The Palace of Illusions
Book Review
"I'm no child, and I do know what I want! I want to leave a mark on history, as was promised to me at my birth." ~Draupadi
And a mark she did leave in history. Tales of her would be heard for generations.
This book is a captivating retelling of Mahabharat from Draupadi's perspective blending myth, history and her struggles.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Indian Mythology
Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Through Draupadi's journey since her birth to her death, the readers get to witness themes of love, ambition, feminism, revenge and suffering.
Rating: 4/5
Elements I loved in the book:
The character of the protagonist Draupadi comes out with a rich tapestry of traits. Readers will see her ambitions, flaws, desires and everything in between which makes her a compelling character.
The author has masterfully crafted this novel with an element of humour which I prefer to see as a sign of intriguing storytelling.
The conversations between Krishna and Krishnaa (through this read, I got to know that Draupadi was called this as well😅)
Elements I did not like as much:
I found the incident when Draupadi washes her hair with Dushasan's blood to be missing from the entire narrative, which I believe was an important event in Draupadi's life as well as in Mahabharata. Maybe it was implied in earlier chapters, but I can't recollect its specific mention during the war.
(Spoiler alert) There is an additional love angle that is shown between Draupadi and Karna which I believe was a creative liberty that author took (because in the Mahabharata I never heard of it), which as a reader I was fine with until Draupadi still has feelings for him - even after he instructs to disrobe her, even after he kills Abhimanyu, her son. This was a bit difficult for me to digest, given the kind of power and integrity her character exudes.
General Thoughts on the book:
The book brings a fresh perspective to the whole narrative being told from the perspective of a female character.
The book progresses at a deliberate pace. Whether the chapters are long or short, readers will enjoy reading them.
Be prepared to laugh at multiple moments. Yes, you heard me right. War about to happen, but you are smiling.That's how the author blends humour in the entire narrative. Something to look forward to.
Quote I liked:
"Is the desire for vengeance stronger than the longing to be loved?”
Have you read this book? If not, consider adding it to your TBR. You'll enjoy the storytelling in the book. The author has done a brilliant job there.