The Palace of Illusions explained
The Palace of Illusions: A Novel is a 2008 novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, published by Doubleday.
The novel is a rendition of the Hindu epic Mahabharata as told from Draupadi's (Panchaali's) viewpoint, namely, that of a woman living in a patriarchal world. Booklist summarizes the plot: "Smart, resilient, and courageous Panchaali, born of fire, marries all five of the famously heroic Pandava brothers, harbors a secret love, endures a long exile in the wilderness, instigates a catastrophic war, and slowly learns the truth about Krishna, her mysterious friend."[1]
Reviews
- "...it's really intriguing to find a book that deals differently with Draupadi - not a Manushi article or a Gender Studies tract on 'Mythical Women and Agency', but a proper story, like Vyasa's epic, where Draupadi begins. ... The 'mysterious woman' style of narration is unmistakably Divakaruni's." Renuka Narayanan, Hindustan Times[2]
- "Is Divakaruni's novel a usefully accessible version of a remote cultural artifact, or a case of forcing a remarkable quart into a conventional pint pot?" Elsbeth Lindner, San Francisco Chronicle[3]
- Palace of Illusions on Scribbles of Soul
- Book Review : The Palace of Illusions - July 16, 2015
- Book Review: The Palace of Illusions
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: The palace of illusions : a novel. Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. 19 August 2016.
- Web site: Review: The palace of illusions - Hindustan Times . November 11, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110701221419/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Review-The-palace-of-illusions/Article1-304237.aspx . July 1, 2011 .
- Web site: Review: 'The Palace of Illusions' recast in a feminist light. https://archive.today/20120701180428/http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-02-12/entertainment/17139479_1_chitra-banerjee-divakaruni-novel-indian-epic. live. July 1, 2012. 12 February 2008.
