The Best Historical Fiction about the subcontinent

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	• The Twentieth Wife: A Novel Indu Sundaresan Washington Square Press, 2003 - 416 pages average customer review:based on 80 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Best Historical Fiction about the subcontinent

This and the Feast of Roses (and a third Marble in the Sky by a different author) talk about a mystical time in history and the subtle and hidden empowerment of women in a land of superficial inequality. Beautifully written, engaging and mesmerizing story that will not let you put the book down. I highly recommend this wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book.

refreshingly engrossing...

I absolutely loved the book. Didn't want to go to work until I finished it. It is really a delightful read, unlike other recent works from South-Asian writers that have flogged the topic of "expatriate anguish", where invariably one character wants to steer away from everything native and seeks refuge with an individual from the adopted country. A topic which does disservice to immigrant sensibilities.

This book has a wonderful mix of history and fiction.

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Beautiful Book to Loose Yourself In

I have never read historical fiction before, so I was a little apprehensive about this book. I discovered it one day in my mother's house in a stack of 5 other books. I had heard about several of these books (some were Oprah's book club recommendations; others just had familiar titles and this one I had heard raves about from my mother and several other people.) It was late at night and I was in the mood for a good book so I decided to read the first two paragraphs of each book and see which grabbed me the most. I read the first two paragraphs of two of the books and then got to The Twentieth Wife: Five hours later, at 5am, I was still reading and trying to keep myself awake so I could read more.

This is the kind of book you want when you really want to loose yourself in an addictive story and whole different world. I truly found I could not put it down. It is a sweeping saga that goes through generations, wars, betrayals, politics and most of all enduring love.

I am a bit of a feminist and would normally have had problems with the ideas of harems, the power of women rooted only in sexuality and a number of other things that would define women in India during the Mughal empire. I found, however, that the universal themes in this book, the sweeping saga of it all and the addictive story made me understand that people must work within the parameters of there time and certain things like love, loss, anger, revenge, etc. are timeless and genderless.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I have bought several copies and given them to anyone in whom I could instill an interest in reading it! Read this book!

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Beautiful story of determination........

I enjoy reading many different genres, but historical fiction is one of my favorites......and lately, the cultures of India, Sudan, and any of the countries in that exotic section of this wonderful world seems to satisfy my reading addiction.

THE TWENTIETH WIFE is a rich, exotic view of the women, their desires, and females' position in society in the Mughal Empire of 1600's India.

I could "feel" India as I read the story of Menhurrisa. This girl knew what she wanted at the early age of 8 and kept her focus on the love for a man she first saw in a parade. Almost all woman in that era would consider love for a man like this unattainable..........royalty above her class.

This was a book that I couldn't get enough of. I looked forward to the next page at all times. I enjoy reading a book that takes me mentally to another time and place. By reading this book, I learned a lot about the ancient 17th century Indian cultures of women and harem life, which had a class system of its own that the women had to deal with.

I highly recommend reading this book if you like historical fiction or if you enjoy reading a story of a strong woman who believes in herself and beats all odds to attain her desires.

I read this book about 2 1/2 years ago and the story has stayed in my memory. I bought the sequel, THE FEAST OF ROSES, last year and plan on reading it as soon as I finish the historical fiction novel that I am now reading set in 1500 England.

If you are looking for an awesome book, and very good historical fiction with surprising twists and turns spiced with a whole lot of action......this is a book you will truly devour.

I highly recommend this read.

B Harris

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, page 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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