A review by becks29
The Feast of Roses by Indu Sundaresan

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.