REVIEW-4~~THE PALACE OF ILLUTIONS

THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS

BY:  CHITRA BANERJEE DIVAKARUNI

MY RATING: 4/5

“Love comes like lightning, and disappears the same way. If you are lucky, it strikes you right. If not, you'll spend your life yearning for a man you can't have.”
― Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, The Palace of Illusions

SYNOPSIS:

This book is the story of a very powerful women Panchaali (DRAUPADI)  from the very powerful mythological historical and magical story MAHABHARATA. Torn between all the prejudices of the society she is the one who holds it all together. She is the one who yearns for love but does not get one. From her childhood she has been different. She is prophesied to be one the most powerful women alive but she is warned that she will be the reason for the start of a long and bloody war ever in the history of humankind. When it is time for her marriage many princes from all over the country come to take her as there queen. But she is snatched away but some masked person veiling his face. Later she becomes the wife of the 5 pandava brothers who are ready to share her. It is an enthralling and heart-breaking tale of a woman through her journey through the course of history. It is her side of the story.

MY THOUGHT:

First of all i would like to say that i have never read mahabharata before, so i was reluctant to read this book. But then again i picked it up and started flipping through the pages only to discover the magical world of love, hate, jealousy and above all politics. This book is heavily political. Every page you turn unfurls another story of betrayal and treachery. Among all the political menaces we find a little bit of love and a lot of heartbreak.

Draupadi is one of the strongest and one of the weakest characters i have ever seen. Beginning from her childhood it is seen that she is born from the fire. She is talented but she feels that her father king Draupad does not give her that special place which he gives his son only in the hope that his son will take revenge on his enemy. But she loves her brother and only wants the best for him. She finds a friend in Krishna. She loves his enigmatic personality and his enchanting looks.He shares her happiness and her grievances but gives her a very diplomatic advice like a true politician which she can never comprehend.  But as they grow up there relation becomes a complicated friendship.

In this story Panchaali is shown to optimistically balance her role with five of her husbands- The Pandava brother,s trying to satisfy each one of them. OMG i just wanted to tear the book apart at this point. I wanted to question her dignity and her self respect. And i was also furious on the pandavas. I think they  all failed as husbands, each and everyone of them. I  was just not happy with them. I was infuriated and heartbroken at panchaali's condition. She was just thrown about like a toy in the hands of the males. And she herself had no say in it. But on another point i sympathize with her, pity her for the condition she has been forced to be because she married the pandavas. Had she married HIM this situation would not have come. Had she not humiliated HIM in front of everyone in the court, HE would still love her. They would have a story of happily ever after. But alas the conspiracy of fate.

 Later on in the story she is swept into the pandavas quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Even in the end her life was filled with tragedy. She never found peace. This book depressed me to my core. I was awed by the amount of tragedy a woman can handle.It was like someone has drilled into me. The pain,the suffering,the humiliation, the betrayal and the love everything broke my heart. It is the story of a girl-daughter of draupad,friend of krishna, wife of the five pandavas, mother of their children........ and a love of someone who would never be able to be with her.