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Fb2 The Palace of Illusions: A Novel ePub

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Genre Fiction English

Fb2 The Palace of Illusions: A Novel ePub

Category:	Genre Fiction
Subcategory:	Fiction
Author:	Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
ISBN:	0385515995
ISBN13:	978-0385515993
Language:	English
Publisher:	Doubleday; 1 edition (February 12, 2008)
Pages:	384
Fb2 eBook:	1500 kb
ePub eBook:	1768 kb
Digital formats:	lrf azw rtf lrf

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The Palace of Illusions is unique, amongst Divakaruni's very best.

The Palace of Illusions is unique, amongst Divakaruni's very best. These elements and many more are found in abundance in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's new novel, The Palace of Illusions, which ambitiously encapsulates the Indian epic "Mahabharat" within a 360-page novel. Elsbeth Lindner, San Francisco Chronicle.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, an Indian best selling novelist, has penned an extremely emotional and gripping torical-fiction novel, The Palace of Illusions that narrates the great epic Indian mythological tale, Mahabharata from the point of view of the most brilliant and fearless female character, Draupadi, who weaves her thoroughly soul touching yet enduring life story starting from the day she wa.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (born Chitralekha Banerjee, July 29, 1956) is an Indian-American author, poet, and the Betty and Gene McDavid Professor of Writing at the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. Her short story collection, Arranged. Her short story collection, Arranged Marriage won an American Book Award in 1995, and two of her novels (The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart) as well as a short story The Word Love were adapted into films. Mistress of Spices was short-listed for the Orange Prize.

The surprise is the only way to new discoveries. The Palace of Illusions. 67 MB·10,104 Downloads. suited to a fortress than a king's residence-that surrounded our quarters. Even after he returned The Palace. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Examining the Evidence to Define Benefit Adequacy. 6 MB·41,286 Downloads·New!

With The Palace of Illusion. ivakaruni has proven that her storytelling talents put her right up there with the best

With The Palace of Illusion. ivakaruni has proven that her storytelling talents put her right up there with the best. Divakaruni, renowned for her skillful take on women's relation ships, creates a very believable character in Panchaali, a queen who must choose between making history or following her true desires. A lyrical tale imbued with the scent of ancient incense ye. ooted in modern day relevancy.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. A beautiful, powerful new novel from the bestselling, award-winning author of Sister of My Heart and The Mistress of Spices about three generations of mothers and daughters who must discover their greatest source of strength in one another-a masterful, brilliant tale of a family both united and torn apart by ambition and love. From Chitra Divakaruni, author of such finely wrought, bestselling novels as Sister of My Heart, The Palace of Illusions, and The Mistress of Spices, comes her most compelling and transporting story to date. One Amazing Thing is a passionate creation about survival-and about the reasons to survive.

The Palace of Illusions is a short version of Mahabharata; one can know all the specific facts by reading this book. Panchali and his brother Dhristadyumna were born from the yajna fire. She craves for true love, but all she got is humiliation. Her hidden feelings for another man, even after married to five men, were a cause of her inner turmoil and sufferings. Chitra Banerjee’s storytelling makes this book magical.

by. Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee, 1956-.

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Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee’s The Palace of Illusions re-tells the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective . Conceptual inspiration for where I might go with this dictionary project

Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee’s The Palace of Illusions re-tells the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective, one suppressed in the original. Conceptual inspiration for where I might go with this dictionary project. The Lover's Dictionary A Novel (Book) : Levithan, David : A modern love story told through a series of dictionary-style entries is a sequence of intimate windows into the large and small events that shape the course of a romantic relationship. YA author David Levithan takes on adult readers in The Lover's Dictionary.

A reimagining of the world-famous Indian epic, the Mahabharat—told from the point of view of an amazing woman.Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale. The novel traces the princess Panchaali's life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their 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. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands' most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female redefining for us a world of warriors, gods, and the ever-manipulating hands of fate.

Comments to eBook The Palace of Illusions: A Novel

Alsath

A very ambitious story and practically a retelling of the Mahabharata. Cleverly done in parts by putting episodes in dreams and visions. But a lot is lost by trying to get everything in one novel. However well written. The reader who is familiar with the original epic will not be too disappointed. From a novel woman's approach.

Mitynarit

Revenge, flawed characters, complex relationships, illegitimate children, riches-to-rags, long drawn climax in the back drop of a war ... Mahabharata is indeed the consummate drama - universal and timeless. It is indeed my favorite epic of all times - the main reason I picked up Divakaruni's book. In the 70's I read the abridged version by Rajagopalachari; in the 80's I watched the soap opera style serialization on Indian National TV. Yet my most vivid memories of the epic trace back to my school days. When I was in the fourth grade, every day after I returned from school, my grandfather used to tell me the story of Mahabharata, which has left a indelible impression on my memory!

First, I commend Divakaruni for attempting what she did - presenting the epic from the perspective of the strong yet off beat Draupadi. Personally I have always been fascinated by Karan (Karna) - noble and brave yet somehow flawed- whose life is a series of mis-steps and mishaps. This book made me realize that Draupadi's character is equally complex, her story equally rich in a contorted way.

Divakaruni succeeds in drawing out the pathos and immersing the reader into the mind of Draupadi, the wife of five husbands! Resolute, manipulating, ill tempered - dusky Draupadi sounds and seems very real and more importantly succeeds in retaining the reader's sympathy despite her machinations! Even when some writing liberties are taken with respoect to the epic content, the result is not jarring. Some of the metaphors are novel. The irony of Draupadi's latent love for Karan while being married to his five brothers is very well captured with adequate attention given to the ancient times when depicting their encounters.

Where Divakaruni falters is in telling too much too quickly - which gives the narrative a sense of rush - as if in a hurry to get to the end and over with it. Halfway into the book I started to feel the drama is somehow missing. Crisp scenes to depict the underlying conflict and showing the feelings of her husbands in interaction with Draupadi could have helped retain the dramatic quotient. While Draupadi's ephiphany at the end is along expected lines, it lacks the punch to make it memorable. In one of the most cruical scenes in the book, Draupadi is forewarned by Vyaasa of three situations when her reaction would get her in trouble. Yet, when these events happen, Draupadi's reflections are weak or non existent. A little disappointing that an opportunity for making a greater impact has been missed!

Rare

This was a beautiful story. The Mahabharata, an epic Indian poem, is told by Draupadi, a woman literally born from the flames. Draupadi, married to five brothers helps bring about the fall of he Third Age of Man. She relates the story of her life that began from flames to her rise to power as wife to five brothers, and then to her (and her brothers)final fate.

Through Draupadi's voice we learn about the struggle between two powerful families - the Pandavas and Kauravas. Not only is the story highly interesting, but the are many beautful meditations on life, love, and vengeance.

I read this book on my Kindle. The only bad part of the book was the family chart, which was hard to read. But once I really got involved in the story, I had little trouble keeping the charatcters straight. I found I really didn't need the chart that much. Someone else though might want to read a paper copy instead if they have trouble reading books with lots of characters.

I highlighted and made notations on many passages from this book, because I found them to be very thought provoking. I now feel compelled to read an English translation of the Mahabharata.

Here is one passage I thought was very wise: Draupadi wants to find a golden lotus and thinks to herself, "I knew that the remedy lay not in finding a new flower but in Krishna had advised me over and again: Let the past go. Be at ease. Allow the future to arrive at its own pace, unfurling its secrets when it will. I knew I should live the life that teemed around me: this clear air, this newborn sunlight, the simple comfort of the shawl around my shoulders." (Kindle locations 3110-16)

In conclusion,this was a wonderful book. I give it 4 1/2 stars. This book was absolutely beautiful.

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