Customer Reviews

The Palace of Illusions: A Novel

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4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First I think it is important to mention that I have never read the Mahabharata on which "The Palace of Illusions in Based". I have read various Indian short stories, myths, and teachings including several translations of the Yoga Sutras. I was always intimidated by the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita because they are written in verse which to me is easier to listen to then read. They are also predominantly about war and battles which is generally not an interest not something I enjoy reading about. I was attracted to Illusion both because it was a retelling of the story which I knew wouldn't focus on battles and from the perspective of the female characters in the book. I know that many will scoff at the idea of this but I feel completely encouraged now to read both Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita because now I will have a context to put them in and an easier time reading the verse.

Reading this book was similar to reading "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West". The story is told from the point of view of Panchaali and she narrates the story starting when she is very young. Whole chapters have other characters telling stories that Panchaali is not involved in as a dialogue between herself and other characters. I especially enjoyed this technique in an early chapter when she and her brother Dhri go back and forth about how their father's generation got into their current problems. Her nanny tells her the story of her birth through fire and other stories come along the way. For the most part Panchaali talks about what she is experiencing and how she feels about things. She starts with very child-like ideas but as the story progresses some depth is acquired.

Overall I loved the story. I was able to keep the many characters straight with no problem even though there was as many as Anna Karenina and only consulted the family tree at the beginning a couple times. I grew to love many of the characters and was really repelled by others. The story moved at a great pace and I stayed up late reading because it was so exciting.
I think many people would really love this book. If you are interested in mythology or Indian History but intimidated by the classic works I highly recommend this book and Ganesha Goes to Lunch. Both are re-tellings of these ancient stories in modern language. I also think that fans of Wicked and the whole genre of seeing an old story from another point of view would really enjoy this book. Finally, I don't think it is at all out of reach for young adults. As a young person I would have adored this book. It was really wonderful, filled with magic, gods, and learning.

When I was a child, there was a book in the school's library that enchanted me -- The Five Sons of King Pandu by Elizabeth Seeger. A simplified retelling of the massive Indian classic, The Mahabharata, it centers mostly around the stories of five brothers, semi-divine beings who go literally from rags to riches to enlightenment to the sound of battles and heroic deeds.

And even more central to the story is of the remarkable Draupadi, the exquisite princess who becomes the wife of the five brothers -- all at the same time. But along with the Pandavas, Draupadi also acquires Kunti, her demanding, bitter mother-in-law. Chitra Benerjee Divakaruni takes this story, and by telling it through the eyes of Draupadi, gives it all a unique spin.

For Draupadi -- or Panchaali, as she also named -- is also the product of a magical birth. Born in the flames of a fire, she and her twin brother, Dhristadyumna, destined to fulfill their father's terrible thirst for revenge against his sworn brother, Drona. There is also their cousin, Krishna, dark-skinned and irresistible to both men and women, and who seemingly can't give a straight answer without a riddle attached. Draupadi finds herself longing for a marriage to a brave prince, who will make her a dazzling queen in her own palace -- but when a fortune-teller prophecies that not only will she have just that, but also bring about the end of the Third Age of Man, Draupadi starts to suspect that having exactly what she wants may not be the same as wanting it. For when the contest is held to pick her husband-to-be, not only is she a contested prize, but she meets someone that will change her life forever... and change the course of the great civil war that is to come.

I have to say, this is quite a novel. There are magical weapons, conflict, lust, jealousy, anger, but also heroism, justice, and most of all, love. While I was already familiar with the story, there were enough new elements there to keep the tale fresh and revealing. And Draupadi is quite different than just about any other princess in literature -- instead of being a passive player, here she is the prime cause of the Pandavas' deadly feud towards their cousins, the treacherous Kauravas, and how they avenge her humiliation and degradation at their hands. She's also prideful, arrogant, and downright b!tchy in spots, not afraid to harangue her husbands, and even long for a man who has a secret that will change everything -- if he dares to do so.

In fact, I found the character of Karna, a brilliant and honorable warrior, who is more kingly than those born to the role, the most interesting one in the book. Despite that there isn't much in the book that has him as a player in the story, he is throughout the story, and the frustrated desire of Draupadi that is never hinted at in public, but colours nearly all of her actions and thoughts.

For anyone who is interested in the myths and legends of India, this is a must-read. Divakaruni's writing is brisk and imaginative, delving into the innermost thoughts of Draupadi, and making her a very believable and human character. While keeping track of all of the various characters and their rather intricate names can be a bit of a chore, the author has thoughtfully provided a glossary of all of the characters and a family tree to keep everyone straight. Unusually, the author's note is at the beginning of the book, rather than at the end, and she discusses her reasons for writing this story.

All in all, this was a very good novel, full of surprises and insights, and moved very quickly. For those who are looking for something unusual, this one should fit the bill quite nicely.

Four and a half stars, rounded off to four. Recommended.

The Palace of Illusions
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
2008; Doubleday Books
ISBN 978-0-385-51599-3

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Rating: 4/5 stars

February 23, 2008

For fans of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS is quite a departure from her previous novels. In her most current work, Divakaruni attempts to take the tale of the Mahabharat, the longest epic poem in history, and rewrites it so that the focus is now on the woman that played a large part in this epic tale. Panchaali, the woman who is fated to marry five men of royal birth, tells the story of her life and how she and her marriage changes the course of history.

The story starts with Panchaali's childhood, which is not one that was typical in her day. She manages to get an education alongside her brother, although it is forbidden for girls to go to school, and she learns the ways of War and other important topics needed to rule a kingdom.

When a wise man comes to her and tells her that she will eventually marry five brothers and be the cause of a Great War, Panchaali of course does not believe it. But as one by one the prophecies come true, Panchaali knows that her life has been fated to end in tragedy.

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS is the epic tale of a woman who finds herself to be the catalyst of a war that will change the lives of many in ancient India. One may want to compare this tale to the likes of Homer's famous epics, with Indian gods and royalty living as one. It's also a tale of love and passion, with a strong emphasis on tragedy. I found that this was not an easy read, but when I finally reached the end of the story, I had a sense of satisfaction at having read such an admirable piece of writing.

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS is a retelling of the Mahabharat, one of the longest epic poems in history, and takes place between 5000 and 6000 BCE. The novel is populated by kings, queens and deities of ancient Indian mythology, spanning decades and revolving around Panchaali, a princess who is forced to marry five men. The story is told from her point of view, and through her we learn of her birth, her childhood and her eventual marriages to the Pandava brothers.

As a child, Panchaali is a willful girl who finds ways to learn things that only boys are taught in school. Rather than sitting at home and being a wife and mother, she yearns for the life that males are granted because of their gender. Panchaali wants to be taught the ways of men and how they acquire power, and she learns all she can from her brother (with whom she is very close) and his teacher.

A sage tells Panchaali early in life that she will end up marrying five men and that she will be the reason for the start of a great war, which will destroy the "Third Age of Man." Panchaali doesn't believe this at first, but as the prophecies come true one by one, she admits that the wise sage was right and realizes that her life will not be an easy one.

Women are strong characters in this version of the tale and take center stage. Along with the charismatic Panchaali, readers are introduced to the formidable Kunti, Panchaali's mother-in-law, who is doing what she can to make her daughter-in-law's life miserable. The two clash often throughout most of their lives, but there will come a time when they finally will see eye to eye.

A continuing thread in the story is Panchaali's friendship with Krishna, the one person in her life who she constantly relies on for companionship and advice. Even during her marriage to the five brothers, Krishna is still there for her --- if not physically, then in spirit. She doesn't realize how much she loves him until it's too late.

Panchaali's secret passion, however, is for Karna, the man she rejected initially on her wedding day. Her love for him consumes her, for now she cannot have him. When she learns of a secret that involves him and her mother-in-law, it is all she can do to keep from revealing it to her husbands. Still, no matter how angry she is with Karna or how much he hates her for rejecting him, her passion for him smolders until the day she dies.

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS spans a lifetime --- from Panchaali and her brother's childhood, to her marriage to the five Pandava brothers, to the great war and their downfall. It is as grand and tragic as the epic poems by Homer. The story is complex, as political relationships grow and develop, and friends and enemies are created, leading to battles and wars that will eventually destroy them all. While I personally didn't connect with the political themes of the novel, I was captivated by the tragic storyline and the fate into which Panchaali was born. This admirable attempt to recreate the epic Mahabharat from the viewpoint of a strong woman is Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's best work yet.

--- Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton (Ratmammy@lofton.org)

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's new book `The Palace of Illusions' may elicit a variety of responses from its readers based mainly on their background, understanding and loyalty to Indian epics rather than their standing as mere critics of a novel. As one who grew up with Hindu religious stories inculcated into me and as the legend of Mahabharatha with its heroes and villains influenced even my mental make up, this book was fascinating with its approach and narration from a totally novel perspective.

If one is willing to respect the imaginative freedom of the writer and is not offended by the blasphemic obsession of deviating from the revered way they knew these epical stories, this book provides a pleasant treat and a fresh revelation. One should wonder why no one ever bothered to view the story from the viewpoint of the most important character of the chronicle, that of Panchali.

As I felt eager to be acquainted with Panchali as a human being and grew sympathetic to her tribulations, the book steered me to identify and appreciate her role from a humanistic point of view. The characters of Karna and Dhri, Bhima and Bheeshma became more realistic than mythical. The rivalry between Kunti and Panchali, and the jealousy felt by Drowpadi against Subhadra could be associated to real relationships. The lingering infatuation of Panchali towards Karna, her cherished trip with Bheeshma, the special friendship with Krishna and the way Bhima loved her, were all new revelations to me. I did not know that Duryodhan's wife was Bhanumati, that Kunti did not believe in using spices nor Nal and Damayanti lived before Mahabharta time. I could sense and empathize with Panchali's agony of guilt being the most responsible one for the war of Kurukshetra.

I adore Divakaruni's style of writing; `too-soft carpets that sucked at my ankles', `when you share a man's pillow, his dreams seep into you', `sorrow could not touch it any more than rust could inhabit pure steel'; delightfully different and delicious!

"We rise; the shapes cluster around us in welcome, dissolving and forming and dissolving again as fireflies in a summer evening".

Excellent, enjoyable reading. The old story told from a different angle and in an exquisite style.

I'm a strong fan of Divakaruni, but was disappointed by this book. It is quite an ambitious undertaking, however, and gives one an overview of ancient Indian myth.

I liked very much the relationship between Draupadi and Krishna, and the soul of the book dwells here. How can we know god? Who is god? What makes him or her different than we are? And finally, within ourselves, we contain the divine.

I also liked the (Sanskrit) non-textual relationship between Karna and Draupadi, also a dynamic part of the text, and would have liked them to have interacted elsewhere.

The problem with this narrative is that, on the one hand, we are being invited to see Draupadi as a real person, but on the other, she is not developed as such.

I liked the initial relationship between Draupadi and her brother, which becomes more and more remote as the book progresses, until, at his death, it is hardly mentioned. I felt emotionally let down by her lack of response. And her relationship with her children--unbelievable. My chief difficulty is the impersonality of the entire book. I had the feeling there was something I didn't know and should have known. There was too much telling and not enough showing. Too many prescient comments that didn't add up to much where they were placed and forgotten when the narrative finally arrived at these points.

I suppose I didn't "get down" with what Draupadi's problem was, even though she complained a great deal. As a reader, I wanted to be able to understand and embrace her problems and make them mine, but couldn't. I wanted to learn more about her birth; I'm wondering why she never mentions not having a mother and what the result of that lack has on her own mothering and her other relationships. Her husbands mostly lack substance, and her mother-in-law is distant. Aside from empowering her family, her mother-in-law's motives are not clear.

A shorter piece of the epic, more fully developed and in which Draupadi becomes a "real" person might have been more engaging.

I found out about this book when I was searching for books on the Mahabharata. I had never read anything by this author, but I had heard about her books and some films being made out of them.

So I ordered it with all anticipation and wonder as it was a retelling from the viewpoint of Draupadi [ called Panchaali in the book] she is 1 of the most vulnerable & interesting characters in the this grand historical epic. Her story and circumstances from various viewpoints can lead to her & her behaviour being labeled as arrogant,shrew-like, feministic, wise, martyr & finally enigmatic.

Her relationships with her husbands, Krishna, Kunti , Bhishma & all other various characters were difficult to say the least, she was supposed to be a superwoman when it came to politics, marriage & general behaviour but she was a person after all and she did her best to fulfill all duties bestowed to her.

This book gives us a grand view of her life and struggles and to the epic tale known as the Mahabharata, be forewarned all those searching for the entire Mahabharata story will be dissapointed this is not a entire retelling but a retelling from 1 of the point of view of 1 of the female protagonists. Those who do not have any earlier knowledge of this story will still love this book for its prose is top-notch & the info given is enough for one to understand the story.

For those already acquainted with it this is like a fabulous addition to the grand nine-course meal that is the MahaBharata. Read it and be mesmerized by panchaali's story.

4 stars for this worthy effort, i'm leaving out 1 star as it can be given when the entire story from all the characters is told alogwith all the backstory as well.

Kudos to Mrs. C.B. Divakaruni for her effort and her mesmerizing writing, I also had the previlige to meet her and get my copy signed during the book-signing in Houston

Palace of Illusions: A Novel, Chitra Banerjee-Divakaruni - Interesting premise: view the greatest Indian epic from the viewpoint of a woman. Not just any woman, but arguably the woman in the middle of it all. For those who may not know, Mahabharata (literally "Great Bharat", Bharat being the ancient name of India) is one of the two greatest of Indian epics, the second one being Ramayana. Any one of these epics can be thought of as being an aggregate of Illiad, Odyssey, Beowolf and any other major European work that you can think of. Mahabharta is where Lord Krishna preaches the code of morality to Arjuna; most people would know these lectures by their canonical name: Bhagavad Gita (which is the closest equivalent in Hinduisim to Koran or the Bible.) The story of Mahabharata is too great to be capsulized in a bite-size form, so I won't even try to do so. Suffice it to say that it the epic is rich, deep, and personal. Almost no Indian child is untouched by the beautiful stories and multi-faceted characters that make up Mahabharata. In fact, the epic is so ingrained in the Indian psyche that even eminent authors like Shashi Tharoor have created modern-day works of fiction based on events contained in it! (See my review of Shashi Tharoor's "The Great Indian Novel".) What Ms. Banerjee-Divakaruni has done is what I have attemped to avoid in this review: create a succint account of an epic, a Mahabharata 101, if you will. She has succeeded, no doubt. It was enjoyable reading. The events depicted are indeed as they appear in the Mahabharata. Though her brevity cannot do justice to the beautiful creation that is the Mahabharata, I must admit that she does come darn close. (February 2008).

I enjoyed the novel while I was reading it, and I've kept thinking on it since I finished reading it. Scenes keep coming to me, the ones that made me happy and the ones that made me sad. I'm also still puzzling out a few things.

Banerjee Divakaruni's books Sister of My Heart and The Vine of Desire were the first novels I read about India and people from India. Since then, I've read and loved Indu Sundaresan's novels, and her latest, The Splendor of Silence, stayed with me the way The Palace of Illusions has.

They're all lovely to read and great ways to escape the mundaneness that can set in to "normal" lives. Open your mind and give this book a try!

I have heard Mahabharata stories since childhood like many other people have. There is something about them that tugs you to them, revealing a new insight into humanity and beyond, every time you hear it. That is why hearing or reading it once, is never enough, you hear and read again and again, each time enjoying more, and learning more. May be, because it is so vast (It has 100,000 verses and is considered the largest epic in the world) and so encompassing, and may be because it holds secrets of our physical world as well as mystical and spiritual world. So much so that the original compiler Ved Vyasa declared that whatever can happened in this world, it is mentioned in the Mahabharata and if it is not there in the stories, that means it does not exist. That bold declaration refers to any situation good, bad, political, social, economic, related to family, friends, foe anything and everything....
Having said that, I commend Chitra Divakaruni to re tell the story of Mahabharata in her latest novel, "The Palace of Illusions". It must have been a monumental task for her, to weave through the stories and make a novel. She has done a fabulous job from an angle that no one has done before. Telling the story from Draupadi's (Panchaali's) point of view, is a novel idea. Draupadi is one of the central woman's characters in Mahabharata. It seems to me as though Chitra has penetrated deep into Draupadi's heart and mind and been (if I may use the word) brutally honest about her feelings, her agonies, joy and experiences. As you read the novel, you can't get enough; you want to know what Draupadi is going to feel next. And like many other readers I could not stay away from reading it and every little opportunity I got, I read until I finished. I loved the ending of the novel, as much as the beginning. In spite of all the violence and agonies that are inter-twined in the story, it left me with a warmth in my heart at the end of the story.
I found out through reading this novel, that Chitra Divakaruni's full first name is Chitra Lekha which means one who can draw a picture. She has come totally true to her name, drawing a vivid picture with her creative writing. When you read her descriptions of people, their habits, emotions and descriptions of places, situations, anything, it seems like you are seeing it happening in front of you. It takes you back in history and, makes you feel as though you have become a witness to the scene.
One last comment I would like to make is that, Story of Mahabharata is very complex, and if you are not familiar with it somewhat, it can be confusing. So if you have never read or heard any stories before, you are in for a treat, because Chitra has done a superb job of covering every major and important event in the story. And if you have read or heard the stories before, you are in for a double treat because you enjoy the stories and you get a new perspective from a woman's point of view.
Way to go Chitra!