Publisher‘s Summary In 1857, the shadows are falling thick and fast on what is left of the Mughal empire. The last emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, is a broken, bitter man in his eighties who has retreated into religion and poetry. Zafar’s empire extends no further than the precincts of his grand palace, the Red Fort … Continue reading Karmali, Sikeena. The Mulberry Courtesan. Aleph, 2018.