Umrao Jan Ada is perhaps one of the most enigmatic, and forgotten female figures in South Asian literature. To date, the question of her existence, her beauty, her scholarly abilities and her poetic gifts remain a mystery. The book is an account of Umrao's life, documented by a close friend and supposedly dictated by Umrao. While the novel offers no twists and turns shuttling the reader into a "what happens next?" frenzy, it is a remarkable and very effective attempt to capture the essense of what it meant to be a courtesan in royal india. The novel weaves Umrao's story with a delicate sprinkiling of poetry, royal societal dynamics, as well as an indepth glance at a long since forgotten profession. I highly reccommend this novel to any enthusiast of Royal India, Indian poetry, and South Asian studies in general. For poetry enthusiasts, and for those readers who are well versed in Urdu, the Urdu version of this book is remarkable.