Princess Jahanara is an old woman now, but she casts her memory back to her girlhood, when her father, the Emperor Shah Jehan, built the Taj Mahal in memory of her adored mother, Mumtaz, who died in childbirth. Jahanara fell in love with the building's architect and had an affair with him, even though she was married by then to an abusive man. The affair produced a daughter — and landed Jahanara in prison and then flight, as she manages to carry her child to safety. Now, many years later, Jahanara feels she must finally tell her two granddaughters the truth about their family history.

"Shors's spirited debut novel tells the story of the eldest daughter of the 17th-century emperor who built the Taj Mahal. From her self-imposed exile, Jahanara recalls growing up in the Red Fort; the devotion her parents, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, had for each other; and the events that took place during the construction of the fabulous monument to their love. Although Jahan is the emperor and has many wives, Mumtaz (he calls her Taj) is his soul mate, a constant companion and wise political consultant. She even travels with him into battle, where she eventually dies giving birth to their 14th child. Fortunately, she has the foresight to begin preparing her favorite daughter, Jahanara, by instructing the girl in the arts of influence and political strategy. Thus the young woman is able to pick up where her savvy mother left off. From then on it is Jahanara who advises the emperor, often instead of her dreamy brother, Dara, who is the rightful heir to the throne. It is she who helps with construction of the magnificent mausoleum for Mumtaz's remains and who falls in love with its architect, Isa, a man whom she can never marry. And it is she who leads a failed effort to defend the throne against a coup by her evil brother, Aurangzeb. With infectious enthusiasm and just enough careful attention to detail, Shors give a real sense of the times, bringing the world of imperial Hindustan and its royal inhabitants to vivid life." Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"[L]ively period detail and a surfeit of villains....An overly action-packed debut, but agreeably colorful nonetheless." Kirkus Reviews

"[A] thrilling tale of the interactions of characters recognizable for their loyalty, duplicity, and passion and will appeal to a wide audience. The author has included enough accurate details to make regular readers of historical fiction happy, too. Highly recommended." Library Journal

"An absorbing novel about the extremes of passion — with much relevance for our own time." Rocky Mountain News

"Evocative of the fantastical stories and sensual descriptions of One Thousand and One Nights, Beneath a Marble Sky is the story of Jahanara, the daughter of the 17th century Mughal emperor who built India's Taj Mahal. What sets this novel apart is its description of Muslim-Hindu politics, which continue to plague the subcontinent today." National Geographic Traveler

This "passionate, lush, and dramatic" (Sandra Gulland) debut novel reveals the story behind the building of the Taj Mahal and the destruction of a royal family.

Journey to dazzling seventeenth-century Hindustan, where the reigning emperor, consumed with grief over the tragic death of his beloved wife, commissions the building of the Taj Mahal as a testament to the marvel of their love. Princess Jahanara, their courageous daughter, recounts their mesmerizing tale, while sharing her own parallel tale of forbidden love with the celebrated architect of the Taj Mahal. This impressive novel sweeps readers away to a historical Hindustan brimming with action and intrigue in an era when, alongside the brutalities of war and oppression, architecture and the art of love and passion reached a pinnacle of perfection.

John Shors has spent years in Asia teaching, trekking across the continent, and climbing the Himalayas. Beneath a Marble Sky is his first novel. Author website: beneathamarblesky.com.