--- product_id: 15304030 title: "Beneath a Marble Sky" price: "£19.72" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/15304030-beneath-a-marble-sky store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Beneath a Marble Sky **Price:** £19.72 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Beneath a Marble Sky - **How much does it cost?** £19.72 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/15304030-beneath-a-marble-sky) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description In 1632, the Emperor of Hindustan, Shah Jahan, overwhelmed with grief over the death of his beloved wife, Mumatz Mahal, commissioned the building of a grand mausoleum to symbolize the greatness of their love. The story surrounding the construction of the Taj Mahal occurs, however, against a scrim of fratricidal war, murderous rebellion, unimaginable wealth, and, not least of all, religious fundamentalism ruthlessly opposing tolerance and coexistence between the disparate peoples in the empire. At that time, Hindustan comprised all of modern Pakistan and Kashmir, most of eastern Afghanistan, and two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent (roughly north of Bombay to the Himalayas). Beneath a Marble Sky, narrated by Princess Jahanara, eldest daughter of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, recounts their story, and her own as well, a parallel tale of forbidden love enduring censure and extreme deprivations. Beneath a Marble Sky brims with action and intrigue befitting an epic era when, alongside continuous war, architecture and its attendant arts reached a pinnacle of perfection. In a splendid debut, John Shors has crafted an immensely readable and well-researched historical novel of surprisingly contemporary relevance. Review: An exquisite novel on the love story behind the Taj Mahal - Before I say anything else my strong recommendation is to resist the impulse to look at any history of the building of the Taj Mahal. I made the mistake of going on line to find some pictures of the Taj Mahal once I got to the point in John Shors' "Beneath a Marble Sky" where the grand mausoleum had been completed and instead of stopping at the photographs I glanced at what was known about the historical figures at the center of the novel and it gave away a major development. So do as I say and not as I do. Afterwards you can find the true events that weave their way through this exquisite first novel. All that really matters when you pick up this novel is that you have seen a picture of the Taj Mahal (it is not like there is a bad one). It does not matter whether or not you know that it is a mausoleum or that it honors the Mughal Empress Mumtaz Mahal, because what is important is that if you have seen it you know the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings on the planet, a sublime mix of architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, and this historical romance is about how it came to be built. When the Taj Mahal is a tomb, then the great pyramids of Giza are reduced to just being piles of big blocks. The narrator of "Beneath a Marble Sky" is Jahanara, the daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and because Jahanara his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who tells her story and that of her family to her granddaughters, who are visiting the Taj Mahal for the first time. The tale begins when she was thirteen and beginning to appreciate how difficult it is to be a woman in a man's world. It seems she will be a spectator to both the great love between her parents and the contention between two of her brothers for her father's throne. Dara is a student of philosophy and religion believes that Muslims and Hindus can life together in harmony, while Aurangzeb is a ruthless warrior and puritanical zealot who wants to extend the borders of the Empire in all directions and send unbelievers to their richly deserved deaths. When his beloved wife dies the emperor hires a talented young architect, Ustad Isa, to build her a beautiful memorial, the Rauza-I Munavvara ("Tomb of Light"). As the Taj Mahal rises, the conflict between the two brothers comes to a head, but the fate of the empire comes second to that of Jahanara and who has her own love story. When you get to the heart of this novel and why it works it is because Shors comes up with an elegant explanation for why a man would be inspired by a dead woman he has never seen to create the most beautiful building on earth. At the same time Shors remains faithful to the cultures and the poetic rhythms of the languages they speak. A key part of what makes this novel work is that it is really another tale from the Arabian Nights. Those fabled 1001 tales came from three cultures, Arabic, Persian, and Indian, while this novel set in Hindustan represents a culture clash between two of those three as a Muslim emperor rules a predominantly Hindu land. However the idea that this is another Scheherazade story matters because the characters and events are slightly larger than life. We are, after all, talking about a beautiful Muslim princess along with the course of an empire. There was a point in the narrative where I found myself questioning that Jahanara's parents would ever marry their beloved daughter to such a wretched soul as Khondair. A reason was given, but the validity of it was implicit at best and it was only when it dawned on me that this is a tale writ as large as Aladdin and Ali Baba that I realized history and realism were not the standards by which "Beneath a Marble Sky" is to be judged. This is an epic romance even if it is told in deeply intimate terms and while it is not a fantasy it is touched by the exotic, which tempers fidelity to the history around which Shors has crafted his own work. Final Notes: First, I noticed one of the best web sites devoted to the Taj Mahal mentions this book. It should, because it is going to inspire a lot of people to go to Agar. Maybe not as many as are currently heading to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth, but a sizeable number nonetheless. Second, I have to wonder what in the world John Shors will write next after this one. Where does he go from here? It will be interesting to find out and there will be a lot of people looking forward to that next book after reading "Beneath a Marble Sky." Review: Interesting and entertaining, but just not believable. I kept turning the pages though. - The Taj Mahal is the inspiration for this loosely interpreted love story. Princess Jahanara is the main character, and like many main characters in historical novels, she is highly intelligent and feisty and thinks like a modern woman. Of course I knew it was all fiction as I let myself become involved with the story, and at times I actually found it quite silly. However, I was also captured by the tale and found myself thinking about the book and rushing back to it just to see what would happen next. The author did a good job of keeping the details of life in the empire interesting and engaging. Central to the story is Jahanara's forbidden love with the architect of the Taj Mahal. There are other love stories as well, especially that of Jahanara's father, the emperor who built the famous tomb for his favorite wife who died in childbirth. Throughout, I was aware that this was a novel, and that many of the historical details were outright wrong, but that didn't make me put down the book. Something exciting happens on every page and the characters are defined early as either the "good guys" or the "bad guys". Aurangzeb, who later became emperor and ruled for a lifetime, is a bad guy and we see this cruel streak in him right from his childhood. We're certainly not surprised then, when later, he murders his brother and imprisons his father. The reader identifies with Jahanara, and we share the ups and downs of her life. She is treated terribly by her husband, adored by her father, and loved by the architect. She is imprisoned and suffers unspeakable horrors, but somehow has the quick mind to get her out of the most outrageous situations. I resisted checking the facts about the Taj Mahal until after I finished the book. I soon learned that the author crafted the story out of the very barest of facts and as far as I am concerned, it was ALL fiction. But I must say that I really did enjoy reading it. It was great escape fiction on a hot summer's day. Understanding that, I do give it a lightweight recommendation. Just be aware of its limitations. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #732,227 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #14,507 in Historical Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 738 Reviews | ## Images ![Beneath a Marble Sky - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/710VqYYivvL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An exquisite novel on the love story behind the Taj Mahal *by L***O on June 13, 2004* Before I say anything else my strong recommendation is to resist the impulse to look at any history of the building of the Taj Mahal. I made the mistake of going on line to find some pictures of the Taj Mahal once I got to the point in John Shors' "Beneath a Marble Sky" where the grand mausoleum had been completed and instead of stopping at the photographs I glanced at what was known about the historical figures at the center of the novel and it gave away a major development. So do as I say and not as I do. Afterwards you can find the true events that weave their way through this exquisite first novel. All that really matters when you pick up this novel is that you have seen a picture of the Taj Mahal (it is not like there is a bad one). It does not matter whether or not you know that it is a mausoleum or that it honors the Mughal Empress Mumtaz Mahal, because what is important is that if you have seen it you know the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful buildings on the planet, a sublime mix of architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, and this historical romance is about how it came to be built. When the Taj Mahal is a tomb, then the great pyramids of Giza are reduced to just being piles of big blocks. The narrator of "Beneath a Marble Sky" is Jahanara, the daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and because Jahanara his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who tells her story and that of her family to her granddaughters, who are visiting the Taj Mahal for the first time. The tale begins when she was thirteen and beginning to appreciate how difficult it is to be a woman in a man's world. It seems she will be a spectator to both the great love between her parents and the contention between two of her brothers for her father's throne. Dara is a student of philosophy and religion believes that Muslims and Hindus can life together in harmony, while Aurangzeb is a ruthless warrior and puritanical zealot who wants to extend the borders of the Empire in all directions and send unbelievers to their richly deserved deaths. When his beloved wife dies the emperor hires a talented young architect, Ustad Isa, to build her a beautiful memorial, the Rauza-I Munavvara ("Tomb of Light"). As the Taj Mahal rises, the conflict between the two brothers comes to a head, but the fate of the empire comes second to that of Jahanara and who has her own love story. When you get to the heart of this novel and why it works it is because Shors comes up with an elegant explanation for why a man would be inspired by a dead woman he has never seen to create the most beautiful building on earth. At the same time Shors remains faithful to the cultures and the poetic rhythms of the languages they speak. A key part of what makes this novel work is that it is really another tale from the Arabian Nights. Those fabled 1001 tales came from three cultures, Arabic, Persian, and Indian, while this novel set in Hindustan represents a culture clash between two of those three as a Muslim emperor rules a predominantly Hindu land. However the idea that this is another Scheherazade story matters because the characters and events are slightly larger than life. We are, after all, talking about a beautiful Muslim princess along with the course of an empire. There was a point in the narrative where I found myself questioning that Jahanara's parents would ever marry their beloved daughter to such a wretched soul as Khondair. A reason was given, but the validity of it was implicit at best and it was only when it dawned on me that this is a tale writ as large as Aladdin and Ali Baba that I realized history and realism were not the standards by which "Beneath a Marble Sky" is to be judged. This is an epic romance even if it is told in deeply intimate terms and while it is not a fantasy it is touched by the exotic, which tempers fidelity to the history around which Shors has crafted his own work. Final Notes: First, I noticed one of the best web sites devoted to the Taj Mahal mentions this book. It should, because it is going to inspire a lot of people to go to Agar. Maybe not as many as are currently heading to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth, but a sizeable number nonetheless. Second, I have to wonder what in the world John Shors will write next after this one. Where does he go from here? It will be interesting to find out and there will be a lot of people looking forward to that next book after reading "Beneath a Marble Sky." ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting and entertaining, but just not believable. I kept turning the pages though. *by L***C on September 8, 2007* The Taj Mahal is the inspiration for this loosely interpreted love story. Princess Jahanara is the main character, and like many main characters in historical novels, she is highly intelligent and feisty and thinks like a modern woman. Of course I knew it was all fiction as I let myself become involved with the story, and at times I actually found it quite silly. However, I was also captured by the tale and found myself thinking about the book and rushing back to it just to see what would happen next. The author did a good job of keeping the details of life in the empire interesting and engaging. Central to the story is Jahanara's forbidden love with the architect of the Taj Mahal. There are other love stories as well, especially that of Jahanara's father, the emperor who built the famous tomb for his favorite wife who died in childbirth. Throughout, I was aware that this was a novel, and that many of the historical details were outright wrong, but that didn't make me put down the book. Something exciting happens on every page and the characters are defined early as either the "good guys" or the "bad guys". Aurangzeb, who later became emperor and ruled for a lifetime, is a bad guy and we see this cruel streak in him right from his childhood. We're certainly not surprised then, when later, he murders his brother and imprisons his father. The reader identifies with Jahanara, and we share the ups and downs of her life. She is treated terribly by her husband, adored by her father, and loved by the architect. She is imprisoned and suffers unspeakable horrors, but somehow has the quick mind to get her out of the most outrageous situations. I resisted checking the facts about the Taj Mahal until after I finished the book. I soon learned that the author crafted the story out of the very barest of facts and as far as I am concerned, it was ALL fiction. But I must say that I really did enjoy reading it. It was great escape fiction on a hot summer's day. Understanding that, I do give it a lightweight recommendation. Just be aware of its limitations. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ So he's used a bit of "poetic licence" to tell a good tale. It's certainly worth a read *by R***Y on April 17, 2016* John Shors says 65% of this novel is based on hard facts - all the royal characters were real people and acted as they did in the book. So he's used a bit of "poetic licence" to tell a good tale. It's certainly worth a read, so long as you are not pedantic about historical fiction being 100% accurate. But this novel is more than historical fiction I think. Beautifully written (in the first person narrative through the eyes of Princess Jahanara), with evocative imagery, it is an epic story depicting the downfall of a royal empire. In a similar vein to Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth (but much shorter), it covers powerful emotions - greed, lust, power, resilience, love - between siblings, parents and children and of course, men and women. I enjoyed it more than I expected to. I also felt it has relevance to today's world, by illustrating the societal impact of liberal versus orthodox perspectives in religion and using the latter to justify discrimination, war and genocide. It's a captivating read. I highly recommend it --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/15304030-beneath-a-marble-sky](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/15304030-beneath-a-marble-sky) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-23*