Section 16 Summary

"The Black Queen"

The title of this section refers to Mireille/Minnie, the Black Queen both past and present - in other words, the title is another manifestation of the novel's thematic perspective on the union of all things, all times, and all experiences. The quote, meanwhile, is taken from the text of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute - specifically, the text of a song sung by the Queen of the Night (essentially a black queen), who comments on her existence outside the bonds and borders of nature.

June 1973. In her pillow-strewn drawing room in Algiers, Minnie - the Black Queen - welcomes Catherine and Lily to the Game. She outlines its purpose (the struggle for control over the Service and the possibility that that control can also lead to control of humanity) and also the identity of several players (including Nim, whom...