[1] It is part of a loose trilogy that includes The Three-Arched Bridge and The Palace of Dreams.

[2][3] The story is told from a number of perspectives, opening in the Ottoman imperial capital of Istanbul, where a newly married soldier stands guard over the niche in which the head of a traitor is put on display.

The narrative moves back and forth between Istanbul and Albania, following the route of Tundj Hata, the imperial courier whose job it is to transport the severed heads of traitors for display in the capital.

[5] It has been suggested that Ali Pasha's rebellion against the Ottomans is in some way intended as a parallel to Enver Hoxha's break with the Soviet Union.

[2] The English translation was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2017.