Book Name: The Palace Of Illusions

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Published on : 2008

Synopsis: The author has tried to grasp the aspects of the great epic Maahaabhaarat through the eyes of one of the most influential characters, Draupadi. There are very less books which makes an effort to write from the view of the women in those times, and this book was perhaps a breakthrough in those times.

The story and the accuracy: The story and accuracy; I don't even know what to say about it. The author seems to just have used the books of Maahaabhaarat to design the cover page of this books and nothing else. 

She has rather used her haywire imaginations to flesh out the story, that even the major factual points are errors. The book doesn't have plot holes, it has huge trenches to say the least. The way she has claimed to have researched upon Maahaabhaarat a lot reminds me about the false claims made ministers for real; for not a single fact appears to be right from any angle. 

Draupadi has a childhood; she was undesired by Drupad ( such a common trope I am tired of reading); her childhood friendship with Krishna; she knowing everything about her future through Vyaas and many more to name. 

The fact that the Dwapari period and its norms were flushed down through the toilet was the least I could say. None, literally none of the Vedic rituals were highlighted nor its way of lifestyle, the author has just used fake feminism and wokeness which absolutely lends no meaning to the story. 

Everything, I am not even exaggerating; every single trope has been taken from the controversies prevalent nowadays regarding woman--colorism issue (That Draupadi was dark skinned and people prefer fair skin-imagine someone from the Dwapari days speaking so-), that women could not study, woman should stay indoors, woman should not be given importance as men, etc. etc. And Draupadi seems to be the only one noticing such issues with such passivity, that she is just complaining about it and nothing else. 

Writing: The writing lacked vigor overall. At some points it shone, specially in the initial chapter, but later it was inconsistent. The kind of style and dialogues which were chosen were between formal and informal(something which I kind of liked) but again, it appeared very off at some places. 

At times the author had given too much, just too much insight to Draupadi's thoughts, and at times literally none. Quite literally. The happiness, sadness or thrill; or her internal views regarding to an event (specially during her Swayamvar) wasn't thrown light into. It was like it was just happening for the sake of happening.

There are weird kind of clichés, and the author seemed to have forcefully crammed all the stories of Maahaabhaarat into the book just like how students fill the answer sheets with useless paragraphs just to grab another booklet.

Quite literally, in each chapter there is a story which is retold, and it felt so forced-

The flow in the story is haywire, making it difficult to understand between the past and present and when is the author switching from Draupadi's POV to third person. The wittiness in the writing seems missing to an extent, that it is enough to bore anyone. 

If only you have to read the folklores, one could've just picked up some book rather than reading this. Instead of giving insight to Draupadi, the author has focused more on the surroundings and stories, which is just---annoying. 

The character of Draupadi :The character the author had chosen to work upon was anything but Draupadi.

She just appeared like a normal girl from Kaliyug who had a sudden sense of fake feminism and wokeism after scrolling through some reels on Instagram and is busy giving her views on it; without actually doing anything about it. 

With all the tropes from Kaliyug used and clichés used, I could say this was the least. 

The character of Draupadi in her book was--downright annoying. From the very first chapter, she is just self obsessed with herself and her story, its still alright because the author had shown her not more than fourteen, so a bit of childishness it expected.

But trust me, it gets even worse in the following parts.

There has been no character growth of Draupadi, and she seems to be disregarding every single occurrence in her life; perhaps even her birth at times. In the name of strong will, the author has tried to just push in the Kaliyugis controversies regarding colorism and the patriarchy. Forget even the feistiness, the Draupadi of her book continues complaining about every single thing going around her and is never satisfied with it. 

Just like a spoilt rich brat who wants to show that she isn't enjoying the facilities and the materialism, but internally she is. If the author so wanted to show that how palace life was suffocating a Princess, she goes on cutting off this fact by showing later on how Draupadi was literally obsessed with the Palace of Illusions which was made by Pandavs as a gift for her--like really author, you're just counteracting your own points!

In the name of inculcating humanistic behavior and realism, she has inserted every possible vice in her. From uncontrolled anger to her being extremely passive, full of ego and bratty behavior--just thinking too highly of herself and at last, vengeful. I am honestly tired of witnessing Draupadi as a proud woman with a high ego and feisty attitude just because she is fire-born ~

Really? How the logic where gone? 

She is anything but Draupadi. Where is the kind hearted Draupadi who used to serve thousands of Brahmins every single day in Indraprasth? Where is the composed and calm Draupadi who used to have patience even after being humiliated? Where is the intelligent Draupadi who handles every single task of her Queenly duties, handles the finances, keeps a track of all the servants working in the palace, and has a strong sense of righteousness and even brings back Yudhishthir on track when he was distraught after Dyut? Where is the strong will and courage gone? Where is the Draupadi gone who took pride in her five husbands and their goodwill? 

This, was one of the WORST representation of Draupadi ever in a retelling.

The Love track between Karn and Draupadi-

My, I wish I could go on cursing on such parts infinitely but sadly I can't.

Let me tell you something interesting from the book, Draupadi glanced at the portrait of Karn-and assumed him to be a pitiable character; just from the painting guys. In the book, she neither speaks to him, doesn't know about the character but just falls for him being he has a 'supposedly' tragic past? Tragic? 

The author has done everything to keep in mind that the supposedly longing love, or I say blind obsession is highlighted.

How on earth does she knows that Karn would keep her happy without even knowing about him? Woman, you're just justifying an extra marital affair-

Marketing strategy guys...marketing strategy. Controversy would settle as soon as it would be shown that Draupadi loved Karn, which meant more people would buy the book to find out about it!

Karn has anything but a tragic past, and I am tired of explaining it why-- leave a tragic past, he is more pathetic to be classified as a human.

Imagine, you're falling for a man who had tried to kill you, threatened to burn you down in fire. Ordered to strip you naked in public and have sex with hundred unknown men, comes to make fun of you in the worst of times, tried to burn down your innocent peeps, and you're falling for him--trust me, even gulping ten bottles of Old Monk, inhaling five bottles of diluter and injecting twenty packets of drugs could make me even have a tiniest bit of sympathy for this guy.

First of all, the author has again used the same tropes for Karn- a Sut, a charioteer who doesn't get respect, rejecting by Dron, and then cursed by Parshuram. 

Now let us dissect each fact with respect to BORI CE-

Can you tell me one reason to sympathize Karn? Man, he has got everything; a mother and a father (alive till the end :) ), a stable home in Ang and siblings. Yeah, an entire family who doesn't scheme against him unlike--(*smirks in satire*)

Next, he was a student of Guru Dron, yes he was a student of him. He himself left Dron just because he was told he wasn't capable of learning Brahmasheer but Arjun was. Imagine the ego level he possessed.

Next, he went to Parshuram, and exactly lied about him to be a Brahmin from the clan of Parshuram-why? So that the chances of him getting the weapon increases!

And Suta, let me end this in a sentence. Yadu and Keechak were Sutas.... 

He gets a Kingdom, spends leisure time with Duryodhan, goes on scheming, had wives to spend time with, and experienced everything a King should-

Tragic? I need a microscope to look for this word in his life-

The portrayal of Kunti and Pandavs- Just one picture is enough ig-

She couldn't do justice to Draupadi, but you think her to do justice to Pandavs and Kunti? Illusion! 

If I had to rate this book out of 5, I wish I could give it a negative rating. Still I would rate this, 0.5/5. 

Just for the cover which was beautiful :) 

Next I am planning to review, 'Arjun Without A Doubt'. I need a lot to speak about that book too~

I also want to talk about the pair of Draupadi and Karn in detail some other day as well-

Signing off for today!

Kiritija Nushkie