The Palace of Illusions

It's been years since the first time I read this book and was completely blown away. It was a time when I didn't know what retellings meant and I don't think I'd read any (atleast not Indian ones). So, I just thought this would be the same story of the Mahabharata told through the eyes of Draupadi, but I didn't realize it would totally change the way I thought of this beloved epic. I had never expressed my thoughts about this amazing book before but I recently listened to the audiobook, and I just had to talk about it.

My love for Mahabharata is as old as myself. The TV show aired when I was too little but my mother insists I loved the title song and would even hum it as a toddler. I got the kid's version of the book as a six year old and immersed myself in the story. I watched the TV show again and countless other Telugu movies made about it. It's an epic that's very intertwined with my life as a whole - it's an essential part of my reading life, a basis for my faith and spirituality and put simply, an amazing cache of life lessons. But I just took the lessons that I learnt through this epic or what I gleaned from discussions with my family as granted and never really questioned them. I also truly didn't realize that it's mostly a tale that revolves around the men of the epic, and the women usually have cautionary tales attached to them. This book completely upended my worldview and made me rethink everything I knew about the Mahabharata.

The writing in this book is just stellar and I frankly have no adjectives to describe it. The author gives us a Draupadi who is well rounded, passionate, resilient, sometimes selfish, impulsive, calculating - ultimately a dynamic but flawed woman. As a product of the times, she doesn't get to make many choices but she makes most of the options she has. And many times, she has to bear the brunt of the consequences of actions taken by others - whether it be her marriage to the Pandavas, her utter violation in the Kuru court or the 13 years of exile which lead to more humiliations. We are so used to hailing the Pandavas for their heroics and obviously, they are heroes for being on the dharmic side of the war, but we whitewash a lot of their flaws. This book really opens our eyes to their faults, seeing them as more than just their heroic acts through the eyes of Draupadi. A recurrent theme of the book is her feelings about Karna, and while I was initially skeptical about this storyline because I'd never read something like it before, I accepted it as artistic license. It's also such a sensitive portrayal of Draupadi's unrequited and mostly confusing feelings that I couldn't help but completely immerse myself in the author's version of the story. However, the best part of the book for me was the exploration of her relationship with Krishna. The bond they share is full of love and immense trust and so many unexplainable things, it's just utterly beautiful. I could have read a book about just the both of them and be completely satisfied because that's the kind of eternal bond they share.

There is nothing I can really say about this magical book other than go ahead and pick it up. If you love the Mahabharata, then I would call this one an essential reading. It really makes the epic feel much more human, and gives a well rounded nuanced portrait of all the characters who make up this epic, especially Draupadi. Just pick up this book and be prepared to be mesmerized by the beautiful writing.

"She who sows vengeance must reap its bloody fruit."

I don’t read much Indian fiction. I think to date, I’ve only read two of this author’s previous works, The Forest of Enchantments and Independence. I mostly enjoyed both of those with some caveats, and I think this one was no exception. I can’t say I know the source material at all, and from a quick glance at the reviews, I can see the low reviews come from a place of not liking aspects of the retelling. I only mention this to say that I don’t know the retelling at all, and I thought this was an enjoyable, flawed story.

Panchaali was born with a destiny to change the course of history. The daughter of King Draupad, she struggles with impatience born from being forced into a female role she doesn’t want to play. Forced to marry five brothers (at once!) instead of her heart’s desire by her family and her friends, she struggles to please her new family while coming to terms with her new lot in life. But even after she (reluctantly) throws herself into married life, she must endure loss after heartbreak after grief as she gains things she loves with all her being and then loses them again.

Panchaali was an interesting character, though I preferred the first half of the book as she figures herself out while growing up more than the second half of the book. Character/ending spoilers: I didn’t much care for the bent-on-vengeance change to Panchaali for losing her house (I know that’s reductive), but because this is a retelling of some very old source material and somewhat key to her story, I understand it’s not really something that can be changed. I did think the author hit the foreshadowing button a bit too much; the ending twist regarding Karna was something I saw coming.

The writing style was fantastic though. The scenes are painted with care and detail, and I loved picturing the places the author takes us to. There’s also references to (what I’m assuming are) other stories within the source material concerning other characters, and I found myself falling down more than a few Wikipedia holes looking these references up. The action near the end does feel a little choppy as well, though. It seems like we fly past key events with just a mention of what happened in intervening years, but I’m not sure if that’s a source material thing or an author thing.

This was an enjoyable fiction read from a country I don’t read too much from. Highly recommend to anyone looking for something new in the historical fiction (fantasy?) genre.

Rating: 3.5/5

Chitra Banerjee's The Palace of Illusions presents a captivating retelling of the Mahabharata, centering on the enigmatic figure of Draupadi. While the novel skillfully weaves a tale of love, loss, and the complexities of human nature, it ultimately falls short of fully capturing the depth and nuance of its protagonist.

Banerjee's writing transports readers to the opulent world of the Pandavas and Kauravas. The novel delves into the complicated dynamics of the characters, particularly Draupadi's tumultuous relationship with her five husbands. However, while the author attempts to portray Draupadi as a strong and independent woman, she often succumbs to stereotypical tropes.

The novel's primary focus on Draupadi's romantic entanglements, especially her obsession with Karna, overshadows her other significant roles and accomplishments. While there are moments where Draupadi exhibits flashes of defiance and courage, these instances are fleeting. Instead, she is frequently portrayed as a capricious and impulsive figure, driven by emotions rather than reason.

Despite its shortcomings, The Palace of Illusions remains an engaging read, offering a fresh perspective on a timeless epic. However, readers seeking a truly empowering portrayal of Draupadi may be left wanting.