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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsShadow Princessby Indu Sundaresan
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In Shadow Princess, Indu Sundaresan picks up where she left off in The Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses, returning to seventeenth-century India a few years after Mehrunnisa's death, as two royal princesses struggle for power. The daughters of the emperor, Jahangir and Roshanara, conspire and scheme against one another in an attempt to gain power over their father's harem. As royal princesses, they are confined in the imperial harem and not allowed to marry. However, this does not stop them from having illicit affairs or plotting who will be the next heir to the throne. These royal sisters are in competition for everything: control over the harem, their father's affection, and the future of their country. Unfortunately, only one of them can succeed. And despite their best efforts to affect the future, their schemes are eclipsed, both during their lives and in posterity, as they live in the shadow of the greatest monument in Indian history, the Taj Mahal. With a flair and enthusiasm for history and culture, Sundaresan creates a story full of rich details that brings the reader deep into the world of the lives of Indian women and their struggles for power and the profound history of the Taj Mahal, one of the most celebrated works of architecture in the world. Review:"Sundaresan (The Twentieth Wife) returns to 17th-century India in this romantic fictionalization of the life of Jahanara, the oldest child of the empress Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan's cherished wife. Mumtaz dies in childbirth, leaving four sons, two teenage daughters and a newborn girl. The grief-stricken emperor seeks consolation in the construction of the Taj, the magnificent Luminous Tomb, while the profundity of his mourning exposes his fallibility to his sons, who begin eyeing his throne. Jahanara and her sister Roshanara choose to back different brothers, and they compete to rule in both the royal harem and their father's heart. Before long, Jahanara is the one who succeeds as the emperor's closest confidante, and he refuses to allow her to leave him to marry. Sundaresan has a scholar's fascination with the period; she's at her best describing the opulent court or the construction of the Taj Mahal. Little is known about the actual Jahanara, and Sundaresan has blessed the princess's fictional proxy with such perfection that readers will be tempted to find her flawed siblings not only more believable but also more interesting." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Sundaresan brings to life two little-known though remarkable women who, though they lived in the shadows of great men, proved that still greater women stood behind them." Oregonian Review:"A perfect read for those who wish to delve deeply into the cultural struggles of Indian women and the Taj Mahal's celebrated architecture." Booklist Review:"Sundaresan brings sober devotion to the dynastic tale.... Readers with a taste for lyrically delivered detail...will find Sundaresan's word paintings as colorful as Indian miniatures." Kirkus Reviews Synopsis:International bestselling author Sundaresan pens an epic novel based on actual events about princesses fighting for power and respect in India's 17th-century royal court. About the AuthorIndu Sundaresan was born in India and grew up on Air Force bases all over the country. The Twentieth Wife, Sundaresan's first novel, won the 2003 Washington State Book Award. Her second novel, The Feast of Roses, is a sequel to the first and continues the story of Mehrunnisa, Empress Nur Jahan's life as the most powerful woman of the Mughal dynasty that ruled India. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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