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Summary: Where's the sequel?
Review: I loved this book! It was the first book I've read in a long time that I simply couldn't put down! I finished it in one day!
I really liked the character of Mehrunnisa and we get a very interesting glimpse of life in Mughal India and inside its' harem walls.
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Summary: Travel to a new world
Review: I read this book while I was pregnant with my twins. I knew a vacation was not coming anytime soon so I ventured into a new world for me -- India. I loved this book, filled with drama, mystery, history and just lots of good reading. I read this and The Feast of Roses and now that my twins are 4 months I have loaned them to three people that agree. Great book, savor it!
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book....with each turn of a page came such anticipation in what would happen next. This is a captivating book, Indu has creatively taken me on a historical journey and brought to life, historic India. I recommend this book to anyone intrigued about the country and what life was like in that era. I have already purchased the following book "The Feast of Roses" where Indu continues the epic of Mehruninsa and the Monghul empire.
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Summary: page turning and full of colors smells and textures
Review: i really enjoyed this book. the trip to India was fantastic with the smells and textures and colors that Sundaresan places into her novel. I so enjoyed the strong lead character and the intricate details of court life of the time.
it has peaked my interest in Indian cooking again and interest in learning more about the culture and history. what a fantastic book.
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Summary: Colorful and Enhanting
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It took me to another world - a world I've never been to. I imagined the colors of their clothes to the sweat of their bodies from the heat. As I read on the train I visualized the jewelry sounds from the anklets and the colorful swaying "Ghagara's" they wore. I turned each page with eagerness and wondering what was going to happen next! I love happy endings! Now I'm on a hunt for the continuation of "Mehrunnisa" now known as empress "Nur Jahan".
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Summary: A must-read for fans of historical fiction
Review: I tend to read a lot of historical fiction. Most tends to focus on events in Western/European/American history. THE TWENTIETH WIFE, on the other hand, gives the reader a rich view of life in the Mughal Empire of 1600's India. I was absolutely riveted by this book--the story of Menhurrisa, a woman who was born into a family made destitute by unfortunate circumstance, and rose to become one of the Mughal empire's most powerful Empresses. The characters were all richly developed, the descriptions of everything from daily life to the bazaars held me spellbound, and the pages seemed to fly by. A definite must-read book for anyone who loves historical fiction. I plan to buy the sequel, THE FEAST OF ROSES, as soon as it's out. THE FEAST OF ROSES tells of Menhurrisa's life after the becomes Empress, THE TWENTIETH WIFE tells of her intriguing childhood and the path she followed up to the time she marries the Mughal Emperor.
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Summary: Editing anyone?
Review: I think this book could have been a lot better if the editing were done correctly. I found all the mistakes boring and annoying. I will not be reading any more books by this writer at least not until Indu Sundaresan gets a few more books underbelt!
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Summary: I tried so hard to like this book...
Review: I tried so hard to like this book. The story is a magnificent one, the history so alive but I couldn't get myself past the fact that a 6-8 year old could be so wordly and articulate. Her obsession and goal to marry Prince Salim from such a young age held little ground. No reason or impetus was given for this sudden aspiration. I only got to chapter 3 when I had to put it down as it lacked conviction and authority.
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Summary: Looooong and slow
Review: I typically love books based on Indian culture and cultures that have arranged marriages, etc. However this book was not what I had hoped it would be. While the story starts out great with a growing family moving to make a better life for themselves and the experiences they face, it slowly becomes something a bit more political and focuses on war too much. I could not get passed the war talk! It seemed to go on forever and I was disappointed by how the story unfolded. There seemed to be too much about the war and not enough about the main characters. I was very disappointed but that is probably because I was thinking the story would be something entirely different.
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Summary: Subtle...Elegant...Beautiful
Review: I was so captivated by this book that I had to struggle between my desire to read it straight through and taking my time, savoring it and making it last. The book is beautifully written. The main character is engaging, intelligent and very human. I disagree with some of the other reviewers who have said the characters are poorly developed. As an American-born Indian, I think that a person unfamiliar with Eastern cultures may miss the many subtle traits/events/descriptions that create a dynamic and vivid world that these richly developed characters inhabit. I actually received "The Feast of Roses" as a gift, read the first ten pages and knew I had to read the first book - because I fell in love with the world the author created. It is thrilling to see Indian authors telling our stories in a beautiful, poetic way.
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