An enchanting historical epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most controversial emp...
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Jul 17, 2007
Yosita
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I finished reading this book quite some time ago back in 2004 and it left quite a deep impact on me and the way I see things. The genre is still historical fiction, one of my favourites, written by a very talented Indian author, Indu Sundaresan. The story takes us to 15th century Mughal India, about the journey of a remarkable woman that would later in her life play a great role in the ruling of one of India’s greatest emperor, Jahangir, or formerly known as Prince Salim. Like most Indian author
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Aug 29, 2007
Great summer read with all the pomp and circumstance you'd expect for a novel about the royal court of 15th century Moghul Empire (which included what today is Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and most of India)
Mehrunnisa aka Empress Nur Jahan was one of the most powerful empresses of the Moghul Empire only her story is just now coming to light based on a pulling together of anecdotal mentions in books on the country and famous men at that time.
This is the first of two books o More...
Mehrunnisa aka Empress Nur Jahan was one of the most powerful empresses of the Moghul Empire only her story is just now coming to light based on a pulling together of anecdotal mentions in books on the country and famous men at that time.
This is the first of two books o More...
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 05, 2010
Matthew
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Jul 25, 2010
Khaya
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If you like Philippa Gregory and her genre of Harlequin romance-cum-historical fiction, there’s a good possibility you’ll like this book. Personally, I just couldn’t get into it. I read the first 50 pages, skimmed the next 240 just for the sake of writing a better-informed review, and couldn’t make myself plod through the last 90. That should tell you something.
The setting, late 1500s India, was definitely original and interesting but wasn’t enough to carry the story for me, espec More...
The setting, late 1500s India, was definitely original and interesting but wasn’t enough to carry the story for me, espec More...
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Dec 01, 2008
Roossy
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The Twentieth Wife was Mehrunissa.
Her father was almost abandoned her when she was just an infant for he could not afford her. Luckily, Mehrunissa was picked up by a Persian man who was also the savior of her family.
The Twentieth Wife, the story of Mehrunissa’s love to her prince, Salim.
It was also a story of politics in Mughal India kingdom and its harem.
After Mehrunissa’s father accepted a position in the kingdom, she was noticed by the Queen and was asked to be a lady More...
Her father was almost abandoned her when she was just an infant for he could not afford her. Luckily, Mehrunissa was picked up by a Persian man who was also the savior of her family.
The Twentieth Wife, the story of Mehrunissa’s love to her prince, Salim.
It was also a story of politics in Mughal India kingdom and its harem.
After Mehrunissa’s father accepted a position in the kingdom, she was noticed by the Queen and was asked to be a lady More...
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Dec 20, 2007
Kate
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The first thing that I thought once I put this book down was that it would be great to recommend to people who read "Memoirs of A Geisha" (I work in a bookstore). It has all the same basic elements: girl overcoming difficult childhood, unrequited love, obstacle after obstacle, etc. The setting for this novel is India and while it is similar to "Memoirs" the book is not merely a duplication in a different country. If you do read this book and enjoy it there is also a follow
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Apr 13, 2007
Shama
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Took me a long time to read. It was interesting to learn about the Mogul Empire, but because there is a sequel (Feast of Roses), I don't know if I can comment on the entire story yet since this story ends so abruptly. I would recommend this for people who want to learn more about that time, but I don't think I would classify this as a 'must-read.' I don't think I will read the sequel. Her third book, Splendor of Silence, is much better. You can really see how her writing as improved. I would rec
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May 20, 2011
Cyndy
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Every so often, you'll find a gem in the bargain books section of a bookstore. So it was with The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan, a novel based on actual events in the history of the Mughal Empire of India.
::: The Plot :::
Ghias Beg flees from Persia after his father's estates revert to the government, and he cannot pay his debts. During his journey from Persia, his wife gives birth to a daughter, Mehrunissa (meaning Sun of Women), but there is no way they can afford to car More...
::: The Plot :::
Ghias Beg flees from Persia after his father's estates revert to the government, and he cannot pay his debts. During his journey from Persia, his wife gives birth to a daughter, Mehrunissa (meaning Sun of Women), but there is no way they can afford to car More...
May 17, 2011
Hannah
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In The Twentieth Wife, Indu Sundaressen introduces her readers to the opulent court of 16th century India. Mehrunissa, the daughter of a Persian refugee comes to live at the court when she is eight years old. There she encounters the zenana, the royal harem, full of concubines, wives, and female servants of the Emporer. Her first glimpse of the royal palace and the ladies who live there spark in her the ambition to one day rule the zenana as chief wife. In a world where women were always veiled
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Mar 16, 2011
Danielle
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The Twentieth Wife is a fictional account based off reports and rumors of the life of Mehrunnisa before she became Empress Nur Jahan. The reports recall the drama of her birth, a love affair with Salim before he became emperor and the suspicion on Salim for her first husband’s death. Sundarsean manages to weave an intriguing tale of what Mehrunnisa’s life would have been like in seventeenth century India.
The novel begins at Mehrunnisa’s birth as her family is fleeing from Persia to India, More...
The novel begins at Mehrunnisa’s birth as her family is fleeing from Persia to India, More...
Jan 24, 2011
Mary
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Jan 28, 2010
from the Powell's Daily Dose:
The Twentieth Wife
by Indu Sundaresan
Esme's Comments:
"[B:]eautifully told, weaving together the rich history of India and the Mughal empire along with the love story of Mehrunnisa and Salim. While Mehrunnisa is the Prince's twentieth wife she quickly rises above his other wives to become his favorite. Their love story comes to life.... [T:]his book is written so well that readers can see the colors of the women's sari's, More...
The Twentieth Wife
by Indu Sundaresan
Esme's Comments:
"[B:]eautifully told, weaving together the rich history of India and the Mughal empire along with the love story of Mehrunnisa and Salim. While Mehrunnisa is the Prince's twentieth wife she quickly rises above his other wives to become his favorite. Their love story comes to life.... [T:]his book is written so well that readers can see the colors of the women's sari's, More...
Aug 23, 2009
Ariela
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Empress Nur Jahan was the twentieth and favorite wife of Mogul Emperor Jahangir. Born into an aristocratic Persian family who had immigrated to India, her birth name was Mehrunnisa. She was a remarkable beauty, with blue eyes and pale skin, who fell in love with Jahangir as a young girl serving Empress Ruqayya Sultan Begam (chief wife of Jahangir’s father, Emperor Akbar) in the Imperial harem. Then a prince, Jahangir was likewise enamored with her, but at seventeen she was married off to a soldi
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Nov 07, 2011
Angela
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It took over a week for me to figure out why I was having such a tough time with The Twentieth Wife, a story of a pair of star-crossed lovers in imperial Mughal India in the 16th century. The protagonist Mehrunnisa is everything a feminist would want: intelligent, head-strong, gorgeous, and independent. However, I'm half-way through the book and it seems to me that the author has marginalized her just as much as the culture she lives in does. Her only act of bravery has been to smile through her
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Jul 17, 2010
Tania
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 16, 2010
Rachel
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The Twentieth Wife a historical novel set in India under the Mughal Empire in the 17th century. It chronicles the love between Mehrunnisa and Prince Salim. The author has stated that she based the story in factual information and took artistic license to fill in gaps where information was not available. This book had a list of main characters at the front, which was very helpful. I wish that it had listed all of the characters though – so many of them had similar names that it could get confusi
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Jan 04, 2011
Sarah
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Hands down, one of the most annoying pieces of writing I've read. I really wanted to get swept up in the story, but the writer was too busy with all the details except the character development. Could Maherunnisa and Jahangir be so love sick all the time? I hope not. After all, they weren't teenagers throughout the entire book. There were also some other cultural inaccuracies that I just couldn't get past. I find it really hard to believe Jahangir courted her the way Sundaresan described. It jus
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Feb 17, 2009
Cara
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This book is based in historical fact although some of the story is the author's fictional account of the characters and their lives. It is ultimately a love story of "soul mates" but also gives the reader a peek at life in the Mughal Empire and the harem of its emperor. I enjoyed this book for it's fairy-tale-like love story and the history behind it. The writer weaves the two effortlessly into one beautiful book.
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Oct 20, 2009
bookczuk
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Finally pulled this off the shelf and proceeded to try and plow through it. I love history. No doubt about it. And I love Indian history, especially about places I have been and have happy memories from. I remember sitting at Fatehpur Sikri with my brother Eric and my mother back in 1980, and having him tell me the story of the history of the city and the Taj. Somehow, his enthusiasm enchanted me and carried me away. This book, while there were moments of interest, was often bogged down fo
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Oct 28, 2011
Octavryna
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Kehidupan bangsawan yang naik turun, kaya kemudian menjadi pelarian tanpa harta benda. Hingga kelahiran putrinya pun dia tidak mampu memberikan sang "Ayah" imbalan persalinan.Meninggalkan bayi perempuan yang baru dilahirkan istrinya di jalan namun ditemukan kembali oleh sahabatnya yang memintanya menjadi orangtua asuh sang anak dengan segala biaya ditanggungnya. Seorang bayi perempuan yang membawa peruntungan baik,pikir mereka. Karena sejak itu hidup mereka berubah. Kembali menjadi ban
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Jul 25, 2011
Susie
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I am sorry to say this book didn’t do it for me. I wanted so much to like it but it just dragged on and on. There were parts that were interesting but for the most part I just wanted it over. This is supposedly a love story but I didn’t get that at all. Also the characters all just fall flat and I was glad I had a hardcover of this book to go along with the audiobook because it was hard to keep all the characters straight.
I can’t even really put my finger on just what I didn’t like. More...
I can’t even really put my finger on just what I didn’t like. More...
Dec 14, 2011
Mimi
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Dulu saya pernah membaca dan mereview buku ‘Jahanara’ dan sangat jatuh hati pada kisah dari negeri Hindustan itu. Kini, Indu Sundaresan membuat kisah latar belakang berdirinya monumen cinta Taj Mahal dalam 3 buku terpisah, masing-masing bercerita tentang wanita pada zamannya, pencetus ide pendirian Taj Mahal tersebut.
Inilah buku pertama dari Trilogi Taj Mahal.
Adalah Mehrunnisa, putri dari Ghias Beg, bangsawan dari Persia yang jatuh miskin akibat peperangan, dibawa oleh ayahny More...
Inilah buku pertama dari Trilogi Taj Mahal.
Adalah Mehrunnisa, putri dari Ghias Beg, bangsawan dari Persia yang jatuh miskin akibat peperangan, dibawa oleh ayahny More...
Jun 26, 2011
Donna
rated it:
I was fascinated by this book about Mehrunnisa who fell in love with Prince Salim and later became his twentieth wife when he was emperor of Mughal India around 1600. This was a fictionalized version of the true story as it has been recorded in historical records. The book is finely written with much of the cultural detail embedded into the story to give it flesh. It also reads like a well written romance story and would be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good love story. While there is a simmerin
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Sep 27, 2010
Joe
rated it:
I would really like to give this book a 3.5 rating. There are so many things to like about this book. Indu Sundaresan does a wonderful job drawing readers into the 16th century Mughal Empire and Indian culture (she even provides a glossary, which is helpful and not annoying as one might suspect). I was reluctant to read the book with the fear of not understanding this cultural epic. Sundaresan's effort to entertain and educate through this story of ambition, betrayal, deceit, war, love, and poli
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Apr 11, 2010
Stephanie
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I started this book not expecting much and not really expecting to finish, but the story kept me interested. This book is historical fiction and the author definitely put hours and hours into researching the time period and story to make sure it was as accurate as possible. She even turned off all electronic gadgets, burned incense in her house, and ate Indian food while she was writing to better help her stay in 1600 India. The story is about the love of the last wife of Jahangir, the father
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Nov 17, 2011
Carole
rated it:
Interesting look into harem life in the Moghal Empire during the early 17th century. This is "historical fiction". I always find that term odd. Basically, the author has taken what is documented about some actual people and events, added to it and made it into a fictional story with dialogue, feelings, and motivations for actions. One thing that was surprising to me was that, according to the author, the members of the Emporer's harem actually had some power and had more freedom than m
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Jul 27, 2009
Stacy
rated it:
4 1/2 stars. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, but I didn't realize when I started it that it was an historical novel and I tend to enjoy those. The characters were well-developed and interesting. Although it took me a little while to get into it, and I had some difficulty in keeping some of the names straight (a lot of them were very similar and tough to pronounce), once I got into it, it was hard to put it down.
As modern American women, it is almost impossi More...
As modern American women, it is almost impossi More...
Dec 24, 2008
Libbie
rated it:
Great book! I actually listened to the unabridged audio version of this book while I worked. It was so captivating that I kept finding reasons to keep my iPod on even after my work was done so I didn't have to stop "reading." A lot of cleaning and laundry got done thanks to The Twentieth Wife.
Sundaresan's writing style is fluid and elegant, thoroughly descriptive yet far from purple. She is truly a very gifted writer, and her unique style carried the story of Mehronnisa More...
Sundaresan's writing style is fluid and elegant, thoroughly descriptive yet far from purple. She is truly a very gifted writer, and her unique style carried the story of Mehronnisa More...
Jul 10, 2007
Lexie
rated it:
The third selection for our book club group. I had a hard time staying captive in this story, despite my passion for historical fiction. I've never had a strong interest in Indian history, which accounts for my lack of enthusism in reading this one.
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Apr 13, 2011
Eileen
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I really wanted to like this book. It was recommended to me by someone who is usually right on with book suggestions, and the description sounded so interesting, but ultimately I just couldn't connect with the characters.
Read the description of this book up above. Does that sound like a book where they don't get together until 90% of the book is over? Its billed as this great romance, but it certainly doesn't feel like one. They keep meeting and he keeps forgetting her. Seriousl More...
Read the description of this book up above. Does that sound like a book where they don't get together until 90% of the book is over? Its billed as this great romance, but it certainly doesn't feel like one. They keep meeting and he keeps forgetting her. Seriousl More...
