The Red-Haired Woman revolves around two mythical stories: Sophocles’ tale of King Oedipus, who kills his father and marries his mother, and the story of Rostam and Sohrab from Iran’s national epic The Book of Kings, in which a father kills his son. This father-son theme shapes the entire life of the protagonist, Cem. The mythical narrative style is captivating at first, though it fades toward the end of the book. My first experience with Pamuk’s writing was quite enjoyable and compelling.