Rated of 5
by Heatherhe A Beautifully Moving Saga
It was with great pleasure that I dove into Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and upon reading it, I was not disappointed. I have read nearly all of Divakaruni's books, and this is just another in a long line of colorful, magical, and insightful offerings from this author. The story is the tale of the life of Panchaali, an Indian historical/mythical character from the famous Mahabharat. The book is filled with touches of magical realism and character portrayals that will keep the reader engaged and craving more of the story. The story has much to say about the awful destruction that war wreaks upon its participants, and also contains many illuminating passages speculating the divine in everyday life. The last passages are hauntingly beautiful, and remarkably moving. If you are looking for a flavorful yet unconventional re-telling of some of India's most marvelous stories, you can't go wrong with this gem of a book. Highly recommended.
Rated of 5
by Anne Magic and Mystery in the Palace of Illusions The Palace of Illusions is full of magic and imagery as only Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni can create. Her style of magical realism rivals those of the Latin American writers, establishing a new genre of Indian mysticism. The novel is a retelling of an ancient Indian text, but has all of the elements of a modern tale, sure to become a classic in its own right.
Rated of 5
by Kenneth Another good book by Divakaruni
This is a very interesting retelling of the classic Indian epic, The Mahabharat, this time with the focus on our heroine, Panchaali. She is born of fire, together with her brother, with whom she shares a very tight bond. Eventually, Panchaali marries five brothers, living with each for twelve months at a time, learning not only how to deal with them but also with their mother. There are civil war battles, banishments, etc. everything you would expect in an epic tale.
This book should be of interest to: 1) fans of Divakaruni's other works, 2) those who are familiar with The Mahabharat (although this is not a prerequisite), 3) those who are looking for a novel with a very different story line, perhaps a break from their traditional reading.
Rated of 5
by Linda An Epic Story
The Mahabharat is an epic poem that tells the tale of the Pandava and Kaurava families and their rivalry for the throne of Hastinapur. The author uses that poem as the basis for her retelling, imagining the story from the view point of Panchaali, the woman who was the wife of the five Pandava brothers. Divakaruni effortlessly weaves history, mythology and magic together into a fantastical retelling of this tale. At times I had a little difficulty with the names in the book as they were sometimes very similar, but I soon was able to follow the story line and was captivated by Panchaali. I read through the last half of the book in one sitting, I had to know how everything turned out. I loved the ending; it was the perfect finish to a wonderful story. This book was unlike anything I have ever read, as I knew nothing of the history of this story. I think this would be a great book for reading groups, there are so many topics to discuss.
Rated of 5
by Kristina Elusive Palace of Illusions
I usually enjoy reading books about other cultures (for example, The Kite Runner), but this one was hard for me to get into. Perhaps it's because I am not familiar with Hindi culture, or because I don't typically enjoy mythology. I like books that challenge my thinking, and this was well-written, I just had a hard time getting into the story. I would recommend this book for people familiar with Hindi culture and stories.
Rated of 5
by Ann The Palace of Illusions
Not having some knowledge of Indian myths was a detriment in reading The Palace of Illusions. As I began the book, I found terms with which I was not familiar. Hence, I had to work. However, as I continued reading, it became much more intriguing and rewarding.
The development and maturation of Panchaali, as well as her perspective as the narrator were highlights for me and caused me to pause and reflect on life in general.
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