1 review for The Palace of Illusions
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The Palace of Illusions
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Description:
A reimagining of the world-famous Indian epic, the Mahabharat—told from the point of view of an amazing woman. Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale. The novel traces the princess Panchaali’s life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands’ most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female redefining for us a world of warriors, gods, and the ever-manipulating hands of fate.
About The Author
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born Chitralekha Banerjee, July 29, 1956) is an Indian-American author, poet, and the Betty and Gene McDavid Professor of Writing at the University of Houston Creative Writing Program.
Her short story collection, Arranged Marriage won an American Book Award in 1995, and two of her novels (The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart) as well as a short story The Word Love were adapted into films. Mistress of Spices was short-listed for the Orange Prize. Currently, Sister of My Heart, Oleander Girl, Palace of Illusions, and One Amazing Thing have all been optioned to be made into movies or TV serials.Divakaruni lives in Houston with her husband Murthy. She has two sons, Anand and Abhay (whose names she has used in her children’s novels)
Skryf Review
The Palace of Illusions is a retelling of the epic from Panchaali’s perspective. The narrator of the story is Panchali herself. The writing style is elegant and the narration is retrospective. We see Panchaali as a young girl confined within the grey walls of her father’s palace with only her Dhai Ma and Krishna as companions. We witness the transformation of Panchaali from a young girl to a woman. We see her disregard for traditional roles set for women and we see her attachment to her enchanting palace. We feel her anger arising from the humiliation that she faces at the dice-game and her many frustrations during the period of exile. We also witness a different Panchaali during the battle at Kurukshetra. The manner in which gender roles are portrayed is a little constrictive. It seems that the author is a cultural feminist, one who believes that there are differences in the nature of men and women. Men fight wars, display characteristics of aggression, strength, competitiveness and violence. Women use the power of words, and are supposed to be caring, nurturing, motherly, and cooperative. The writing was in no way spectacular, but it portrayed emotions adequately enough.