MACMILLAN The Palace of Illusions (10th Anniversary Edition)

In a time of rich spices, jeweled saris, and everyday magic - a time of curses, vengeance, and the power of the heart - a girl stumbles out of the flames that have already produced her twin brother, carrying with her the thread and promise of change. In Divakaruni's masterful hands the myth of Panchaali takes shape, and the reader leaves behind the contemporary world for a society that carries far too many parallels to our own. On its own, the narrative is majestic, but it is Divakaruni's character development that truly brings The Palace of Illusions to life. Panchaali herself is capable of invoking a sea of emotional responses, and the power to invoke sympathy, hatred, admiration and condemnation within the space of 360 pages speaks volumes of her author's narrative capabilities. The inhabitants of The Palace of Illusions are far from two-dimensional characters moving through a storyline: they breathe through the pages and welcome the reader into their mysterious world. In short, the novel is simply magical.

This was a beautiful story. The Mahabharata, an epic Indian poem, is told by Draupadi, a woman literally born from the flames. Draupadi, married to five brothers helps bring about the fall of he Third Age of Man. She relates the story of her life that began from flames to her rise to power as wife to five brothers, and then to her (and her brothers)final fate. Through Draupadi's voice we learn about the struggle between two powerful families - the Pandavas and Kauravas. Not only is the story highly interesting, but the are many beautful meditations on life, love, and vengeance. I read this book on my Kindle. The only bad part of the book was the family chart, which was hard to read. But once I really got involved in the story, I had little trouble keeping the charatcters straight. I found I really didn't need the chart that much. Someone else though might want to read a paper copy instead if they have trouble reading books with lots of characters. I highlighted and made notations on many passages from this book, because I found them to be very thought provoking. I now feel compelled to read an English translation of the Mahabharata. Here is one passage I thought was very wise: Draupadi wants to find a golden lotus and thinks to herself, "I knew that the remedy lay not in finding a new flower but in Krishna had advised me over and again: Let the past go. Be at ease. Allow the future to arrive at its own pace, unfurling its secrets when it will. I knew I should live the life that teemed around me: this clear air, this newborn sunlight, the simple comfort of the shawl around my shoulders." (Kindle locations 3110-16) In conclusion,this was a wonderful book. I give it 4 1/2 stars. This book was absolutely beautiful.

This book can only be described with one word BEAUTIFUL. The imagery, the language, the well-conveyed feeling of longing all made this book speak to me on so many levels. I did not want to finish this book for the fear of the end of the fantasy world the author had created for me. This book was so descriptive it made all my senses ache. Not only at its core was a story of love and loss but an epic battle as well as the lessons of greed, power and desire. I wish Divakaruni had made this book even longer so my journey could have never ended. A truly magical journey and magical book.

Divakaruni has penned a fast-moving and engaging retelling of one of India's most beloved ancient texts: the Mahabharata. Probably the world's largest single literary work, the Mahabharata tells the story of the first recorded civil war in history: the struggle precipitated between two sets of cousins due to their conflict over who is to inherit the family's ancestral throne. Most Western readers are familiar with this epic tale only marginally, through a tiny excerpt called the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the eternal teaching of the divine Krishna. In her contemporary novel, Divakaruni recasts the entire story by telling it through the eyes of the central female character, Draupadi, whose humiliation and violation is one of the events motivating the epic's heroes to enter into war with their cousins. Draupadi's "disrobing" has always been considered one of the most central scenes in the epic. In fact, many date the onset of our current age of corruption and decay (the Kali Yuga) to that very moment in time. In the critical edition, Draupadi's chastisement of her husbands, for their passivity and unwillingness to protect her, is given full voice: a fact that attests to the tradition's own ambivalence with regard to the traditional treatment of women at the hands of their husbands in general (echoed through the centuries in Draupadi's unanswered question: "Is a husband permitted to stake his wife in a gambling match"?) By making Draupadi's the point of view through which we see the events unfold, however, Divakaruni adds a greater level of psychological complexity to our consideration of the epic events. In this version, we see Draupadi involved in an ongoing relationship with Krishna in which she is not only acknowledged for the suffering she endures, but also chastised for her selfishness, and encouraged to move beyond her adolescent goals and ambitions. There is admirable character development, as Draupadi recognizes (too late, all too often) her mistakes and their great costs. So too, we are treated to a sort of Draupadi Gita, as we see the 18-day war through Draupadi's eyes, and she is forced to witness the carnage brought about through her lust for revenge. Is it a break with tradition to tell the story in this way? To those who would be scandalized by Divakaruni's approach: it is well worth remembering that there are dozens of well-established regional versions of the Mahabharata, and even many more local traditions throughout India. In fact, as a cursory scan of even the critical edition would verify, we could say that the tradition *is* to come up with new ways of telling the old events, and new details with which to embellish the body of the story.

The Palace of Illusions is a stunning reimagining of the Mahabharat, told entirely through Draupadi’s voice. For those who haven’t read or watched the epic in full, like myself, this novel offers the perfect entry point. It clarifies the chaos of family affairs, dynasties, and dharma, all while grounding the story in one woman’s emotional world. I, for one, have never read nor watched the Mahabharat in its entirety, but after reading this, I find it awfully hard to imagine the story without Draupadi’s perspective. To me, she and Krishna are the thread that runs through the entire tale. The bond they share is quiet yet cosmic, built on mutual respect and a deep, unspoken understanding. When Krishna gives her the name Krishnaa, so closely tied to his own, it becomes even more powerful and symbolic. But this story was never about Draupadi relying on a man. Krishna's presence in her life wasn’t about dependence, it was about alignment. He wasn’t her rescuer, but her mirror. And though Krishna appears in male form, “they” transcend gender entirely, shifting, guiding, and reflecting what each soul needs most. This is not just a tale of war and fate, but of ego, forbidden love, sacrifice, and the loneliness of being misunderstood. Draupadi isn’t a side character here, she is the heart of the story. Through her eyes, we witness the weight of duty, the complexity of relationships, and the fire that comes with knowing your worth in a world that constantly tries to reduce it. The Palace of Illusions doesn’t just retell an epic, it reclaims it, reshaping our understanding of the Mahabharat forever.

As a student of yoga and having read a number of translations of the Bhagavad Gita, I found this a welcome respite from the academic exploration of the spiritual texts. A novel based on the viewpoint of Draupadi (who was married to the 5 Pandu brothers) and written from her experience. Whilst purely fiction, it is an interesting read, giving some insight to the life and society of women in ancient India. If you are deep in your studies and want some light relief that will also broaden your mind regarding the events of the time, this is an interesting distraction.

Amazing book! The story line is so intriguing and at times thought provoking. Absolutely loved the take on a somewhat patriarchal epic from a women’s perspective!

Struggled to get started but once I got into it, this was a great story, beautifully written and really intriguing. I loved learning about the mystical and culture from this era

I ordered this book a month ago and I am yet to receive the product even though I have already paid. Has my money gone to waste ? How long does it take ?