half Muslim and half Greek Orthodox. The clashes between them become particularly virulent and violent when a plague arrives. Where did it come from? Muslin Pilgrims returning from Mecca, or merchant vessels from Alexandria? As we have learned here in the 2020s, what matters most is how it gets dealt with. At the turn of the century, the process is even more complicated than ours.

“[Governor] Sami Pasha was already spending his days and nights trying to safeguard the authority of the state and the Ottoman Empire’s presence on the island against the perils of the plague, and he was growing tired of also being questioned, in a steady stream of admonishing telegrams from Istanbul, on why their latest instructions had not yet been fulfilled.”

The Ottoman sultan sends Mingheria his best quarantine expert to contain the spread. However, many of the Muslims will not respect his recommendations. What happens next is both deadly and diabolical, and eventually the island denizens are left to defeat this plague on their own.

A little history, a bit of mystery, a lot of culture clashes and a wide array of entertaining characters with their own skill sets all converge to populate the meaty heart of this powerful and assertive novel. Pamuk brings together all the best and worst human tendencies, faults, hopes and dreams in order to explore how humankind’s instincts make any life-saving endeavor a comedy of manners and a drama of long-ranging consequence.

This beautifully translated work reads like a Salman Rushdie novel. Pamuk is no stranger to grand philosophical discussions, but the staging of the drama and the interaction of the characters take a gigantic premise and make it an entertaining journey. Regardless of the weight of this tome, readers will find themselves drawn into the tale, especially with our newfound understanding of the politics and chaos of such a situation. Every character offers something of intense value to the plot, and the dramatic twists and turns are delightful.

NIGHTS OF PLAGUE is a rich and rewarding masterpiece from a master storyteller that will entertain even the least focused reader with its simple telling of a very labyrinthine story. If you need something to take your mind off the insanity of the holiday season, get this book and find a quiet corner to hide out. It’s a true page turner.