I had been waiting to get my hands on this book for a while as I had already read the other two in the series. In fact, I read Shadow Princess about Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal’s daughter Jahanara first, and then The Feast of Roses, which describes the consolidation of Nur Jahan’s power.
The first book in the series, The Twentieth Wife, elaborates on Nur Jahan’s early life, leading up to her marriage to the Emperor Jahangir. It literally opens with her birth and ends with her aged 34 or so, on her wedding day. Both this book and its sequel cover one of the greatest romance of all time. The story of the Taj Mahal is often presented as one of the greatest love stories ever, but the love story of Nur Jahan and Jahangir seems even more compelling, possibly because Nur Jahan herself was such a feisty character. Her beauty and the Emperor’s love were just two sources of her power, the other was her intelligence and resourcefulness which she used to rule in lieu of the Emperor. That she was the power beyond the throne has been acknowledged in historical accounts of the time and documents such as imperial farmans that she issued herself.
I also felt curious about Jagat Gosini, Jahangir’s favourite before Nur Jahan captivated his attention. A Rajput princess, she was also a force to be reckoned with.
I really need to read more about this period. Our history textbooks, as always, were inadequate in this regard.
Like many series, this one gets better with each subsequent book. There were some lapses, repetitions and even a few typos in this book. The other two were far more accomplished and if I have to pick my favourite of the series, I’d go with The Feast of Roses. I was really startled by the power, erudition and wits of women in the zenana as also by the beauty of the love story. So if you want to start this series, I might even recommend starting with the second book first.
Anyone have other fiction from this period to recommend?
eeee there are more? i shall order them forthwith (i hope that we have rights cos we have twentieth wife…)
Yes, the others are better!
I tread all the three..and loved them…I was pretty surprised to see the kind of power women held in the Mughal period..and oh yes, I think, such books should be a part of our history subject in school, at least higher standards, the children will get hooked to history in no time
Oh I don’t think these books should be part of the history curriculum – as they are after all fiction (though one may argue that history itself is fiction) – but that our history books should present the facts in greater detail and in a more interesting way, really giving students a sense of the time and why those events were so significant instead of just going blah blah blah. And of course, pay more attention to women in history. SSC textbooks in Maharahtra were “the pits” as we used to say in school.
actually yes, you are right.. I agree
Errr..that word in my comment should have read as *read instead of tread..darn!
Haha, I didn’t even notice till you pointed it out.
R
I haven’t read the other two but I read and liked the twentieth wife. I agree, history at school was so boring and more about by-hearing than anything else, for me.
Will try and get hold of the other two as I do love historical fiction.
Nefertiti will be a nice read if you love historical fiction
Is it the one by Michelle Morgan?
yus. she has more than one too, all of which i own=D also christian jacq. but the thing i am loving about twentieth wife is its about INDIA!
Starting with The feast of the roses.
OOh, love to hear what you think when you’re done.