The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan chronicles the life of Mehrunnisa, a Persian refugee's daughter in late sixteenth-century India, who becomes the powerful Empress Nur Jahan, the twentieth and final wife of Emperor Jahangir, navigating through a complex web of royal politics, personal ambitions, and courtly intrigue in the Mughal Empire while striving to secure her place and influence in a male-dominated world. The book contains sensitive topics such as arranged marriages, substance abuse, and political betrayal.

Romantic

Emotional

Inspirational

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

4.1

18,008 ratings

77%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

Not a fan

Review Roundup

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan has garnered praise for its rich historical detail and immersive storytelling, bringing Mughal India to vivid life. Critics appreciate the strong, complex protagonist, though some feel the pacing is uneven. The novel is celebrated for its lush descriptions but critiqued for occasional melodrama. Overall, it’s an engaging historical romance.

Who Should Read The Twentieth Wife?

A reader who enjoys The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan would likely be captivated by historical fiction woven with romance and political intrigue. Fans of Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl or Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth will appreciate Sundaresan's rich detail and immersive storytelling set in Mughal India.

4.1

18,008 ratings

77%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

Not a fan

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Book Details

Pages

380

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre

Romance

•

Historical Fiction

•

Indian Literature

Period