''The Traitor's Niche'' (Albanian: ''Kamarja e turpit'') is a historical novel by the Albanian author

Ismail Kadare Ismail Kadare (; spelled Ismaïl Kadaré in French; born on 28 January 1936) is an Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright. He is a leading international literary figure and intellectual. He focused on poetry until the pu ...

. It was first published in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

in 1978. The English translation by John Hodgson was published in 2017. It is part of a loose trilogy that includes ''

The Three-Arched Bridge ''The Three Arched Bridge'' ( sq, Ura me tri harqe) is a 1978 novel by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. The story concerns a very old Albanian legend written in verses, the " Legjenda e Rozafes". The book differs from the original legend, as the ...

'' and '' The Palace of Dreams''.

The story is told from a number of perspectives, opening in the Ottoman imperial capital

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

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. The narrative takes place against the failure of Ali Pasha of Ioannina's 1820–22 rebellion against the sultan, detailing repressive measures intended to prevent future rebellion. 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.

Reception

The English translation was longlisted for the

Man Booker International Prize The International Booker Prize (formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize) is an international literary award hosted in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the International Prize to complement the Man Booker Prize was announced ...

2017.The Traitor’s Niche
Man Booker website.

References

1978 novels 20th-century Albanian novels Historical novels Novels by Ismail Kadare Novels set in Albania Novels set in the 19th century {{1970s-hist-novel-stub

Contents

Reception

References