The Feast of Roses: A Novel [Paperback]

Indu Sundaresan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 2004

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....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sundaresan picks up the story of Mehrunnisa, the remarkable heroine from her debut novel, Twenty Wives, as the so-called "Light of the World" consolidates her power as wife of Emperor Jahangir of the Mughal Empire in 17th-century India, only to see her dominion destroyed by her own aggressive tendencies. The early chapters find Mehrunnisa confronting two rivals, who happen to be old friends of her husband, and eliminating them in a brief series of power struggles. She also talks Jahangir into letting her appear at the jharoka ceremony, in which the emperor presents himself to his subjects, an unprecedented achievement for a woman. Her problems start when Jahangir falls seriously ill and the battle for succession to the throne begins, a struggle that comes to a head when Mehrunnisa fails to marry off her daughter, Ladli, to one of the primary contenders, Prince Khurram. The battle for succession escalates, but even as Mehrunnisa maneuvers to keep power, her downfall is sealed by a pivotal incident in which she accidentally kills a palace intruder. The novel's scope and ambition are impressive, as are the numerous period details and descriptions of the various cultural ceremonies that distinguish court life in royal India. But Sundaresan delves into too many palace intrigues in this overplotted affair, which seems especially cluttered in the first half, and her florid, busy writing style produces some uneven, tedious stretches. The book's setting brings to life an underexplored period in fiction, however, and readers who enjoyed the first volume will find similar pleasures tracking the fate of one of history's most intriguing women.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Weaving another rich historical tapestry, Sundaresan offers a sequel to her first novel, The Twentieth Wife (2002), and it is based on the ascent of the exotic Mehrunnisa to the status of wife in the court of seventeenth-century emperor Jahangir of India. Smitten with the intellectually stimulating Mehrunnisa, the emperor is granting her liberties unheard of in the Mughal empire, and the officials are bristling with concern over the newest wife's influence. Mehrunnisa is shrewd enough to know that she must exert her will from behind the veil and allow her wishes to float like gentle waves into the sea of her husband's thoughts, but it is only a matter of time before envy and intrigue cloud her happiness. Although Mehrunnisa is the light of Jahangir's life, she must compete with the women of the harem for her place in the household and ultimately secure her political visions by surrounding herself with men she can trust. Sundaresan colors the life of a fascinating woman whose female wiles inspired the Taj Mahal. Elsa Gaztambide
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (May 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743456416
• ISBN-13: 978-0743456418
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Indu Sundaresan was born and brought up in India, on Air Force bases around the country. Her father, a fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force, was also an avid storyteller--as was his father, Indu's grandfather. She grew up on their stories on various themes--Hindu mythology and fictional tales of an elephant and a horse living in the wilderness.

She came to the U.S. for graduate school at the University of Delaware and has two degrees; an M.S. in operations research and an M.A. in economics. But, the storytelling gene beckoned and she began writing soon after graduate school.

The Twentieth Wife (2002), based on the life of Mehrunnisa, Empress Nur Jahan, is the tale of one of India's most powerful women. This was her first published novel, but the third one she wrote--the first two still languish on the hard drive of some forgotten old computer and are never to be revived; they were practice runs and taught her how to write a novel.
She is the author of five books so far. The Twentieth Wife (2002); The Feast of Roses (2003); The Splendor of Silence (2006); In the Convent of Little Flowers (2008) and Shadow Princess (2010).

All of Indu's work has been published, in hardcover and paperback, in the U.S. by Pocket Books/Atria Books/Washington Square Press--imprints of Simon & Schuster. Her work has been translated into 17 languages to date.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The final chapters of an extraordinary life, December 11, 2003

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Feast of Roses: A Novel (Hardcover)

In the second of two novels, The Feast of Roses relates the married life of Mehrunnisa, the twentieth wife of Emperor Jahangir of India in the 17th Century. Best known as Empress Nur Jahan, "The Light of the World", the beautiful Mehrunnisa comes from humble beginnings, but captures the Emperor's attention as a young girl, years before he is able to claim her as his wife.

Brought up near the women of the zenana (harem), with a powerful patron who senses her potential, Mehrunnisa is trained in the ways of court life. But she is abruptly married, with the emperor's consent, and sent to a distant post with her husband, who is in disfavor with the imperial court. Then Merhrunnisa is widowed and Emperor Jahangir returns her to his court and marries her (hence the title of Sunduresan's first novel The Twentieth Wife). The first novel covers the young Mehrunnisa's early attraction to the emperor, but ends with their marriage.

Although sequels are frequently disappointing, A Feast of Roses never loses its historical perspective. The research is meticulous; in addition, the author humanizes her characters, bringing them vividly to life against the turmoil of this divided court. Mehrunnisa is an extraordinary character, her bravery, loyalty and independence, virtually unheard of in Seventeenth century court life. A woman who refuses to be remembered as a footnote of history, she is an early role model, a shining example of women leaders who rise above time and place.

The historical and romantic union addressed in The Feast of Roses portrays Mehrunnisa's sojourn as the most influential wife and trusted empress of Jahangir's reign. The emperor is content with his new wife, his beloved companion and lover, eschewing the other wives for the last one. Certainly there are ill feelings toward the powerful Empress Nur Jahan, insinuating herself into court life, usurping the place of favored consultants, including the emperor's boyhood friends and the forgotten wives, all who find themselves outside the charmed circle of power.

This is the love story of a common woman and an emperor who selects her as his most beloved and favored wife. Mehrunnisa serves as an advisor the emperor in matters of state, particularly when his health begins to fail. That a woman of ignoble birth can achieve a position of power is a testament to Mehrunnisa's intellect and courage and the author has given her protagonist a real presence, even though Mehrunnisa suffers banishment after the emperor's death.

How ironic that the Taj Mahal, built by Emperor Jahangir's son Khurram in memory his deceased wife, has become the symbol of this period, surpassing the memory of the Empress Nur Jahan. Truly a "Light of the World", Mehrunnia is an extraordinary role model, a woman of great achievement, centuries before her time. Luan Gaines/ 2003.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly breathtaking and a history lover's delight!, May 17, 2003

By 

Qudsia Sethi (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Feast of Roses: A Novel (Hardcover)

"The Feast of Roses" was a truly captivating novel filled with royal intrigue, love, passion and the mysterious world of seventeenth century India. It is definately a book for those who love history, romance and literature. Ms. Sundaresan's description of the love story between Emperor Jahangir and Mehrunissa, (known in history as Nur Jahan) keeps the reader wanting to know more and more as the book goes on. The novel is filled with colorful descriptions of the palaces, people and the time they lived in as well as capturing the human nature of each character. A great book to read no matter what kind of day!!! Two thumbs up!!!!!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, haunting, sorrowful .... yet it will keep you captivated., September 27, 2005

By 

Nicole N. (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Feast of Roses: A Novel (Paperback)

The second of two books, The Feast of Roses is the continuation of Mehrunnisa's life after her marriage to the emperor Jahangir and finally realizes her dreams of becoming empress of the legendary Mughal Empire.

In the soley male-dominated world of Mughal imperial life, under her new status as empress, Nur Jahan - the twentieth and most beloved wife of the emperor, schemes and plots once again to further her ambitions for even greater power within the complex labyrinth of hirarchy and official rank to emerge as sole ruler.

Things don't exactly go according to plan as her very own niece
Arjumand Banu, (better known as Mumtaz-i-Mahal for whom the Taj Mahal was built), refuses to go along with her schemes and defies her outright. Her stepson, Prince Khurram, will also find himself in a predicament when he also refuses to bow to Mehrunissa's wishes and will eventually end up fighting for his and his family's life against his father's armies sent by Mehrunnisa. In consequence, for years Khurram and his family will live as outlaws, hunted down by the imperial army, treated as traitors.

Mehrunnisa will initially emerge victorious. She will virtually rule the empire single handedly, given her husband's blessing, for many years, obtaining great wealth and even greater power than any woman has ever dared to dream of having at the time. Her will is bent on destroying Prince Khurram, rightful heir to the throne, and his surviving sons to ensure that her own daughter's future as empress will be secured.

The Feast of Roses is a tale of love most sincere, of jealousy and hate, of truth, lies and greed for possessions and power, trust and the sad betrayal of that trust. An engaging read as Sundaresan's skill in describing in great detail the life at court, the life within the harem, the many lavish ornaments and jewels casually passed around, and the characters themselves is really something else. I decided to read this book after accidentally stumbling onto 'Taj: A Story of Mughal India' by Timeri Murari in a bookstore. Read these together and you are all set for a journey into the lives of India's most legendary rulers: THE MUGHALs. Enjoy as much as i have.