The Emperor's Barber

The story follows the extraordinary journey of an orphaned peasant boy from Turkey who rises to become a trusted confidant of Tsar Paul I of Russia, the troubled son of Catherine the Great. Through the memoirs of Kutaissov, the Turkish barber, the narrative unfolds themes of adventure, romance, and retribution, revealing the complexities of his character and his precarious relationship with the often unstable tsar. With a blend of historical accuracy and wit, the novel vividly depicts the intrigues of court life in the late eighteenth century and the events leading to the tsar's downfall.