Beneath a Marble Sky: A Love Story,
by John Shors
New American Library, 2004
Not knowing anything about the history of the Taj Mahal, I was intrigued by the subject of John Shors’ novel, Beneath a Marble Sky: A Love Story, which richly imagines the lives of those responsible for the creation of this magnificent structure.
Shors calls this a love story, and really, there is more than one love story in this book. First, the love between Hindustan’s emperor Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who dies in childbirth; it is for her that the emperor commissions an architect to design a mausoleum to be a monument to her.
Second, is the love between the emperor’s daughter, Jahanara, and the Taj Mahal’s architect, Isa. Jahanara was wed to a cretin for political purposes, but through her father’s intervention and assistance, is given the opportunity to find true love (though publicly forbidden) with Isa.
Third, is the love that the emperor, Isa, and Jahanara have for the Taj Mahal itself, as it is being built in the midst of not only war, but terrible sibling rivalry that pits the emperors sons against each other for the rule of Hindustan.
Shors vividly details a historic period with prose that truly takes a reader there: the sights, sounds and smells of the bazaars, homes and kitchens. This lovingly researched work of historical fiction is hard to put down, with fast-paced plots and intrigues that keep you enthralled to the very last page.
Shors also includes a short Q&A with the author (himself) and a reading guide at the end of the book, making this a great novel for book clubs. According to his web site, he’ll even conference call in on your book club to answer questions personally!
344 pgs.
This is Shors' first novel.
