If you like Philippa Gregory and her genre of Harlequin romance-cum-historical fiction, there’s a good possibility you’ll like this book. Personally, I just couldn’t get into it. I read the first 50 pages, skimmed the next 240 just for the sake of writing a better-informed review, and couldn’t make myself plod through the last 90. That should tell you something.The setting, late 1500s India, was definitely original and interesting but wasn’t enough to carry the story for me, especially when it became anachronistic or just plain inconsistent. I assume Sundaresen did her research and knows more than I do about it, but many things just didn’t ring true. Sixteenth century women reading, writing, and talking back to their husbands? Muslims drinking alcohol regularly, with no one batting an eyelash? Veiled women conveniently unveiled when it comes to being observed by their love interests? The story: Mehrunnisa, our heroine, has a suitably dramatic birth – her parents are impoverished refuges who almost abandon her at the roadside because they can’t take care of her. But fear not – both Mehrunnisa and her parents are rescued by a benevolent merchant with powerful connections. Charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father, he not only adopts the family as part of the caravan, but presents Mehrunnisa’s father at the emperor’s court! The emperor is then charmed by Mehrunnisa’s father and gives him a position! And later, the emperor’s favorite wife is charmed by Mehrunnisa herself, and invites the eight-year-old to visit her regularly in the harem! Wow – that’s a lot of charm. Too bad it was lost on me. But that’s okay, because it all served to place Mehrunnisa in the perfect position to become enmeshed with the royal family even though she wasn’t a royal. So there they are at the first wedding of Prince Salim, the emperor’s son. Eight-year-old Mehrunnisa, at an age when most little girls would be studying the bride’s gown or bored out of their minds, is taken with Prince Salim’s handsomeness and dreams of marrying him. And sure enough, Prince Salim spots her a few years later and wants her too! But of course multiple obstacles keep the couple apart and, over the next decade or two, they carry the torch for each other despite the fact that their relationship only consists of a few brief early encounters. (Meanwhile, this doesn’t stop Prince Salim from marrying multiple women and enjoying the services of slave girls. But, even with all that libido-sating activity over the decades, he simply can’t forget beautiful Mehrunnisa.) Yup – that’s realistic. Must have been one deep relationship.Prince Salim himself starts out as a dissolute drinker and opium imbiber, not to mention a complete and total pawn in his advisors’ hands. Gee, I really want to be emperor, thinks Salim. Why can’t my father just die already? My friends think I should poison him – should I listen to them? Hmmm, maybe I’ll try it. The plot is then foiled, and the royal doctor blamed and punished. It gets confusing as Salim alternates between self-recrimination and further plotting against his father. But after all is said and done, he does become emperor and – get this – proves to be a strong, responsible ruler. In fact, other than his good looks, Mehrunnisa claims to be attracted to his strength and leadership. Well, it clearly wasn’t his intelligence, and I guess we’re supposed to believe that Mehrunnisa is too deep to just be enamored of his looks. After all, she is not only beautiful but spirited! What can I tell you? Lots of people liked this book, and maybe I’m just a cynical curmudgeon. To me, it was a dressed-up Harlequin and not a particularly good one. Harlequins, at least, don’t drag on for 400 pages.
I have listened to the entire audiobook. I deserve four stars for doing this, but I award the book only two.I think it proper to award two stars rather than one simply because I did learn about the Mughal Empire – historical facts, customs and way of life. ****************************** I have listened to about 1/6 of the audio version. It is just totally terrible!Mehunrissa, the girl that will eventually become the twentieth wife of Jahangir, the fourth Mughal Emperor, is infatuated from the age of eight with Prince Salim, as he is also called. Her fixation on wanting to marry this man and her desire to become Empress is shallow and revolting. She really bothers me. I believe this is partially due to the fact that all the characters are flat cardboard puppets, two dimensional figures. I usually prefer learning about life of the ordinary people, not royalty, so that explains part of my distaste, but not all. This is the first audiobook that has been very difficult for me to follow. There are many people mentioned, some with several names, and I cannot keep them straight. I have to backtrack repeatedly because the narrator of the audiobook does not pronounce these names clearly. In addition there are many words I do not understand. These refer to things specific to the Mughal time-period. There are way too many words and phrases and names I do not comprehend. Often the narrator uses exactly the same tone for men and women. Everybody sounds so sweet. Not only is the narration off, but also the author’s choice of words disturbs me. Does an emperor peek out? No, he decisively views and pronounces with authority what he observes. For probably all of the above reasons I have found not one character I care for.What do you think of these lines:They stood smiling at each other with no words, just happiness. Salim reached out and pulled her veil from her head. He took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. Suddenly he ached to touch her everywhere, to feel her skin against his, to hear her voice and her laughter. 'You are the most beautiful woman I have seen,Mehunrissa.' She tilted her head at him and.....I call that soppy. I guess this is a romance novel. Not a favorite genre for me. What have I gotten myself into? I bought the damn audiobook so I will continue. I wanted to warn others immediately. Please let it improve, but I have serious doubts that this will happen. Boy is this terrible. In all fairness, my view seems to be in the minority since the book's rating is above four.
What do You think about The Twentieth Wife (2003)?
The first thing that I thought once I put this book down was that it would be great to recommend to people who read "Memoirs of A Geisha" (I work in a bookstore). It has all the same basic elements: girl overcoming difficult childhood, unrequited love, obstacle after obstacle, etc. The setting for this novel is India and while it is similar to "Memoirs" the book is not merely a duplication in a different country. If you do read this book and enjoy it there is also a follow-up book: Feast of Roses. Oh, and even though the story is fictionalized the characters are real people. The Taj Mahal was built for the sister of the narrator!
—Kate
Every so often, you'll find a gem in the bargain books section of a bookstore. So it was with The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan, a novel based on actual events in the history of the Mughal Empire of India.::: The Plot :::Ghias Beg flees from Persia after his father's estates revert to the government, and he cannot pay his debts. During his journey from Persia, his wife gives birth to a daughter, Mehrunissa (meaning Sun of Women), but there is no way they can afford to care for her as well as the children they already have. Joining caravans, they find luck in a nobleman who is heading to the court of Emperor Akbar. He asks Ghias Beg to go with him, promises to present him at court, and finally, saves Mehrunissa's life with his generosity.So begins the apparently charmed life of Mehrunissa in The Twentieth Wife. Her father lands a position as treasurer to the Emperor, her mother and she are invited to visit the Imperial zenana where the wifes and concubines of the Emperor live, and she not only gains the favor of the Emperor's favorite wife, head of the harem, but she also catches the eye of his son, Prince Salim. So begins a love story that will take the two through political intrigue, assassination plots, wars, power struggles within the harem, and Salim's ascent to the throne.The Twentieth Wife is a fictionalized account of the life of actual Empress Når Jahån, consort to Jahangir, Emperor of Hindustan, and father of Shah Jahan (best known for building the Taj Mahal.::: Five Stars :::I read the other reviews of this book as soon as I brought it home, and was pleasantly surprised by my own experience with this book. From Mehrunissa's favorite status with her father and his education of her beyond the usual education provided to girls at the time, we see a character that couldn't help be enchanting as well as intelligent and wanting a higher station in life. Mehrunissa knows that women in power are the ones who have favored status in the Emperor's zenana for they have the most freedom, and examples are given in the book of how the women in the harem often influenced the Emperor's decisions, from marriage arrangements to punishment of would-be assassins.Vivid descriptions of clothing, food, and decor serve to set the tone, giving the reader a taste for how those in the Mughal Empire lived. The wealth and style of living is fascinating, and the small mentions of both the Portuguese Jesuits and the English traders demonstrate the future that is to come for India.The cast of characters can be difficult to follow at times, but standouts are Emperor Akbar's favored wife, Ruquyya; the scheming Jagat Gosini, who will stop at nothing to remain Jahangir's favored wife; and Ali Quli, the soldier who conspires against Jahangir at every turn.The only downside to this book is the characterization of Salim/Jahangir. We never see what changes him from the selfish, callow youth to the mature Emperor, nor what drives a drinking, opium-smoking boy to become a morals-wielding Emperor. However, all is forgiven because this is a book about Mehrunissa, and we see her hopes and desires, laugh and cry with her, and wish right along with her that she will finally get to live the life of her dreams.This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/_20011...
—Cyndy Aleo
In The Twentieth Wife, Indu Sundaressen introduces her readers to the opulent court of 16th century India. Mehrunissa, the daughter of a Persian refugee comes to live at the court when she is eight years old. There she encounters the zenana, the royal harem, full of concubines, wives, and female servants of the Emporer. Her first glimpse of the royal palace and the ladies who live there spark in her the ambition to one day rule the zenana as chief wife. In a world where women were always veiled and hidden behind the palace walls, Mehrunissa fights to control her own life. The Twentieth Wife portrays the challenges Mehrunissa faces as a woman as she struggles to make her own voice heard.A wonderful book for several reasons; Mehrunissa is beautifully portrayed (and I really like the cover). Also, the book follows Mehrunissa from a child of 8 to a woman of 34. Sundaressen adroitly followed the maturation of her character and created a protagonist with depth and growth. Additonally, Sundaressen's research is impeccably done- down to the smallest details of court life. From the foods they ate, the battles they fought, and the clothes they wore, The Twentieth Wife is a wonderful portrayal of pre-colonial India. I highly recommend this book to lovers of history, female protagonists, coming of age novels, or anyone interested in Indian history.
—Hannah
