Beneath a Marble Sky
by John Shors (Goodreads author!)
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 931)
Read in July, 2008
recommended to Lisa by:
Christi
There have been a few conversations in our book club where the discussion inevitably led us to ask: "Can you believe a man wrote that?" This is one of those books. Shors so effectively creates a female voice (in 17th century Hindustan/India, no less!), that I would have thought it was penned by the narrator herself. Although I didn't read this for book club, I will highly recommend it to my friends, and no, it's not because I love Indian writers (he's not). I'm definitely a fan o...more
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Diterjemahkan oleh Mizan dalam judul Taj Mahal Kisah Cinta Abadi. Membaca novel yang dilumuri latar belakang sejarah selalu membuat saya terlena dan terpengaruh. Pengaruh yang ringan ialah ketika saya begitu menggebu untuk mencari tahu apa dan siapa para tokoh ataupun sesuatu dalam novel ini, usai saya menamatkannya. Tentu saja mencari melalu dunia maya.
Taj Mahal dalam arti bangunan yang sesungguhnya tidak cukup bermagnet untuk menarik perhatian saya dengan serius hingga saya menamatkan nove...more
Taj Mahal dalam arti bangunan yang sesungguhnya tidak cukup bermagnet untuk menarik perhatian saya dengan serius hingga saya menamatkan nove...more
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Read in September, 2007
dari Buku ini, aku diajarai bahwa Perempuan Seksi bisa didefisinikan sebagai : Perepuan Pinter, Cerdas, Licik dan Daya Tahan Tinggi...
Aku beli buku ini sebulan yang lalu, gak ngerti..penasaran saja. Ternyata buku yang tak baca 2x24 jam ini ( pake tidur juga, makan juga,kerja juga) berkisah ttg "varian lain perempuan". He..., terlepas targetku yg gak jelas juga, tapi melakukan eksplorasi ttg bagaimana perempuan perempuan itu berfikir, berpolitik, bersiasat dan berhasrat cukup men...more
Aku beli buku ini sebulan yang lalu, gak ngerti..penasaran saja. Ternyata buku yang tak baca 2x24 jam ini ( pake tidur juga, makan juga,kerja juga) berkisah ttg "varian lain perempuan". He..., terlepas targetku yg gak jelas juga, tapi melakukan eksplorasi ttg bagaimana perempuan perempuan itu berfikir, berpolitik, bersiasat dan berhasrat cukup men...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Diane by:
Jane Malone - Audubon Book Clubrecommends it for: Historical Fiction Lovers
This book, a selection for the book club I belong to, was a pleasant surprise. Books billed as love stories or romances aren't typically on my reading list. Beneath a Marble Sky opened a fascinating world of Indian history and politics told through the 1st person narrator, Princess Jahanara, whose father commissioned the Taj Mahal in memory of his favorite wife. The intrigue and betrayal of Jahanara's father and family in her brother's quest for the throne unfolds in parallel with Taj Ma...more
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Read in October, 2007
I found this book pretty fascinating as well as disturbing...and not in a good way. I have noticed that since having children, I don't do well with violence in books. This book has some pretty blatant violence in it that was hard for me to read. (I'm sure it really isn't THAT bad, I just am ultra sensitive to it, especially when it has to do with children--there is a lot of castration and war and executions etc...) I had to read another "light" book while reading this one because i...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Jen by:
book clubrecommends it for: critically-thinking challenged
The best part of the book was its pace. The plot never stalled. It was also interesting in its description of the culture.
There are three reasons that I do not recommend this book, however. The first is the ending. There was no resolution to the main conflict in the book between the main character and the main villain. The second reason is that the violence against women in this book, however realistic, was overplayed. Two scenes in particular made my skin crawl. But beyond that, the far mor...more
There are three reasons that I do not recommend this book, however. The first is the ending. There was no resolution to the main conflict in the book between the main character and the main villain. The second reason is that the violence against women in this book, however realistic, was overplayed. Two scenes in particular made my skin crawl. But beyond that, the far mor...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in May, 2007
This is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. I am fascinated by books about other cultures. This historical fiction pick is set in India at the time the Taj Mahal was being built.
It delves into history, there's a love story, family struggles, drama, intrigue. This book has it all. I originally selected it because I ran a feature story on my newscast about the author, who will either call in to your book club, or, if your book club is big enough, he will make an appearance at your ...more
It delves into history, there's a love story, family struggles, drama, intrigue. This book has it all. I originally selected it because I ran a feature story on my newscast about the author, who will either call in to your book club, or, if your book club is big enough, he will make an appearance at your ...more
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Read in July, 2007
I read this book for my Historical Favorites Book Group. This was my review on Amazon.ca:
Historical Fiction at its Finest!
This historical fiction is about the story behind the building of the Taj Mahal, which was built to honor Mughal Empress Mumtaz Maha. It’s the saga of her family and is told by the central character Jahanara, the daughter of the Mughal emperor. It is a story of love, honor, and betrayal.
This book is exquisite! Shor’s deftly colors each page with breathtaki...more
Historical Fiction at its Finest!
This historical fiction is about the story behind the building of the Taj Mahal, which was built to honor Mughal Empress Mumtaz Maha. It’s the saga of her family and is told by the central character Jahanara, the daughter of the Mughal emperor. It is a story of love, honor, and betrayal.
This book is exquisite! Shor’s deftly colors each page with breathtaki...more
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Read in July, 2008
The book was ok. It was more like a love story than a historical fiction. There a parts of the book that I found the need to research to determine if it was fact or fiction based on previous readings about the Mughal Empire.
If you trust Wikipedia, her relationship with Aurangzeb wasn't all that bad. Wikipedia says that Aurangzeb made her the Empress of Princesses after their father's death. Since there was ban on marriages of Mughal Princesses, I thought Jahanara didn't actually get marr...more
If you trust Wikipedia, her relationship with Aurangzeb wasn't all that bad. Wikipedia says that Aurangzeb made her the Empress of Princesses after their father's death. Since there was ban on marriages of Mughal Princesses, I thought Jahanara didn't actually get marr...more
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Read in January, 2008
This book is based around the building of the Tajiah Mahal (I'm sure I slaughtered the spelling) and was not only a great read but a fabulous way to learn about middle eastern culture and religion. I was as much educated as I was entertained and was very impressed by the overall writing of the book.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because there were half a dozen scenes that I found more graphic than I like. I think the book could have been just as powerful by taking out some of those scenes.
...more
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because there were half a dozen scenes that I found more graphic than I like. I think the book could have been just as powerful by taking out some of those scenes.
...more
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Read in February, 2008
The author explores the building of the Taj Mahal and the historical events surrounding it. The ruling monarch and his family are the main story. Fantastic historical novel. It is fiction, but based on true events and the family in power at the time. The emperor really did build the Taj Mahal as a monument to the love of his life, his wife. And he really did have a son who was the epitome of evil and so rips the family apart. The author is male but the story is narrated by the emperor's ol...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in January, 2008
This is a love story based in 17th century Hindustan - but not just your average love story. Finally, a love-story author that portrays a woman in a positive light! Not just hopelessly in love but also intelligent, loyal to her family (and her father's empire), truly selfless and very realistic with all of her emotional ups and downs.
This drama has the main character battling brothers and a disastrous arranged marriage, all the while fulfilling the needs of her father and trying to maintain...more
This drama has the main character battling brothers and a disastrous arranged marriage, all the while fulfilling the needs of her father and trying to maintain...more
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Read in August, 2008
Saw the reviews for this one and became interested. Saw it on the bargain shelf at Barnes and decided to take a chance. Only read the first 30 pages and it's got my attention.
Wow, am I glad I took a chance on this one. What an amazing love story that had me in tears at the end. The heroine Princess Jahanara is an amazingly strong women who does not see her own strengths. Her self doubt is heartwrenching. The story takes place around the building of the Taj Mahal. The way the author describes t...more
Wow, am I glad I took a chance on this one. What an amazing love story that had me in tears at the end. The heroine Princess Jahanara is an amazingly strong women who does not see her own strengths. Her self doubt is heartwrenching. The story takes place around the building of the Taj Mahal. The way the author describes t...more
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I was kind of disappointed that most of it is fiction (or at least the most important parts that form the basis of the story). You are thought to believe that this is based on a true story, but it is highly embellished, and culturally inaccurate in many cases. It kind of ruined the mystery of the Mughal Empire, the Taj Mahal, etc. for me. It is an easy read though, and somewhat entertaining, so if you like these sorts of love stories (but more on the side of a melodramatic soap opera) then you'l...more
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Read in January, 2008
I've normally kept away from the whole Historical Fiction genre because in the past I've found most of it rather cheesy and lame. This book, however, blew me away. Once I got past the first few chapters (which were a little too over descriptive in my opinion) I was sucked into the book and found myself in that oh-so-lovely postion of "one more chapter" reading. I finished the book in just a few days, mostly because I missed out on a lot of sleep to keep reading, and was really touch...more
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A copy of the email I sent to the author....
Dear Mr. Shors,
Thank you for making yourself accessible so that I can extend my thoughts on your book. IT WAS AMAZING! You did such a wonderful job describing the land, the time, and above all, the emotions of the story. From rage and dispair to the immense love the various characters had for each other, I felt it all. I expected to like this book, but I ended up loving it. It is now among my favorites, and I will be passing the word alon...more
Dear Mr. Shors,
Thank you for making yourself accessible so that I can extend my thoughts on your book. IT WAS AMAZING! You did such a wonderful job describing the land, the time, and above all, the emotions of the story. From rage and dispair to the immense love the various characters had for each other, I felt it all. I expected to like this book, but I ended up loving it. It is now among my favorites, and I will be passing the word alon...more
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Read in May, 2008
This book was just okay for me. I usually love historical fiction, but Beneath A Marble Sky kind of bordered on the edge of a melodramatic soap opera. The author, a man, did not write convincingly from a woman's perspective. Furthermore, the character development is quite shallow. For example, the evil brother is just evil through and through, period. We aren't given any substantial reasons why. Maybe I am just expecting too much after having finished East of Eden. All in all, it kept me turning...more
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Taj mahal....sebenarnya aku baca yang versi Indonesia..susah ya nyari disini atau karena aku lupa lagi dengan penulisnya ya.
Dalam buku Taj mahal diceritakan kisah cinta yang mengharukan..dengan seorang raja yang menghadiahkan Masjid yang amat megah yaitu Taj Mahal kepada istrinya, istrinya yang telah meninggal di medan perang pada saat proses meahirkan. Ternyata terdapat segudang cerita setelah kepergian istrinya itu..kehidupan putra putrinya di kerajaan di India....seterusnya baca aja deh...b...more
Dalam buku Taj mahal diceritakan kisah cinta yang mengharukan..dengan seorang raja yang menghadiahkan Masjid yang amat megah yaitu Taj Mahal kepada istrinya, istrinya yang telah meninggal di medan perang pada saat proses meahirkan. Ternyata terdapat segudang cerita setelah kepergian istrinya itu..kehidupan putra putrinya di kerajaan di India....seterusnya baca aja deh...b...more
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Read in July, 2008
How amazing would it be to see the Taj Mahal up close!! WOW! I thought the story was great. I thought the author did a great job of writing as an Indian women the 1600's but there were moments I felt like it was apparent that it was a man writing. I think it may be impossible to write as the opposite gender and completely grasp their understanding and emotions. That didn't stop me from loving the book!! I think although set as a love story, any man would enjoy it as well.
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Read in July, 2008
I do not know if I would have read this book had it not been for book club but it was an excellent read. I enjoyed the main character and the many moral choices the characters had to make to stay true to themselves. It was informative both on the different religions of hinduism and muslims and the history of the time. I found it interesting that for so long people have been fighting over religious beliefs without the ability to be tolerant or nonjudgemental. Great book.
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