Rating: 
Summary: Captivating!!!!
Review: The author paints beautifully the saga of Mehrunissa and her family. She literally sucks you into their lives and doesn't let you go until the end. Intrique, romance, action, family dynamics - this book has it all and moves quickly. I was sad for the book to end but am dying to read the sequel. I normally do not read historical fiction and was hesitant to pick this up (on the recommedation of a colleague) but am so happy I did. One of the BEST books I have read in a very very long time.
I would love to see this turned into a movie!
Rating: 
Summary: A intriguing and pleasurable read
Review: the books weaves fiction and history together beautifully, allowing readers a glimpse into the lives at the imperial court in 17th-Century India. Easy to follow with fascinating characters and storylines.
Rating:
Summary: A captivating Book!
Review: The main character portrayed in this novel is Mehrunissa. Mehrunissa (later know as Empress Nur Jahan) was just a commoner who later becomes the twentieth wife of Emperor Jahagir. Mehrunissa was only eight when she first cast her eyes on Prince Salim(later known as Jahangir). She was determined from then that she would one day be his queen. Nothing could persuade her to change her mind. In those days to a great degree marriages were only for political reasons and yet here was this commoner who had captured the Emperor's heart and later shapes the destiny of the Mughal Empire. Sundaresan writes in detail about the life in the Royal harem during the 17th century, the jealousy, cruelty and rivalry that reveals there, all for one's personal benefit and interest. Indu Sundaresan has a natural endowment of creating a stage where one's imagination takes soar,and one becomes the spectator and this captivating book definitely takes one through a memorable journey into the 17th century.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating novel, spicily woven
Review: The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan is a brilliantly crafted real life story fully absorbing. Each page is packed with incidents that are entertaining. The reader is excited to watch the spicy palace intrigues. The nine emotions - to put in oriental language, the Navarasas, are in full play throughout the story. The role of each character has been narrated imaginatively. Emotions reign supreme in the attitude and conduct of the central characters viz. Jehangir, Nur Jehan, Jagat Gosini and Ruqayya. Tricky situations have been handled intelligently. The subtle references like "It looks like an impossible forest from someone`s wild dreams" "Appearances must be maintained at all costs" "Even posterity could not fault his actions now" etc. etc. are interesting. The Twentieth Wife is a worthy addition to every one`s reading list. It does not look like the handiwork of a debut Novelist, a fact notwithstanding. Indu Sundaresan has imprinted in it the stamp of the mature author in her.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and Very Well Written
Review: This book combines historical fiction, romance to get your heart beating, family values and bond - all these and more prespectives with a smooth flow - its a book I didn't want to put down until I knew what happened next. I wish my history books in school were written the same way...I would have learned something.
Rating:
Summary: Best book ive read...
Review: This is a fantastic book...my favorite. I have read it atleast 5 times because I just cant get enough of it! Basically the plot is Mehrunissa falls in love with a prince, and he falls in love with her...except she is already engaged. So she yearns for him and he yearns for her...I dont want to give anymore away. But anyway BOTTOM LINE:Read it I guarentee you will love it.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable historical fiction
Review: Though too young and way beneath his station, Mehrunnisa, the daughter of a Persian courtier to the Mughal Empire, plans to one day wed the heir apparent to the throne Salim. The very intelligent eight-year-old Mehrunnisa knows she needs a plan if she is to achieve her impossible dream of marrying her beloved whom barely knows she exists.
A few years later Mehrunnisa is forced to marry a cruel soldier. Besides abuse from her odious spouse, she suffers several miscarriages. However, she ultimately succeeds in gaining more than just the attention of Salim, who is now the Emperor Jahangir, she shares passion with him. Finally, Mehrunnisa accomplishes her dream goal, but though now a powerhouse empress she and her family paid quite a price for her attaining her childhood desires that she never let go of as an adult.
Historical fiction readers that relish a deep look at seventeenth century India will gain much pleasure from this descriptive tale. The story line is loaded with historical references with a very illuminating portrayal of Mughal court life. However, the wealth of information, which seems authentic to this pre-school novice on the history of India, overwhelms the characters and thus undercuts the prime tale of Mehrunnisa's efforts to become the empress. Indu Sundaresan provides a vivid tale that the hard core sub-genre audience will want to read, but the weak characters make it difficult for casual fans to care what happens to Mehrunnisa or anyone else. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: An historical soap opera
Review: To sum it up quickly: this is the ULTIMATE soap opera. It would make a great movie! Mehrunnisa's life was filled with happiness, family warmth, sadness and tragedy, abuse, and most importantly, an all-encompassing passion for life and the love of her life, Emperor Jahangir. As overwhelming as her life seemed at times, I never found myself disbelieving its events. I felt as if I was drawn into her time and place right along next to her. I am unfamiliar with her real-life story or this time and place in history (this is historical fiction), but find myself wanting to learn more about her and this era.
The only downfall of this book was the constant introduction of new characters with difficult Indian and Persian names. Characters' names changed as they attained different status in the empire and the author liberally uses common Indian terms and references. Although I think these terms and names only added to the authenticity of the story, I found it confusing at times and I had to slow down many times just to figure out the pronunciation of or the identity of the character. Thankfully, the author has added a glossary and family tree of the characters to help.
To those of you who enjoyed "The Red Tent" or "Queenmaker," this should probably be on your "to read" list as well. Very similar storylines. A pleasant and entertaining book and definitely recommended.
P.S. I hear there is a sequel in the works-can't wait.
Rating:
Summary: luscious
Review: what a wonderful read! Best book I've read in a long, long time. Like falling into a fairie tale. What an incredible gift for evoking atmosphere this writer has, I could have stayed in that world forever. Couldn't put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Research, Bad Writing
Review: You should believe what the reviewer for Publisher's Weekly (above) says about the stilted prose and the one-dimensional characters in this book. Sundaresan's wonderful job with the setting and history of this time in India get destroyed by the corny characters - when the unfolding "romance" is the focus, everything gets gushy and begins to sound like a Danielle Steele novel gone amuck. I hope Sundaresan keeps writing and gets the two halves (believeable historical details and believable characters) to balance out a bit more.
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