Rated of 5
by Marie-Jeanne Palace of Illusions
Although I am a great fan of mythology, folk tales, and fairy tales, I am not very familiar with the stories of Hinduism. This book was a wonderful introduction, and I will be seeking out more.
I hope Ms. Divakaruni chooses to retell other stories from this tradition, as this book grabbed me from the beginning. I stayed awake until around 3:00 a.m. for two nights because I couldn't stop reading until my eyes just wouldn't stay open.
Panchaali is a fascinating character, full of contrasts. Born in fire and dying in ice. Filled with unrequited love and hatred for the same person. As we follow her tale of ambition and revenge, we learn of the dangers of hubris that results in destruction of a world.
I highly recommend this book for anyone with a taste for romance, adventure, magic, and fully developed characters. There is so much here that a book group could discuss it for several sessions.
Rated of 5
by Julie Confusing Palace of Illusions
This book is a "reimagining" of a world-famous Indian epic, the Mahabharat. Unfortunately, I had never heard of this epic and didn't find it particularly intriguing. Maybe it was trying to figure out who was who - the names were confusing, even with a family chart and a list of main characters included. I usually enjoy reading books about different cultures, but this one just didn't grab me.
Rated of 5
by Elise Entertaining and Meaningful The Palace of Illusions is a mythological story that takes place in ancient India (roughly 6000 to 5000 BCE). As in Greek mythology, the lives of humans and gods intersect and magic occurs daily. The author does such an excellent job of pulling you so deep into the story line that the impossible no longer seems so. It was a time when everything was magic – the sunrise, moon, stars, weather – everything! I would highly recommend The Palace of Illusions because, not only was it entertaining, but has many deeper messages interwoven. Having recently lost my father, the author’s passages dealing with death brought me great comfort. The book also made me reflect on my personal relationships and our roles in each other’s “life story”. Some of the ideas presented in this book will stay with me a long time.
Rated of 5
by Ruth Harris The Palace of Illusions
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni writes of a girl becoming a woman in the 3rd Age of Man in the novel The Palace of Illusions. Princess Panchaali is destined to become queen and the book is about the long journey of life. The story deals with fate, conscience, power of voice, omens, obsessions, vengeance and so much more. It also deals with perceptions, illusions, but at heart it is about relationships. It's all the many and varied relationships that moves the story along and keeps you reading. Divakaruni does an excellent job of ending short chapters with a bit of foreshadowing that keeps one turning the pages. It's a good retelling of an old story with a strong, determined female character leading the way.
Rated of 5
by Cecilia Entertaining and Engaging
I am a fan of Divakaruni and have enjoyed her previous novels. This is a departure from her earlier writing. It is a retelling of the Mahabharat epic from the point of view of the women, primarily Princess Panchaali, born of fire and married to the five kings of India. While the characters do not have the same depth of development as those in her other novels, this is still an engrossing and engaging story. The writing is beautiful, especially the almost lyrical descriptions of the palace and gardens. I found the Indian mythology fascinating, with some parallels to Greek and Roman mythology but also very unique.The women's perspective makes the story even more engaging.
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