The Traitor's Niche

Synopsis

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE"An extraordinary and complex novel whose time has come . . . 40 years after its initial publication [in Albanian]." —The HeraldAt the heart of the Ottoman Empire, in the main square of Constantinople, a niche is carved into ancient stone. Here, the sultan displays the severed heads of his adversaries. People flock to see the latest head and gossip about the state of the empire: the province of Albania is demanding independence again, and the niche awaits a new trophy.