The protagonist finds a number of other readers who have become similarly consumed as well as a few people who seek to destroy the book because of the effect it has on its followers.

Pamuk started writing the novel when suffering from insomnia caused by a jet lag after a long plane journey.

[2] The protagonist, Osman, first notices the book in the university canteen when a female student, Janan, sets a copy down for a moment on his table.

Osman, who at this point is enchanted by Janan, witnesses Mehmet gunned down at a bus stop, but the injured man mysteriously disappears and can't be traced at any hospital.

[5] In contrast to negative reviews, The New Life has reportedly become the fastest selling book in Turkish history at the time of its release.