LONG REVIEW ON PALACE OF ILLUSIONS (GOODS AND BADS)
I really like the book; the narration flows like water—once you get in, you want to complete it as soon as possible. Though I agree that it's not easy to rewrite something like the Mahabharata and capture its grandeur, especially for people who grew up with it, I do have a few problems with the story:
The language is too simplified. I understand it's a great recipe for a successful book, but I also feel that it lowers the grandeur of the story and Draupadi. In the initial chapters, it was hard to grasp, but slowly I got immersed in it.
The thing I hated the most was the love angle between Karna and Draupadi. It almost brought two great people down to the level of ordinary humans. Plus, considering it's a book from a woman's perspective, why did she even spare him for her humiliation? I mean, girl, that man literally ordered others to strip you down... Come to your senses.
I can understand Draupadi's rejection of affection toward her husbands after her humiliation, but the way she describes that she never loved them—even though she knew that Bheem did the most for her but was never able to reciprocate it—I found that hard to accept. I really liked the part where she describes throwing objects at her husbands when they married again; I mean, isn't that ironic?
I think there wasn't much character development in Draupadi. She remained the same from birth to death—always impulsive, yet always in guilt for what she did. The beginning was great, but by the end, I was expecting more from her.
This book should not be used as an introduction to the Mahabharata. It is not an epic only because it's long or has a good story—it's an epic because of the many nuances and backstories about each character, which can only be understood by going through the real texts. By "real texts," I mean Vyasa's Mahabharata. While this book is great as a standalone story, it should not be recommended to people who have no prior knowledge of the epic, as it may create confusion.
- THINGS I LOVED IN THE BOOK What I love about the book is its beautiful portrayal of Bheem. In most narrations, he is shown as a very powerful but easily persuaded man. However, this book describes him in such a nice way that I want to focus more on him whenever I read the Mahabharata again. In short, he's shown as a "POOKIE" here.
The relationship between Kunti and Draupadi—oh my god, I have no words for it. The underlying tension between them and Kunti seeing Draupadi as a competitor is intriguing, and the way Draupadi understands Kunti by the end is everything.
Draupadi's relationship with her brother and Krishna is the most comforting aspect of this book.
Lastly, whatever I wrote could just be the prejudices I have because the Mahabharata and Ramayana are significant parts of my life—not just as literature, but also from a religious perspective. I don't know if you all remember, but there was a shortened Mahabharata in the NCERT syllabus for Class 7th or 8th. I personally adore that book and have read it multiple times. There's a sense of comfort in that book; the last time I read it was a year ago, and I might read it again now.
I really like the book; the narration flows like water—once you get in, you want to complete it as soon as possible. Though I agree that it's not easy to rewrite something like the Mahabharata and capture its grandeur, especially for people who grew up with it, I do have a few problems with the story:
The language is too simplified. I understand it's a great recipe for a successful book, but I also feel that it lowers the grandeur of the story and Draupadi. In the initial chapters, it was hard to grasp, but slowly I got immersed in it.
The thing I hated the most was the love angle between Karna and Draupadi. It almost brought two great people down to the level of ordinary humans. Plus, considering it's a book from a woman's perspective, why did she even spare him for her humiliation? I mean, girl, that man literally ordered others to strip you down... Come to your senses.
I can understand Draupadi's rejection of affection toward her husbands after her humiliation, but the way she describes that she never loved them—even though she knew that Bheem did the most for her but was never able to reciprocate it—I found that hard to accept. I really liked the part where she describes throwing objects at her husbands when they married again; I mean, isn't that ironic?
I think there wasn't much character development in Draupadi. She remained the same from birth to death—always impulsive, yet always in guilt for what she did. The beginning was great, but by the end, I was expecting more from her.
This book should not be used as an introduction to the Mahabharata. It is not an epic only because it's long or has a good story—it's an epic because of the many nuances and backstories about each character, which can only be understood by going through the real texts. By "real texts," I mean Vyasa's Mahabharata. While this book is great as a standalone story, it should not be recommended to people who have no prior knowledge of the epic, as it may create confusion.
- THINGS I LOVED IN THE BOOK What I love about the book is its beautiful portrayal of Bheem. In most narrations, he is shown as a very powerful but easily persuaded man. However, this book describes him in such a nice way that I want to focus more on him whenever I read the Mahabharata again. In short, he's shown as a "POOKIE" here.
The relationship between Kunti and Draupadi—oh my god, I have no words for it. The underlying tension between them and Kunti seeing Draupadi as a competitor is intriguing, and the way Draupadi understands Kunti by the end is everything.
Draupadi's relationship with her brother and Krishna is the most comforting aspect of this book.
Lastly, whatever I wrote could just be the prejudices I have because the Mahabharata and Ramayana are significant parts of my life—not just as literature, but also from a religious perspective. I don't know if you all remember, but there was a shortened Mahabharata in the NCERT syllabus for Class 7th or 8th. I personally adore that book and have read it multiple times. There's a sense of comfort in that book; the last time I read it was a year ago, and I might read it again now.