“A rich tale of passion and love, power and weakness, honor and humiliation. rooted in modern day relevancy.” (Book Page) “A lyrical tale imbued with the scent of ancient incense yet. “An intimate, feminine portrait that is both contemporary and timeless an ambitious project effectively executed.” (Kirkus) Panchaali is a fiery female voice in a world of warriors, gods, and ever-manipulating hands of fate. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her stratagems to take over control of her household from her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husband’s most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at the brothers’ sides through years of exile and a terrible civil war. The novel traces Panchaali’s life, beginning with her magical birth in fire as the daughter of a king before following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Through her narrator Panchaali, the wife of the legendary five Pandavas brothers, Divakaruni gives us a rare feminist interpretation of an epic story. Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to the time of the Indian epic The Mahabharat-a time that is half-history, half-myth, and wholly magical.
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