Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India
Analysis
Having read mythological books I have a lot of interest in them as they contain some hidden facts and they help me to improve my knowledge and imagination. At the same time I picked this book which was in my TBR list for an extended period of time. It was a delightful book that I started with enthusiasm but ended with tears in my eyes. “THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS” is not a new story, children who were born in India may have heard it as a child from their grandparents or from their parents. It is the story of the Mahabharata. If that’s the case, you must ask what’s new in this book.
Plot in-depth
This was Mahabharata in the version of “panchali”. Every Reader had their own hero, some like Arjun, others like Bheema, some like Krishna. However, this book changed my preferences and Panchali became my hero. The princess panchali, also known as draupadi, was the daughter of king Drupada, and she had two brothers, Dhristadymna and Shikhnadi. Since childhood, she suffers a lot; everything that happens to her goes against her will, she married Arjun, but Kunti’s words turned her into the wife of all Pandavas. This book tells the entire story of Panchali, not just as a goddess or as a brave woman, but also as a woman with flaws and mistakes, leading to the worst war of all time. In her heart, panachali loved karna more than her five husbands, and she also discovered she likes Krishna after she got married. Besides the story, the character of Panchali inspired me a lot. She survived hardships, humiliation, sacrifices and much more.
Summary
In my opinion, this book is a must-read and contains so much info we didn’t know. Kudos to Divakaruni ji for making such a great attempt.