Shadow Princess: A Novel

The book centers on the building of the Taj Mahal in intricate detail. While how and why it was built is fascinating, no doubt, to the armchair tourist, there was very little to the plot. We learn about the ruling family whose head built the tomb to honor his beloved wife, who died in her fourteenth childbirth. Told primarily through the eyes of the eldest daughter, we learn her father gained his throne by murdering both his father and other brothers, something apparently expected and accepted in this India. Not so far from the intrigues of courts in England halfway around the world, though English monarchs usually whipped up "reasons" their rivals had to die. Here we see one brother in this generation eliminating his other brothers who could rival him for the throne, and imprisoning his ailing father with the sister who stayed by his side until his death. There is a "forbidden romance" for the dutiful sister, though living in a harem she certainly found it easy to manage assignations with the man who fathered her child. The author notes in an afterward that this storyline was her fabrication, as nothing of the kind was known about the dutiful sister. Unfortunately even this storyline was thin, overwhelmed by visits to other monarchs' tombs and how THEY were built, apparently the chief amusement of the royal family. Compare this book to M.M. Kaye's THE FAR PAVILIONS, published perhaps twenty years or more ago. This book comes up very short held up against THE FAR PAVILIONS, which was always rich in detail about life of the high and low in India, and a page turner all the way. This one is more like an assignment for an architecture class. I wish I could rate it higher, but a novel first and last should BE a novel.

This extremely well-written historical novel is the third to follow the women of the Mogul court, only after  The Twentieth Wife: A Novel  and  The Feast of Roses: A Novel , Indu Sundaresan has skipped a generation to tell the story of Mehrunissa's step-granddaughter and great-niece, Jahanara, beginning on the death of the latter's mother, Arjumand, the beloved wife of Shah Jahan. Bereft, the Moghul ruler retreats, leaving a vacuum in which his four sons jostle for position and a deadly rivalry develops between Jahanara and her sister, Roshanara. Family alliances are formed and collapse, conspiracies emerge and the future of the empire teeters in the balance, even as in Agra, the magnificent structure of the Taj Mahal, all gleaming marble and precious stones, rises from the bare earth in memory of Arjumand, or Mumtaz Mahal, Pearl of the Palace.Jahanara is Shah Jahan's favorite child; disappointed by the intellectual dabbling of his eldest son and obvious heir, and finding little to admire among his other sons beyond the martial prowess of Aurangzeb, he wishes he could make her his heir. But Jahanara must content herself with ruling the women of the Moghul Court and being the power behind the throne as her father comes to rely more and more on her judgment. That unquestioned pre-eminence, along with her obvious interest in a young nobleman, arouses Roshanara's fury. As the latter does whatever she can to destabilize Jahanara, and Aurangzeb seeks to unseat his elder brother as heir to the empire, the risks that Jahanara must run to grab some joy in life for herself become steadily greater.This is a fascinating story that covers much the same territory as  Beneath a Marble Sky: A Love Story , but that is much better written, more thoughtful and more evocative of the time and place. Sundaresan paints a vivid portrait of the Moghul court and its life to the extent that sometimes those descriptions and settings risk dominating the novel's characters on occasion. Indeed, I don't think this is as good as Sundaresan's first two Moghul-era novels, partly because she is trying to cram several decades' worth of events into only a few hundred pages (this is one case where less was not more...) and in part because some of the other characters, notably Roshanara, end up receding into the background. I found myself fascinated by their rivalry in the early chapters -- but then details of their relationship diminished, leaving me with no greater insight into Roshanara. The book's bittersweet conclusion also felt very rushed; for these reasons I can't give it more than 4 stars.Still, for anyone who read and enjoyed the first two books, this is a "must read"; other historical fiction readers, especially those in search of a break from the omnipresent Tudormania, will find much to enjoy here.

This is the story of the Mughal Emperor who built the Taj Mahal. An era of great beauty and culture, but also shows the brutal violence that exemplifies the Mughal culture. Many will die so that the Emporer can sit on his throne and retain his territories.A daughter will be force that can keep him on the throne. She dedicates her whole life to her father after the Empress dies. But will she see her contributions honored?

Indu Sundaresan knows how to weave a beautiful story. This is her third novel set in Mughal India (15th-18th centuries) and continues the intriguing tale of the royal family in all their glory and depravity. Shadow Princess brings to life the backstory of the building of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a symbol of an emperor's deep sorrow and love for his late, beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. But the true protagonist in this story is Mumtaz's daughter, Jahanara. Just like with The Twentieth Wife and Feast of Roses, Sundaresan's descriptions of court life, the quest for power, love and wealth are vivid and keep you engaged until the very last page. If you enjoy histprical fiction, Sundaresan's novels are a wonderful treat. I hope she continues this series!

Read author's other books and this one did not disappoint.

good book

just found the whole story compelling.

A very well written and most interesting book. I am sure the historical background has been carefully researched and is accurate. I would readily recommend it to anyone, including those who have no knowledge of, or interest in, Indian history. Like- wise the 2 earlier historical novels the author has written on the Mughal Empire.

Fabulous books