The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
- A Review
An enchanting historical epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most controversial empresses -- a woman whose brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles, and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal Empire. Skillfully blending the textures of historical reality with the rich and sensual imaginings of a timeless fairy tale, The Twentieth Wife sweeps readers up in Mehrunnisa's embattled love with Prince Salim, and in the bedazzling destiny of a woman -- a legend in her own time -- who was all but lost to history until now.
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In the late 1500s a family of refugees escapes from Persia to India with a hope of finding a new Home and a new Beginning. They received just that and more, and having welcomed a newborn baby girl a few months back, they thought of her a lucky charm. While her father worked for the King, little Mehurunissa dreamed about being a princess and an empress and the dream became stronger when she falls in love at first sight with Prince Salim, the next in throne. Will her dream be ever fullfilled or remain unrequited as ever?
"This great Mughal Emperor [Akbar] was illiterate; he could neither read nor write. However, that had not stopped Akbar from cultivating the acquaintance of the most learned and cultured poets, authors, musicians, and architects of the time - relying solely on his remarkable memory during conversations with them."
The Twentieth Wife is a historical fiction set in the backdrop of India during the Mughal period when Akbar was reigning India. The book simply is a book about the love between Prince Salim and Mehurunissa, later to be known as Emperor Jahangir and Nur Jahan. The book being a descriptive novel, draws splendidly the political and cultural scenario prevalent at that time. Though the main focus is on their love life, the story encompasses various other matters such as the daily matters of the court, political rivalry, the competition in the harem, the various wars and disputes that have some historical accuracy as far as the entry of British is concerned. The story captures the essence of such a historical time period by adding many relevant facts, law and regulations, customs, the traditions and etiquette followed by the people of that time.
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To say that this book is gripping and special is a bit of an understatement. Though not a fan of historical fiction generally, I picked this book wanting to live a life of a princess or a heroine from a period drama. Though far from being a princess, Mehurunissa's character is something that I loved and admired. She is one of the greatest women of history as far as I know, she is known not only for her beauty but her headstrong character and her voice of opinion. I enjoyed the description of our lands and our country and the minute details of historical importance. The language is such that takes you back through time and the emotions narrated are so raw and real that get us attached throughout the book.
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Having said everything I loved about this book, one primary thing that I expected is more on Mehurunissa's life throughout the years and not the glimpses of it. Though that can be resolved in the sequel is a compensation. Also the love between the Salim and Mehurunissa being the primary plot, it lacked a significant amount of acceptance from us readers since they seem to occupy less portion of the plot, though stronger. I wanted more of their conversation, more of their love and actions.
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With that said I really enjoyed this historical fiction, I would recommend it to people who are fascinated with the history of India and people who love historical fiction.
Rating: 
.5/5
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Indu Sundaresan was born in India and grew up on Air Force bases all over the country. Her father, a fighter pilot, was also a storyteller—managing to keep his audiences captive and rapt with his flair for drama and timing. He got this from his father, Indu's grandfather, whose visits were always eagerly awaited. Indu's love of stories comes from both of them, from hearing their stories based on imagination and rich Hindu mythology, and from her father's writings.
After an undergraduate degree in economics from India, Indu came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware. But all too soon, the storytelling gene beckoned.
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QOTD: If you were given a chance to rule a kingdom, what is the first thing you would do after you were coronated?
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