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Book Review By Paul Benson
Beneath a Marble Sky - A Novel of the Taj Mahal by John Shors

Shors's novel about the creation of the Taj Mahal is narrated by Jahanara, the eldest daughter of the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Jahanara's formative years are spent understanding her future role as a representative of a Muslim emperor presiding over an empire populated by a Hindu majority. As Jahanara grows up, she begins to see the tensions between her brother, Aurangzeb, and the rest of the family, particularly with her oldest brother, Dara.

As Jahanara evolves into a remarkable young woman, her life becomes increasingly complicated. Her parents wed her to a wealthy silver merchant who only wants Jahanara as a wife to boost his power within the imperial court. This marriage pulls Jahanara from the intricate activities of the court; where the power struggles to succeed Shah Jahan have begun to dominate affairs. Aurangzeb, his hatred for the family growing, sees his fame as a warrior spread as he successfully conducts various military campaigns against the empire's many enemies. Dara, conversely, busies himself by studying philosophy and religion. Jahanara worries about Dara's indifference to matters of the court, and tries to warn her brother about the risks posed by Aurangzeb.

Mumtaz Mahal dies giving birth to her fourteenth child. Her death spurs Shah Jahan to build a mausoleum the likes of which the world has never seen to memorialize his beloved wife. The emperor employs Isa, a famous architect, to build what will become the Taj Mahal. Jahanara is asked to help Isa in this demanding task, which allows her to escape her dreaded husband. The pages really start to fly when Jahanara falls in love with Isa, and when civil war breaks out (pitting Aurangzeb against Dara and Jahanara) immediately after the Taj Mahal is completed.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1600-1899 -
Life of a profession:
Ethnic/Regional/Religion
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 8 ()
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - India

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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