The Twentieth Wife

Mehrunissa, whose name means "the Sun of Women," is born to Persian refugees in 1577 as they flee into the lands of the Mughal Empire.  Her birth marks a change in the fortunes of her family, and she is raised on the fringes of Emperor Akbar's court.  At the age of eight, Mehrunissa attends the festivities as the heir to the throne, Prince Salim, marries for the first time.  In that moment, she vows that she, too, will marry Salim and become a princess.  Several years later, Prince Salim is enthralled by teenaged Mehrunissa from the first time he sees her, just days before her marriage to another man.  Over the next decade and a half, Salim fights for his position in the empire as Mehrunissa endures a loveless marriage.  Finally, after years apart, Mehrunissa must decide if she will stand by her vow even if it means losing the man she has always wanted.

Much more than a simple love story, The Twentieth Wife, by local author Indu Sundaresan, is a fascinating look at the Mughal Empire during its height.  Spanning much of present-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the Empire had a profound influence on language, culture, government, architecture and cuisine.  Sundaresan combines meticulous research with vivid description, bringing the land and people to life.  The sounds, smells, and tastes of India come through on every page, while the descriptions of court life provide action and intrigue.  Even though the historically-based ending of the story is no surprise, Sundaresan's skill as a storyteller kept me enthralled and wondering what would happen next.  That little sadness that I feel at the end of a wonderful book was tempered by knowing that the tale of Salim and Mehrunissa is continued in The Feast of Roses.