Reading this book has been like watching Taj Mahal float a few meters above ground in silvery moon light. ( )

17 de junio de 1631. La bella Aryumand ha muerto al dar a luz. A su lado, la lloran su marido, el emperador mogol Sha Yahan, y la hija mayor de ambos, la princesa Yahanara.
Con sólo diecisiete años, Yahanara debe asumir las responsabilidades de una emperatriz sin serlo: acompañar a su padre en el duelo, tomar las riendas del harén, administrar las enormes riquezas de su madre y atemperar los ánimos de sus hermanos, que prepararán la sucesión cada uno por su cuenta.
Una sola cosa alegra los días de Yahanara: las atenciones que le depara el apuesto Nayabat Jan. Sin embargo, hay quien, aconsejado por las malas lenguas, no ve con buenos ojos su relación con este noble venido del norte, porque ella debe gobernar en la sombra mientras Sha Yahan dedica su tiempo y los recursos de su imperio a construir el mayor homenaje al amor de la historia de la humanidad, el Taj Mahal.

The concept and reality of royalty is beyond bonkers. The spectrum of human achievement is fascinating. I now need to witness the Taj Mahal and its inspiration up the Yamuna. ( )

Details, details, details... This book is so full of details―of the buildings, of the dresses, of the food, of the trees and flowers and birds of the numerous gardens―that the actual story seems smothered by the details. This concluding part of the Taj trilogy chronicles the life of Jahanara, the eldest daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan, who comes to power after her mother dies in childbirth. It also describes, in sometimes exasperating detail, the construction of Taj Mahal, the Luminous Tomb. This novel is quite an absorbing read, presenting a somewhat different picture of princes Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb. I liked the way Jahanara's character has been built, but was disappointed that the story ended long before her life did, for it would have been interesting to know how she lived in the harem of Aurangzeb, the brother she didn't love. This disappointment and the overwhelming detailing have me giving 3.5 stars to this finale of a quite satisfactory series. ( )

Enjoyable, but not exactly historical. ( )