Imagining India

The Twentieth Wife
By Indu Sundaresan

I'd forgotten how much fun historical fiction can be. I found this book completely by accident when I told myself I had to choose a library book from one particular shelf chosen at random (though I did place myself in the fiction section first). It's a magnificent portrayal of the Mughal empire in 17th century (present-day) India and Persia. Mehrunnisa is a nobleman's daughter, raised by Persian parents near the Mughal court. The novel traces her life, and the lives of her family members, until she finally becomes the emperor's wife (his twentieth wife, of course). Ms. Sundaresan has a lovely style and writes with ease of an exotic time and culture (well, exotic to me). I highly recommend it, and suggest you prepare to crave Indian meals.