Jahanara is one of the daughters of the Indian ruler, and the great-granddaughter of Akbar, the greatest Moghul ruler of India. Despite living in a household of enormous wealth and having servants to care for her every need, Jahanara is a prisoner. The prison is not what you would normally think of --- bars and walls and guards. Her prison is that of being female in a society controlled by customs that don't allow women any freedom. While boys are able to go where they please and do as they please, women must remain hidden behind veils and rarely see the outside of the living areas designated for women. All the gold and jewels and fine things in life do not make up for the smothering restrictions that Jahanara and the other women must live with.

Women do have one power, the power to speak and influence minds, but often they use this power to create seeds of evil. Jahanara's mother counsels her father from behind a screen when he's making important decisions in meetings. Like her mother, Jahanara wants to learn to use her voice for good. Through her journal we see a young girl dreaming of the person she could become and the things she could do if only she had the freedom to achieve them.

As with all the diaries, there are pictures, a glossary, and more fascinating information included at the end of the story to enhance your reading experience.

   --- Reviewed by Ann L. Bruns