MixedThe New York Times Book ReviewDespite the spare record she has to work with, Lal paints richly detailed scenes from Nur’s life ... Lal ably guides the reader through the rich drama and intrigue of Nur’s later life with Jahangir ... While filled with particulars, Empress can, at times, feel disjointed as Lal breezes over some of the larger developments and changes in Nur’s life. While she dwells extensively on the milieu of the harem, she spends little time explaining what led Jahangir to elevate Nur above his other wives ... Lal is clearly constrained by the paucity of the material she has to work with. But she seems too reluctant to draw inferences and make analytical deductions. She might not be able to say definitely what transpired between Nur and Jahangir or Nur and Shah Jahan, but she could tell readers what she thinks is the most credible and plausible account. Still, Lal has done a service to readers interested in the Mughal period and the many forgotten or poorly remembered women of Indian history. She has helped shine a little light on an enigmatic character many think they know but few actually understand.
