In the eyes of the heroine of this refined, hypnotic, and sensual novel, Isfahan is the capital of the world. Here, turquoise domes of mosques rise to the sky; on a vast square, on the Lıq Mira, men play polo—changa bozi; the banks of the Zayandeh River are joined by the Bridge of Thirty-Three Arches; and twice a year, the Great Bazaar shuts its doors to men, while the entire Shah’s harem goes out as a group to shop.
Nothing in Isfahan is valued as highly as the famous Persian carpets—the measure of success and the embodiment of the highest craftsmanship. And to become a true carpet-weaver master, the heroine is ready for anything.
The quirks of her fate echo the twists of the most intricate carpet pattern, and the strands of the plot weave into an elaborate whole where Eastern legends and erotic experiences, betrayal and cunning, love and friendship, magical treasures and tragic beauty all find their place.