false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167879813m/27298.jpg 27298 17 In <I>The Twentieth Wife</I>, first-time novelist Indu Sundaresan introduces readers to life inside a bejeweled, dazzling birdcage--the world of the Mughal Court's <I>zenana</I>, or imperial harem. Her heroine exercises power in the only way available to a woman in 17th-century India: from behind the veil. At the age of 8, Mehrunissa (the name means "Sun of Women") has already settled on her life's goal. After just one glimpse of his face, she wants to marry the Crown Prince Salim. And marry him she does, albeit some 26 years later, after overcoming the opposition of her family, an ill-starred early marriage, numerous miscarriages, and the scheming of other wives.<p> The story's gothic trappings have a basis in fact. As Sundaresan writes in her afterword, the historical Mehrunissa exercised far more power than was usually allotted to an empress, issuing coins in her own name, giving orders, trading, owning property, and patronizing the arts. (Curiously, the book ends just as Mehrunissa is ascending to the throne as empress, dwelling on her years of powerlessness and struggle rather than those of her enormous political influence.) Although the empress was fabled in her time, we know next to nothing about the woman herself. Unfortunately, Sundaresan does little to flesh out this intriguing figure. Despite the vivid historical detail, the reader remains more aware of the author's presence--and her own contemporary take on women's issues--than of her characters' inner lives. <I>--Mary Park</I> 27945 2002 The Twentieth Wife: A Novel total:1559|5:540|4:649|3:293|2:65|1:13| 1559 6313 2324 332 5 3 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Tue Jul 17 04:55:14 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 17 08:19:59 -0700 2007 more...]]> 0 2 true false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 29 06:02:36 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 29 06:16:21 -0700 2007
Mehrunnisa aka Empress Nur Jahan was one of the most powerful empresses of the Mog...more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Dec 02 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 01 21:03:30 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 01 21:04:23 -0800 2008 1 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, Sali...more...]]> 4 1 false false Thu Dec 20 18:31:40 -0800 2007 Thu Dec 20 18:39:54 -0800 2007 more...]]> 3 1 false false Fri Apr 13 07:38:07 -0700 2007 Fri Apr 13 07:40:30 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Sep 18 10:55:02 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 18 10:55:20 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Aug 23 17:53:26 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 23 17:53:34 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 1 false false Thu Aug 27 22:41:34 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 29 13:15:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Feb 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 04 06:59:58 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 17 09:27:29 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 20 09:34:06 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 20 17:27:42 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 1 false true Sat Sep 05 17:17:05 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 19 18:01:49 -0700 2009
The novel starts off with Ghias Beg and his wife Asmat deciding what to do with their new daughter, Mehrunnisa. Due to the dire ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jul 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 05 13:42:05 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 15:16:08 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Dec 24 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Nov 29 19:06:28 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 24 07:44:02 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 1 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 10 09:18:04 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 10 11:02:41 -0700 2007 4 1 false false Thu Sep 06 13:06:09 -0700 2007 Thu Sep 06 13:08:22 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Fri Jan 02 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Dec 28 21:24:39 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 13 09:28:07 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Mon May 11 15:09:48 -0700 2009 Mon May 11 15:15:51 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Apr 03 06:07:19 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 29 13:01:11 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 03 06:07:19 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 25 19:26:47 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 25 19:52:25 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jul 21 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 16 04:55:35 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 05:30:26 -0700 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=27298