4.36 avg rating — 3,583,286 ratings

"haunting and classic, rich writing
"

4.03 avg rating — 15,530 ratings

"said, "Here, people at the office are reading this." My first glimpse I thought torrid romance, eh? I opened the book and fell in love with the story. First of all the Taj has great signifigance for me in that it was built for the love of a woman, and there is now in the outskirts of New Dehli, The Baha'i House of Worship, and the architect took quite seriously this concept. He wanted to build something for the Indians, an organic structure for the love of humankind. The Indian House of Worship is shaped like a lotus blossom, and basically was built with only one crane, and many workers. You can Google Baha'i House of Worship and look for Indian temple.

That said, this novel is historically accurate - the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, buildt the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and not longer after its completion, there was a power struggle among his sons. The author's note indicates that scholars (with a capital S) disagree on numerous matters ... "inclding the construction methods of the Taj, the identity of the principal architect, and even how long the mausoleum took to build." But the larger story is historically accurate, as I understood it, and the author dramatized epic events, taking liberties with events, customs and characters' actions. Thus, it is fiction.

Fiction can say much more often times than nonfiction. I found the story gripping, the characters finely drawn and the story compelling. Iwas amazed the author portrayed this particular woman so well. I highly recommend this book - it is a good read"

4.39 avg rating — 2,957,162 ratings

4.33 avg rating — 1,400,005 ratings

4.21 avg rating — 640,687 ratings

4.12 avg rating — 808,197 ratings

4.18 avg rating — 3,509,376 ratings

4.16 avg rating — 2,530,642 ratings

3.80 avg rating — 3,984,726 ratings

4.16 avg rating — 2,393,939 ratings

4.20 avg rating — 5,693,668 ratings

4.30 avg rating — 528,565 ratings

4.09 avg rating — 518,060 ratings

3.97 avg rating — 716,856 ratings

4.18 avg rating — 2,524,370 ratings

4.03 avg rating — 1,019,366 ratings

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 370,216 ratings

3.93 avg rating — 792,686 ratings

4.28 avg rating — 768,627 ratings

4.01 avg rating — 263,932 ratings

4.24 avg rating — 342,769 ratings

3.85 avg rating — 900,269 ratings

4.45 avg rating — 697,632 ratings

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 164,289 ratings

4.31 avg rating — 1,268,388 ratings

3.72 avg rating — 250,207 ratings

4.01 avg rating — 179,010 ratings

3.52 avg rating — 8,161 ratings

4.16 avg rating — 666,365 ratings

4.03 avg rating — 4,755,207 ratings

3.89 avg rating — 2,266,655 ratings

3.64 avg rating — 69,257 ratings

4.10 avg rating — 512,869 ratings

4.31 avg rating — 127,819 ratings

3.98 avg rating — 2,135,682 ratings

3.83 avg rating — 73,639 ratings

4.04 avg rating — 1,292,137 ratings

4.16 avg rating — 136,013 ratings

4.20 avg rating — 792,512 ratings

4.17 avg rating — 1,329,171 ratings

3.92 avg rating — 1,979,560 ratings

4.33 avg rating — 1,146,553 ratings

4.11 avg rating — 959,344 ratings

3.91 avg rating — 138,735 ratings

3.65 avg rating — 61,221 ratings

4.35 avg rating — 4,424 ratings

4.09 avg rating — 56,535 ratings

4.09 avg rating — 96,730 ratings

4.10 avg rating — 562,575 ratings

3.99 avg rating — 397,856 ratings

3.74 avg rating — 84,973 ratings

3.92 avg rating — 246,242 ratings

3.92 avg rating — 164,976 ratings

3.92 avg rating — 205,857 ratings

3.92 avg rating — 329,869 ratings

3.85 avg rating — 307,794 ratings

4.27 avg rating — 238,793 ratings

3.71 avg rating — 386,411 ratings

3.90 avg rating — 374,433 ratings

4.10 avg rating — 236,021 ratings

4.10 avg rating — 75,457 ratings

4.06 avg rating — 71,032 ratings

3.82 avg rating — 307,598 ratings

4.07 avg rating — 455,350 ratings

3.67 avg rating — 247,459 ratings

4.26 avg rating — 1,837,329 ratings

3.98 avg rating — 30,414 ratings

4.21 avg rating — 858,643 ratings

4.02 avg rating — 106,109 ratings

3.99 avg rating — 900,802 ratings

4.11 avg rating — 91,587 ratings

4.11 avg rating — 241,841 ratings

3.78 avg rating — 507,215 ratings

3.79 avg rating — 32,375 ratings

3.79 avg rating — 37,943 ratings

4.37 avg rating — 924,835 ratings

4.15 avg rating — 81,622 ratings

4.07 avg rating — 81,081 ratings

3.81 avg rating — 31,735 ratings

4.04 avg rating — 45,523 ratings

3.68 avg rating — 30,421 ratings

3.98 avg rating — 53,248 ratings

4.12 avg rating — 17,942 ratings

3.81 avg rating — 74,429 ratings

3.84 avg rating — 77,303 ratings

4.07 avg rating — 884,010 ratings

3.61 avg rating — 33,621 ratings

3.98 avg rating — 118,920 ratings

4.30 avg rating — 284,679 ratings

4.24 avg rating — 22,426 ratings

4.41 avg rating — 214,080 ratings

4.34 avg rating — 190,410 ratings

3.95 avg rating — 481,654 ratings

3.77 avg rating — 10,209 ratings

4.04 avg rating — 14,934 ratings

4.29 avg rating — 18,405 ratings

4.12 avg rating — 5,929 ratings

3.77 avg rating — 63,624 ratings

4.31 avg rating — 423,267 ratings

4.07 avg rating — 105,789 ratings