a good continuous of the first book. I was happy all the lose ends were tied up! :) Cant wait to read more from this author.

I enjoyed this sequel, but The Twentieth Wife was better.

The Feast of Roses was, unfortunately, not as good as The Twentieth Wife. Mehrunnisa is older now, and the emperor is madly in love with her. She is strong-willed and through the emperor manages to become his equal in ruling. But you never really understand why she wants that power, or what she does with it. Is she a just and fair ruler? Does she help the people of her country? Does she help empower other women? You never learn.

Then there's a whole section of Thomas Roe coming to India as a diplomatic representative of the East India Tea Company. **Spoiler Alert!** He never gets his trade agreement. Because my memory of...what was it...8th grade history...is pretty dim, I thought it was going to be Roe that got the agreement for the British that allowed them to eventually come in, and take over the country. But no, he just gets sick and goes home. Why did I need to read about that?

And finally, it was hard to sympathize with Mehrunnisa, or any of the other characters for that matter, while reading about how wealthy they are. It is really hard for me to sympathize with the rich when they are bemoaning their fate. Sure, if Khurram had just married Ladli, then Mehrunnisa would never have hated him and tried to make one of his brothers emperor. But, while Ladli did seem to be in love with Khurram, the real reason that Mehrunnisa wanted the match was so that she, Mehrunnisa, would not be inconsequential when Jahangir died. Really? She could have made any man that Ladli married rich enough that it wouldn't be a concern.

The language and the descriptions in the book were wonderful, and the book was well written, but I think I would have related a little more to Mehrunnisa if I understood why she wanted all of that power.

I really enjoyed this book. I don't know much about the Mughal Empire, the Portuguese and English desires for trade in India in the early 1600s and this series is creating more interest in this area for me.

Mehunrissa and Jahangir are strong characters. And their love story is one for the ages.

Another brilliant historical novel! I've learned SO much about Mughal India (1600s) and what was going on in Persia and Afghanistan, at the same time being totally involved in Jahangir and Mehrunnisa's reign.

In continuation to The Twentieth Wife , The Feast of Roses paints a picture of romantic love and power, and introduces the world of the origins of the famed Taj Mahal

Mehrunissa, now titled Nur Jahan, is the twentieth and the last wife of Emperor Jahangir. This Padshah Begum challenges most of the rules revolving arond women. She is the first Empress to have a voice at the Jharoka, which was previously only held by the Emperors. Although never seen at court, her voice and opinions ha a strong role in all of the major decisions and judgements which was presented before the Emperor.

As with every royal reign, hers is too full of rivals. She finds her greatest enemy in between the zenana walls, Empress Jagat Gosini, who before Mehrunissa's marriage, held the prestigious title of the Padshah Begum. Mehrunissa is the first woman Emperor Jahangir married for love, all other marriages had been for political reasons, which made Jagat Gosini more insecure in her foot-holding of the zenana. Also, men at court were hesitant on having to follow a mere woman's orders. Some were bold enough to question this aloud. Mehrunissa, with her sharp wit and cunning has to face these hindrances on a daily basis and show her strength of character. Her rulings are not always easy, sometimes it comes at great personal costs and sorrows.

This is a story about the deep love the Emperor had for Nur Jahan. He goes against all opposing voices, and transfers the powers of imperialism to her, trusts her more than anything else in the world. The one thing constant in this ever changing scenario o the book is the feelings of him towards her. Although, never to be seen in the open, Empress Nur Jahan's story is a story of the power behind a veil, and of deep, unwavering love.

I enjoyed this second book as Mehrunnisa navigates court life and finds that there are still walls that keep women hindered even as an empress. I enjoyed watching her rule from behind a wall and a veil, breaking down the stereotypes and rules for women in the culture, but more so during that time. To have the courage to break the norms and risk everything for power and love was incredibly interesting.

The only issue I had was that this book felt very long, and very detailed in the politics. While I enjoyed the detail, I noticed I set this book aside slightly more so than the first. I think people who enjoy history will be the ones who truly enjoy this book.