The Feast of Roses - by Indu Sundaresan (Paperback)

About the Book

When clever and ambitious Mehrunnisa boosts her status from twentieth wife in the emperor's harem to Empress, she must contend with the greed, love, power and bitter rivalries that go along with it.

Book Synopsis

"A rich historical tapestry...Sundaresan colors the life of a fascinating woman whose female wiles inspired the Taj Mahal" (Booklist).

The love story of Emperor Jahangir and Mehrunnisa, begun in the critically praised debut novel The Twentieth Wife, continues in Indu Sundaresan's lush second novel, The Feast of Roses.

Here, Mehrunnisa comes into Jahangir's harem as his twentieth and last wife. This time Jahangir has married for love, and members of his court are worried that Mehrunnisa could exert control over their futures. Their concerns are well founded.

Mehrunnisa soon becomes the most powerful woman in the Mughal Empire in spite of a formidable rival in the imperial harem who has schemed and plotted against her from the start. She rules from behind the veil, securing her status by forming a junta of sorts with her father, brother, and stepson -- and risking it all, even her daughter, to get what she wants. But she never loses the love of the man who bestows this power upon her....

Review Quotes

Booklist Weaving another rich historical tapestry...Sundaresan colors the life of a fascinating woman whose female wiles inspired the Taj Mahal.

Publishers Weekly Impressive....Readers who enjoyed the first volume will find similar pleasures tracking the fate of one of history's most intriguing women.

The Seattle Times Sundaresan [is] a bright addition to the new generation of women writers from India.

USA Today There is no question that Sundaresan is a gifted storyteller with an obvious passion for history.

About the Author

Indu Sundaresan was born in India and came to the US for graduate school at the University of Delaware. She is the author of The Twentieth Wife, The Feast of Roses, Splendor of Silence, In the Convent of Little Flowers, Shadow Princess, and The Mountain of Light.