Beneath A Marble Sky
by John Shors
I’ve decided that I love reading historical fiction. Especially historical fiction set in a country that I love learning about. And this was just such a book. Beneath A Marble Sky is one idea of how the Taj Mahal came into being. The story behind the Taj Mahal is that the Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal commissioned in memory of the great love he had for his wife. This particular version of the story is told through the eyes of the Shah’s eldest daughter, Jahanara. Jahanara tells this beautiful tale of love in such a way…it completely captures the idea of love.
But this was much more than just a love story. It’s also a story of family and betrayal and it also has intrigue and plotting throughout. After the death of her mother, Jahanara becomes an advisor to her father, filling in her mothers place as best as she can. Also involved are her brothers, Dara and Aurangzeb. Dara is mild mannered and a bookish young man who is the rightful heir to the throne as the eldest male in line. Aurangzeb is a warrior. He is strong and tactical and leads the countries military on successful battle after successful battle. And Aurangzeb wants the throne. He wants it badly enough to kill several of their other siblings, and eventually comes after Jahanara and Dara, as well as the Shah Jahan.
Also tied neatly into the story as a whole is Jahanara’s own story of love. Jahanara accepts her parents match for her with no questions asked. She has seen love through their example, and hopes that with time, love will come to her marriage. Alas, her marriage is nothing more and a tool for her husband. He married her to gain favor and status, with the hopes that she will produce him an heir where all his prior wives have failed him. Jahanara’s marriage is not at all what she wanted, and turns to her father for help. He does his best for the daughter he loves in just another way he tries to honor the love he had with his beloved Mumtaz Mahal.
This really was a beautiful book. It captured the beauty of India, and really gave me a glimpse of what life may have been like for this royal family. When you think of royal families in history, you think of how wonderful it must have been to be royal, and be a princess, but this is one of those books that shows the reality. The danger one must be in all the time, knowing that there are plots to assassinate and try and take over the throne. It wasn’t just the king or leader in danger, but the whole family, and any supporters as well.
I most definitely recommend this book. It is a wonderful glimpse into history, as well as a great book that I simply couldn’t put down.
