Particularize Books In Pursuance Of The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1)
| Original Title: | The Twentieth Wife |
| ISBN: | 0743428188 (ISBN13: 9780743428187) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Taj Mahal Trilogy #1 |
| Setting: | India |
| Literary Awards: | Washington State Book Award (2003) |
Indu Sundaresan
Paperback | Pages: 380 pages Rating: 4.04 | 12817 Users | 1418 Reviews
Explanation Toward Books The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1)
An enchanting seventeenth-century epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most legendary and controversial empresses -- a woman whose brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles, and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal empire. She came into the world in the year 1577, to the howling accompaniment of a ferocious winter storm. As the daughter of starving refugees fleeing violent persecution in Persia, her fateful birth in a roadside tent sparked a miraculous reversal of family fortune, culminating in her father's introduction to the court of Emperor Akbar. She is called Mehrunnisa, the Sun of Women. This is her story. Growing up on the fringes of Emperor Akbar's opulent palace grounds, Mehrunnisa blossoms into a sapphire-eyed child blessed with a precocious intelligence, luminous beauty, and a powerful ambition far surpassing the bounds of her family's station. Mehrunnisa first encounters young Prince Salim on his wedding day. In that instant, even as a royal gala swirls around her in celebration of the future emperor's first marriage, Mehrunnisa foresees the path of her own destiny. One day, she decides with uncompromising surety, she too will become Salim's wife. She is all of eight years old -- and wholly unaware of the great price she and her family will pay for this dream. Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensuous imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in the emotional pageant of Salim and Mehrunnisa's embattled love. First-time novelist Indu Sundaresan charts her heroine's enthralling journey across the years, from an ill-fated first marriage through motherhood and into a dangerous maze of power struggles and political machinations. Through it all, Mehrunnisa and Salim long with fiery intensity for the true, redemptive love they've never known -- and their mutual quest ultimately takes them, and the vast empire that hangs in the balance, to places they never dreamed possible. Shot through with wonder and suspense, The Twentieth Wife is at once a fascinating portrait of one woman's convention-defying life behind the veil and a transporting saga of the astonishing potency of love.
List About Books The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1)
| Title | : | The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1) |
| Author | : | Indu Sundaresan |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 380 pages |
| Published | : | February 18th 2003 by Washington Square Press (first published January 29th 2002) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Cultural. India. Romance |
Rating About Books The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1)
Ratings: 4.04 From 12817 Users | 1418 ReviewsCriticism About Books The Twentieth Wife (Taj Mahal Trilogy #1)
The first thing that I thought once I put this book down was that it would be great to recommend to people who read "Memoirs of A Geisha" (I work in a bookstore). It has all the same basic elements: girl overcoming difficult childhood, unrequited love, obstacle after obstacle, etc. The setting for this novel is India and while it is similar to "Memoirs" the book is not merely a duplication in a different country. If you do read this book and enjoy it there is also a follow-up book: Feast ofThis book is lush in its description of mughal landscapes; from the colourful court life, to the intrigue ridden harems, the attires and festivities, the wars and betrayals, everything is painted in deft strokes and brought to life quite beautifully by Indu Sundaresan. Something remains to be desired from the character building, especially that of Jahangir but the plot kept me hooked through this excruciatingly long journey of courtship. So 4 stars.
This is Indu Sundaresan's first novel, and I have to say, damn good for a first! The story is based on real people and events, and is enhanced by Sundaresan's romantic imagination. The descriptions bring you to India in 1600. The writing is smart, fun and captivating.The story is about Mehrunissa, the daughter of refugees, who's family climbs the social ladder. At age 8, she finds herself mesmerized by Salim, the future heir to the throne. She immediately thinks he is beautiful and later
This is what I like about historical fiction, the power they possess to take us with them. This story is about the twentieth and the most beloved wife of Jahangir.When I started this book I had no idea about Mughal empire other than few details I read in history classes and what I inferred from movie Jodha Akbar. A well researched work which talks not only about the great Empress but also of the landscapes, politics and culture.This will be one of the books where I didn't care much about the
Heavy on historical, lightish on romance, but a very humanizing account of some of the worlds most fascinating historical figures.A breath of fresh, incense-laden air in a very white genre. Want to read the second book, but my TBR pile is obscene. Glad I could use the Read Harder Challenge as my excuse to finally pick this up though.
I first read this book when it came out in 2003. The copy in the library was nice and fresh and just waiting to be cracked open. I fell in love from the first page. Over the years, I still had beautiful images from the book playing in my head. When asked to recommend a book this was usually my top pick. It is now 7 years later and thanks in part to a historical fiction challenge I decided to re-read this book. The same copy from 2003 has now passed many hands. I can tell the book has been loved
I finished reading this book quite some time ago back in 2004 and it left quite a deep impact on me and the way I see things. The genre is still historical fiction, one of my favourites, written by a very talented Indian author, Indu Sundaresan. The story takes us to 15th century Mughal India, about the journey of a remarkable woman that would later in her life play a great role in the ruling of one of Indias greatest emperor, Jahangir, formerly known as Prince Salim. Like most Indian authors,
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