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Rating: 
Summary: She's getting better all the time!
Review: I thought Kathryn Lasky was going great with Marie Antoinette and Mary of Scots, but with Jahanara she's gotten even better. I'd never even heard of this seventeenth-century Indian princess before I read this book, but now I want to know more about her. And that's the ultimate goal for writers of historical fiction, isn't it? Jahanara, despite being the highest-ranking princess in the Indian royal family and owning jewels the size of robin's eggs, leads a pretty dull life. She is almost never permitted to venture outside the harem where she lives with her younger siblings and her father's many wives. And when she does leave, she must wear a thick veil to conceal all of her features, as is customary with Muslim women. She worries constantly about her family. Her father is the emperor of India, but his stepmother Nur Mahal is constantly plotting against him to the point where he once has to fake his own death to escape her clutches. Two of Jahanara's younger brothers, Dara and Aurangzeb, were taken political hostage by Nur Mahal and she worried constantly for their safety. Then they returned, Aurangzeb was not the same person who had left. He had not only become a militant Islamic who hated all things that were not Muslim (as compared to Jahanara and Dara who snuck food to eat during Ramadan), he was also greedy and power-hungry. Though he had two older brothers, Aurangzeb was determined to become emperor and Jahanara was sure he would kill for the privilege. Thus the royal court of India swirled with intrigue, even behind the screens of the harem. I found this to be very interesting book, especially in the descriptions of courtly dress and manner. I had only two small problems with it. There was a minor subplot where Jahanara adopted a street child which I found unnecessary, as it added nothing to the story. And at the end of the book there were two large gaps in the diary entries, one of a year, the other of several months, with weak explanations for them. It was as if Kathryn Lasky was in a big hurry to finish the book and get to the final dramatic climax. However those are only small squabbles I have. The historical note is very interesting and informative. It tells the fate of Jahanara's family, and
states that it was for Jahanara's mother that the Taj Mahal was built. In a nutshell, I loved this book.
Rating:
Summary: Jahanara: Princess of Princesses of a vastly changing land
Review: Jahanara is 13 when the book starts. She and her family and court are prisoners in tents. However, they break free and are able to regain their throne. They move to the palace and Jahanara experiences the life of a "Begum Sahib" a princess of princesses. Follow her from the ages of 13-16. This was one of the most interesting books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: This is an incredible book
Review: Jahanara is a high ranking princess living in India, but life is pretty boring for her. She has an evil stepmother named Nur Mahal who is determined to destroy Jahanara's father the emperor and they have to go through extreme measures to keep him safe.
But despite that, Jahanara finds some interesting things to do, including a 'flirting market' and sneaking food to eat during the holy month of Ramadan, where all devout Muslims are to fast all day.
But when things take a turn for the worse, Jahanara proves herself to be worthy of the royal family of India. This book is absolutely wonderful. After I started reading, I could not put it down!
Life in the harem sounded so interesting, and the historical note is very informative. You will not be disappointed with this stellar book
Rating:
Summary: A great addition to the Royal Diaries
Review: Jahanara Princess of Princesses is an awesome book! I loved hearing about an Indian princess. Jahanara lives in luxery, she's got servants, jewels, a whole group of trained elephants especially for her... so she should be the happiest girl in the world, right? WRONG! Although her life sounds great it isn't. Her evil Grandmother Nurl Mahal (I think that's her name) is imprisioning her family and has taken full power away from her father who should be emperor and is holding her two brothers captive. Once her father regains controll her brothers are returned but her younger brother comes back as a religous extremest who tells Jahanara that one day he will take over the empire. I'll just leave you hanging there........ This is an amazing book. It takes you away to India just before the taj Mahal is built. It was really interesting to learn about a completely different culture. This book inspired me to find out more about India!
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Summary: The Exciting Life of Jahanara: Princessof Princesses
Review: Jahanara princess of princesses: Book Review
By: Kathryn Lasky I think the author did a very good job writing this book. She never let the reader get confused in reading the story. I never felt that I wasn't the character. Everything the character felt, I felt. She always explained and described everything that was happening very well. Everything was told step by step. This fictional biography is based on the Indian princess of princesses, Jahanara who lived in 1627. It takes you through four years of her life. The story begins when they are prisoners under an evil woman, Nur Mahal, who has Jahanara's two brothers separated from them. Then Jahanara's father tricks everybody and regains the throne and Jahanara's family is free. Jahanara then travels and gets the nicest apartments along with jewels as big as her big toe; being her father's favorite. But she is still not free. This book is also a mystery. When Nur Mahal finally let's the two brothers go, they return normal, except one. He has changed very much; he acts odd and is very, very pious. Jahanara also gets very confused sometimes for she does not know what is going on because nobody tells her. Therefore she has to find out for herself. This book's strengths are that it captures the reader. Once you start reading it, you cannot stop. When I had to stop, I felt as though I was watching a show on T.V. but I had to miss it because I was going somewhere. The author does a good job keeping you hooked to the story. You can picture what was going on, as if it were a real show. This book has only one weakness. The author uses some Indian words that you can't figure out. So you have to look at the glossary at the end of the book. This can interrupt your focus. I definitely recommend this book to all readers. It is full of adventure, but mostly mystery. It will have you keep on asking, "What is going to happen next?" This is a "have to read book."
Rating:
Summary: A great addition to the Royal Diaries
Review: Jahanara, a 17th-century Indian princess, is a royal that many of us know little about. Here, Kathryn Lasky tells her story in a way filled with exotic and fascinating details. Really, the best thing about this diary is simply learning about a princess that is far less familiar to us than royals such as Queen Isabella (Spain)or Princess Anastasia (Russia). Throughout the story, Jahanara emerges as an intelligent, intuitive person, and although someone complained that this book didn't have a "central plot," I think I was sufficiently satisfied with just getting a glimpse at Jahanara's character in this diary. Furthermore, it really is fun to learn about Indian customs through this diary. Jahanara describes in detail the lavish court feasts, parades, and living quarter decoration (think diamonds, rubies, and emeralds!). Even more interestingly, she describes how the Indian custom of "purdah", or constantly shielding women from men's eyes, kept her a prisoner in her own palace. So...interesting character, interesting cultural detail. However, one small tibit of information about this book spoiled a little of my pleasure. According to the School Library Journal's review of this book, some of the characterizations are distorted. Apparently, Jahanara's step-grandmother, who was cast as a cruel, manipulative woman in the book, was not really like that, and Jahanara's father was not as saintly as the author made him appear. Ordinarily, a little bit of inaccuracy wouldn't disturb me in a minor character in a Royal Diary, yet since Jahanara's step-grandmother's treachery formed the backbone of many of the plots in this diary, I found the inaccuracy annoying. To read or not to read? Well, I'd say read, simply to learn about an inspiring young woman who would have made a wonderful ruler of India.
Rating: 
Summary: Good...but could be more accurate
Review: This book is interesting and an important addition to the Royal Diaries series, for it's about a somewhat obscure princess from India. The author is to be commended for choosing this subject, but as in all historical fiction, accuracy with facts is paramount. 'The Snake' mentioned in the book as Nur Mahal, is called Nur Jahan, a name Jahanara would surely be familiar with by the time she writes the diary. Also, Nur Jahan was Jahanara's mother's aunt (hence her grand aunt, sister to Jahanara's grandfather). Jahanara does not seem to realize this relationship in the story at all; and Nur Jahan was, by 1628, confined to Lahore in semi-exile, so could not have traveled to Kashmir with the royal party. Khurram's mother, and Jahangir's wife was NOT Sher Afghan, but a Hindu princess. (Both Jahangir and Khurram were born of Hindu princessess). Sher Afghan was Nur Jahan's first HUSBAND, not Jahangir's wife. On the whole this is a well written book, and except for a few historical hiccups, the author has done her research into the time period.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful!
Review: This book is really great. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: All right
Review: This book was okay. I've definitely read better books, this book was rather dull and mundane at times. I was bored reading this, and didn't care for Jahanara's character.
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Summary: Different and little known topic...but great!
Review: Yet another interesting Royal Diary has been published. Centering around Jahanara, a Muslim Princess of India,
who is being trapped prisoner because of her wretched
step-grandmother. Many of her siblings have been taken
capture. Her father is in exile and should be the ruler
of the Mohgul Empire. Turn these gold lined pages and
learn about the path that Jahanara took that later brought
her to being a ruler. Like all Royal Diaries, you should
read this one.
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