Not nearly as good as the first, probably will not continue to the third.

The Feast of Roses made it to my to-read list because of a Goodreads giveaway. Even though I didn't win I'm thrilled that I found this book, as it was the best novel based on history I've read in a long time. Sundaresan brought to life characters I hadn't heard of before and it was fascinating to learn about the rituals of the royal court and zenna. This was a fantastic book that brings back to life an unfortunately forgotten Empress.

The greatest surprise for me was that this book was a sequel; I can't wait to read The Twentieth Wife and learn more about Mehrunnisa's rise to the throne.

Like the prequel, "The Twentieth Wife", I struggled with this one, as well. As much as I wanted to, I could not like Mehrunnisa, even a little. The way the story is told didn't appeal to me, either - in language or structure. It was very tedious, to say the least.

This took me so long to read but it was sooo worth it. My love for these people cannot be explained. This book was an experience and I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment of it.

This one wasn't quite as good as the first, but still pleasant to listen to.

Quite enjoyed this book but it wasn't as fast as a read for me as the prequel, Twentieth Wife. Also, I found that at times, the book read like a historical account rather than a fictional novel. I know the book is based on history, but at times, it lost the story telling appeal. Overall though, great book. Would definitely recommend it and can't wait to see what the author does next.

This historical fiction saga of the Mughal empire is well-done, but epic in proportion. I was into the story and the real-life characters, but I found the reading slow and dense. Reading about Empress Nur Jahan was interesting, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the entirety of the novel. As usual, when reading historical fiction, I found myself wondering how much of each scene was based on fact or poetic license.
For the first time in my life, I actually took a break from a book. I was having a hard time getting through it, but still wanted to know what happened. So, I put the book down for about 2 weeks, read something else, and then came back to this. It is a testament to the book that, when I returned, I was able to pick it back up and finish it. I did enjoy it, but I felt it could have been about 200 pages shorter, or at least somehow more fast-paced in the writing.
This is 1 of 3 from the series I believe, and I don't intend to read the other two. However, as I said previously, I did like it and it's always fun to learn about a different era and lifestyle. The descriptions of the Emperor's wealth were awesome and made me wish I could see inside an ancient imperial palace! The book also briefly touches on the creation of the Taj Mahal, which I knew nothing about... so that was neat as well.

I liked this book better than the first as I finally got used to the writing style which I don’t like. The author keeps switching between narratives and the telling throughout is more like a history lesson in places.
This apart she really paints a very vivid picture of Mughal India and I really loved reading about nur jahan and her life and what a character she was !

Another strong delivery by Indu Sundaresan. This book was less rosy and more gripping than her first book, enjoyed the thrill it invoked.

This book describes Jehangir's Imperial era, where Nur Jahan played a significant role in running the empire. Despite the opposition and hierarchical state of affairs, this book highlights beautifully how a women, if she had the support and faith of her husband, could indeed rule the world.