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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsThe Twentieth Wifeby Indu Sundaresan
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:For three and a half centuries, the Taj Mahal has haunted our imaginations. It is a tomb built by a grieving king of the Mughal Empire (1526-1858) in India in memory of his beloved wife.
But it was this woman's aunt, an empress in her own right, who was the most powerful queen of that dynasty. The Twentieth Wife is the story of this Empress Nur Jahan. The year is 1577. As a winter storm rages in the remote outpost of Kandahar, a baby girl named Mehrunnisa is born in a nomad tent. Her parents, penniless and in exile from their home in Persia, decide to give up the child. They already have three children, and are on their way to the Mughal court in India. Thirty-four years later, this child of the storm comes to Emperor Jahangir's harem as his twentieth wife, and becomes Empress Nur Jahan. Brought up around the Mughal court, Mehrunnisa sees Jahangir at his first wedding. She decides with the precocity of an eight-year-old, that one day, she will be his wife. In the years before this becomes an actuality, Mehrunnisa will be married to another man despite her inclinations. She sees her husband slaughtered by the imperial army — court gossips will have it on Jahangir's orders. There are powerful courtiers determined not to let the marriage take place. One of Jahangir's wives, Mehrunnisa's biggest rival in the imperial harem, tries to turn the Emperor against her. Through all these years, Mehrunnisa and Jahangir's love for each other endures until 1611, when she comes into his harem as his twentieth — and last — wife. At this time he gives her the title of Nur Jahan, by which she is known to posterity. Although a work of fiction, The Twentieth Wife is rooted in historical fact and detail culled from accounts of seventeenth-century travelers to Emperor Jahangir's court and the memoirs of the Mughal kings. Review:"First-time novelist Sundaresan writes in the great tradition of the Indian epic, an art she carries forward with grace and brilliance....This is a remarkably readable book despite the historical basis, with which many readers will not be familiar." Michelle Reale, Library Journal Review:"More than just a love story, this novel offers a kaleidoscope of India's history and culture....Through the intelligent and perceptive Mehrunnisa, Sundaresan conducts a symphony of textures." Elsa Gaztambide, Booklist Review:"Despite its descriptive strengths, however, the work doesn't quite convince as creative fiction. So much plot is squeezed into the novel that there's little time for character development Mehrunnisa and Jahangir are wooden and one-dimensional creations, and matters aren't helped by the often stilted prose. Regardless of the wealth of edifying historical detail, this tale of palace intrigue is less than intriguing." Publishers Weekly Review:"[A] fascinating novel about a fascinating time...characters that...move with grace and panache across the brilliant stage she has reconstructed." Chitra Divakaruni, author of The Mistress of Spices and The Unknown Errors of Our Lives Review:"Good old-fashioned historical fiction....Full of jeweled beauties and crumbling ruins, [The Twentieth Wife] satisfies every craving for the pomp and mystery of India's past." Chicago Tribune Review:"Rich and realistic....A delicious story." The Seattle Times Synopsis:Based on the life of an actual empress of the Mughal empire, the woman for whom the Taj Mahal was built, The Twentieth Wife blends historical reality with the rich imaginings of a fairy tale, providing a fascinating portrait of one woman's defiant life behind the veil. Synopsis:An enchanting historical epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most controversial empresses — a woman whose brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles, and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal Empire. Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensual imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in Mehrunnisa's embattled love with Prince Salim, and in the bedazzling destiny of a woman — a legend in her own time — who was all but lost to history until now. About the AuthorIndu Sundaresan, born and raised in India, came to the United States for graduate school. The Twentieth Wife is her first novel. She continues Mehrunnisa's tale in The Feast of Roses, forthcoming from Atria Books. She lives in Bellevue, Washington. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
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