Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
helena_hartmann's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
neeuqdrazil's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this, although not as much as the first one (The Twentieth Wife). I probably won't read the third one (which isn't about Nur Jahan/Mehrunnisa at all.)
preetalina's review against another edition
5.0
Never judge a book by its cover. That is the oft-repeated mantra, which can be applied not just to literature, but to many other subjects.
In this case, even though I really wanted to read the book, the cover just blew me away. To me, it's a perfect representation of what the story is about: power, opulence, beauty, sensuality, and, above all, a need to step beyond the confines of a well-defined, though rather ill-fitting, role.
The woman on the cover is showing herself but only partially - her face is still hidden. And that was how I saw Mehrunnisa.
I never really knew the stories of the Mughal empire. Growing up in the U.S., it was not exactly a subject given much, if any, gravity. So, I knew about the Taj Mahal and about Shah Jahan and his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, but not much beyond that. Then, I heard about The Twentieth Wife (the first in the two-book series) from Amulya Malladi's website. Intrigued, I read the first chapter online and was instantly hooked.
Both books follow Mehrunnisa, or, as she is more popularly known, Nur Jahan, throughout her life, from the unique circumstances of her birth through to her reign over the empire.
This books starts after Mehrunnisa arrives into the imperial zenana as Emperor Jahangir's twentieth wife. We follow her as she establishes her power over the Emperor and over his kingdom. We see how, as a friend so eloquently put it, her strength becomes her weakness, and eventually, her downfall; a strong, aggressive, cunning woman whose actions changed the course of history becomes a mere line in history books.
The imagery in this book is absolutely delicious. The lives of the royals: the majesty, the opulence, the splendor - all of it is depicted in vivid detail, allowing the reader to see it all, to actually be there. Oh, and the romance:
"He moved closer to Mehrunnisa's back and went to sleep. Heat hung inside the apartment, the punkah did little but spin the air around the room, but Jahangir could only close his eyes when some part of him was against her. They would each wake many times at night to find sweat thickly matted between their skins, but half-asleep they would wipe it away, find another position in which to lay their bodies, another place in which they made contact. An arm, a leg flung across, a shoulder lodged against a hip, even fingers touching, it did not matter, touch they had to."
Overall, this book was a much slower read compared to The Twentieth Wife. I think there was just a lot more to take in in this one.
Never having been a fan of historical fiction, these two books definitely changed my perception. It was interesting to learn about the treachery, the friendships forged, alliances broken, the campaigns, the wars, the tireless work of a ruler controlling a vast land.
I hope Indu Sundaresan writes more and I'm off to learn as much as I can about Nur Jahan.
Note: Although the author claims to have followed history very closely, there is some leeway she has allowed herself in constructing the story. Being a work of fiction, this artistic license is to be expected.
In this case, even though I really wanted to read the book, the cover just blew me away. To me, it's a perfect representation of what the story is about: power, opulence, beauty, sensuality, and, above all, a need to step beyond the confines of a well-defined, though rather ill-fitting, role.
The woman on the cover is showing herself but only partially - her face is still hidden. And that was how I saw Mehrunnisa.
I never really knew the stories of the Mughal empire. Growing up in the U.S., it was not exactly a subject given much, if any, gravity. So, I knew about the Taj Mahal and about Shah Jahan and his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, but not much beyond that. Then, I heard about The Twentieth Wife (the first in the two-book series) from Amulya Malladi's website. Intrigued, I read the first chapter online and was instantly hooked.
Both books follow Mehrunnisa, or, as she is more popularly known, Nur Jahan, throughout her life, from the unique circumstances of her birth through to her reign over the empire.
This books starts after Mehrunnisa arrives into the imperial zenana as Emperor Jahangir's twentieth wife. We follow her as she establishes her power over the Emperor and over his kingdom. We see how, as a friend so eloquently put it, her strength becomes her weakness, and eventually, her downfall; a strong, aggressive, cunning woman whose actions changed the course of history becomes a mere line in history books.
The imagery in this book is absolutely delicious. The lives of the royals: the majesty, the opulence, the splendor - all of it is depicted in vivid detail, allowing the reader to see it all, to actually be there. Oh, and the romance:
"He moved closer to Mehrunnisa's back and went to sleep. Heat hung inside the apartment, the punkah did little but spin the air around the room, but Jahangir could only close his eyes when some part of him was against her. They would each wake many times at night to find sweat thickly matted between their skins, but half-asleep they would wipe it away, find another position in which to lay their bodies, another place in which they made contact. An arm, a leg flung across, a shoulder lodged against a hip, even fingers touching, it did not matter, touch they had to."
Overall, this book was a much slower read compared to The Twentieth Wife. I think there was just a lot more to take in in this one.
Never having been a fan of historical fiction, these two books definitely changed my perception. It was interesting to learn about the treachery, the friendships forged, alliances broken, the campaigns, the wars, the tireless work of a ruler controlling a vast land.
I hope Indu Sundaresan writes more and I'm off to learn as much as I can about Nur Jahan.
Note: Although the author claims to have followed history very closely, there is some leeway she has allowed herself in constructing the story. Being a work of fiction, this artistic license is to be expected.
wambatina's review against another edition
4.0
Great follow up to the Twentieth Wife - the continued saga.
becks29's review against another edition
4.0
Like The Twentieth Wife, this second installment was very enjoyable. But... maybe less so? I can't really explain - maybe because Mehrunnisa is less sympathetic and I found myself almost disliking her by the end, and after the first book I felt like she was my new fave book character. Also, I think maybe the part of me that loves a good narrative was expecting this to stay more in line with the first book, which introduced Mehrunnisa's perseverance, determination, and ambition as qualities to admire, and gave us a love story (however thin - I mean, come on, they didn't know each other) to root for, which is always nice. This book focuses full in on the same qualities that got Mehrunnisa the life she wanted, but reveals them for what they really are - not mere attributes that ensure she gets what she needs, but powerful tools that manipulate and even kill. I suppose it's a good portrayal of what happens when you get too much money and power and lose sight of the things that really matter in life.
And of course, while this series is a highly entertaining fictional account of these people, it is heavily rooted in actual history. I don't know a lot about the Mughal Empire, but I do know some basic history of India, and I'm enjoying learning more. I appreciate the author's dedication to pairing her story with excerpts from non-fic letters and books describing the Empire and its leaders, and I can't wait to read the third and final installment in this trilogy.
And of course, while this series is a highly entertaining fictional account of these people, it is heavily rooted in actual history. I don't know a lot about the Mughal Empire, but I do know some basic history of India, and I'm enjoying learning more. I appreciate the author's dedication to pairing her story with excerpts from non-fic letters and books describing the Empire and its leaders, and I can't wait to read the third and final installment in this trilogy.
profbanks's review against another edition
5.0
This is like the mascarpone cheesecake of books: incredibly rich, satisfying in even the smallest bite, but absolutely addictive. The sheer amount of historical and setting research made the historian in me happy in the heart -- so much detail, I could've taken a bath in it. The author manages not to turn it into either a headlong rush from one significant event to the next, or a patronizing anthropological study of an exotic time and place.
The main characters are all real people in Mughal India, and she isn't just filling the lacunae in the historical record with vapid drama. In this case, there are so many records and legends to choose from that she was able to assemble a fairly plausible narrative, though I'm sure scholars of the period would find points to which they could take exception (can't we always, though...). And the female protagonist of the story, the twentieth and most beloved wife of Emperor Jahangir, is a fantastic example of a real, powerful, brilliant woman in power in the pre-modern world.
I'm not sure how the series will carry on, with all the personnel changes that a historical drama necessarily includes, but I'm definitely going to keep reading.
The main characters are all real people in Mughal India, and she isn't just filling the lacunae in the historical record with vapid drama. In this case, there are so many records and legends to choose from that she was able to assemble a fairly plausible narrative, though I'm sure scholars of the period would find points to which they could take exception (can't we always, though...). And the female protagonist of the story, the twentieth and most beloved wife of Emperor Jahangir, is a fantastic example of a real, powerful, brilliant woman in power in the pre-modern world.
I'm not sure how the series will carry on, with all the personnel changes that a historical drama necessarily includes, but I'm definitely going to keep reading.
marci_purcell's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed both books in this series. The second was as well written but had much less drama in my perception, making it more difficult to want to read. It took longer for me to get through this book but it may have been because by the end I had read 800 pages on the Mughal empire and was a bit saturated. Although the book is an fictional account, dates and events are historically accurate and I do feel much better about knowing some history of that region of the world. I am richer for having read these books. I recommend these books, especially the first one to anyone wanting to learn more about this time period and culture.