Beneath a Marble Sky Characters

In the gallery that prefaces Under a Marble Sky, Jahanara is described as "highly intelligent, ambitious, resourceful, and loyal." That's not a bad start, but Shors is being purposefully brief—af...

One Bad DudeWith a professional name like Alamgir, which means "world seizer," it's pretty obvious that Aurangzeb is gonna be the designated villain of our story. He's lean, he's mean, and he's a f...

Artist, Lover, Family ManIsa is a seriously amazing man. He's smart. He's talented. He's incredibly humble, and he's kind. Just ask Jahanara:What can I say other than he was one of those rare peopl...

We don't know if it's merely the thorough indoctrination we all undergo at the hands of Disney as kids, but we can't help comparing Shah Jahan, Jahanara's father, to the plump little Sultan in Alad...

We want Ladli to get her own spin-off TV show; she's just such a cool character. She swears like a sailor, looks like a movie star, acts like a CIA operative, and is one of the most loyal friends t...

Oh, Nizam. You sweet, loyal, soldier, you. It's kind of surprising, really, that this guy is such a wonderful dude. He's been through some terrible times—terrible enough that we might have expect...

Arjumand, the daughter of Jahanara and Isa, is a sweet girl. (Don't confuse her with Jahanara's mom, who she's named after.)She has a lovely temperament that makes her an easy kid to take to work,...

Mumtaz Mahal, Jahanara's mother (her actual name is Arjumand Banu Begum) might as well walk around with a halo over her head, because everyone who knows her considers her to be a saint. She's beaut...

Dara is Jahanara's oldest brother, and he's the presumed heir to the Peacock Throne. He's kind, and gentle, and he's a philosopher to the bone. These are wonderful qualities for a future leader, bu...

We really don't know what Jahanara's parents were thinking when they arranged for her to marry the despicable brute Khondamir. Of course, there's a political aspect to their union, but does that ma...

If Shah Jahan is this guy, and Aurangzeb is this one, then Balkhi is totally this dude. He's a thug, a ruthless henchman who will do just about any terrible deed in the name of evil.No, really:"Who...

These girls' little brother should be the next emperor, and it's about time they know it. As Jahanara's nearly grown granddaughters, Gulbadan and Rurayya are finally learning their true family hist...

ShivajiLike all great divas, Shivaji only goes by one name. He's a charismatic young leader of the Hindu Marathas, a fierce military force who are sworn enemies of the Empire. When Jahanara goes to...