The Palace of Illusions | 
For those of you in #Bookedintime who enjoyed the author and Indian setting, I recommend this one, set in ancient Indian, it is a myth retelling of a woman married to five brothers. The story is interesting and adventurous, and the characters are royal but likable.
pickI really love this book. I read it decades ago & i fell in love with Indian culture & history. I love how myths & history are interwoven
Panchaali is born from fire and is married to 5 brothers, this is her story and how they changed all things around them.
The writing is gorgeous, the characters are regal but also likable.
Only complaint is there are so many characters it can be confusing, family tree doesn't help as much as a list would have.
This week's TBR I am so close to being done with The Palace of Illusions and Trespasses hoping to finish at least one today.
I am also listening to Wives And Daughters which is a chunkster.
Zami is my first #14booksin14weeks read
So true!
Time really heals wounds. doesn't it? And also changes the happy times to good memories.
pickThis is one of my favorite books.
Being a non religious Hindu, I have never read much about mythology. But lately I realised that Hindu mythology is actually pretty fascinating and that is when I gave this book a try.
This book is told from the perspective of a princess and has lots of beautiful strong feminist ideologies.
Even if you don't know anything about Hindu Mythology, give this a shot. There's always Google if you want to research
pickMy #bookspin of the month. @TheAromaofBooks
I really enjoyed this book. The premises was interesting (Mahabharat from Draupadis view). Fair warning if you are not aware of at least the main Mahabharat story and some of its many subplots, this might be a little confusing for many important events are glossed over or not mentioned. But considering mahabharat is too huge a story to be properly captured in 360 pages, it was a great effort. (contd)
My #bookspin books. I have been meaning to read The Palace of Illusions for a while now. So yay!
Thanks @TheAromaofBooks for organising this.
pickBook #17 of Indian Authors October Fest
Mahabharata Redesigned. Really loved it. The author portrays this epic from a womans standpoint amazingly. She not only shows you the story from Paanchalis eyes but even gives you a feminine reasoning on acts of all female characters in the story. Loved the satire and humor in the book. I recommend this book to all Indian men :)
#indianauthors #indianliterature
Every Woman Should Read this version of the epic!
Time is the great eraser, both of sorrow and of joy.
- Draupadi
Kauravas had won her in a game of dice. Draupadi (strangely angry only with the men that won her, not the ones that staked her) had sworn that she will never tie up her hair until it is washed in Dushasana‘s blood.
Mahabharata from Draupadi's Point of View!
The amazing @hermyknee created a great questionnaire for the #mythsandlegendsswap !! Repost with your answers so your match can get to know you!
🗡 I love them all, but I‘m definitely a sucker for the Sword in the Stone
👻 Ummm.. Bloody Mary? Basically anything that could be turned into a horror movie because I won‘t watch them!
🐍 Medusa for sure
⚡️ Hercules, Hercules!!
💰El Dorado
✨ The tagged book sounds fascinating!
pickIn India it's a popular saying that females are the cause behind every great war and it was interesting to read Mahabharat from Draupadi's point of view.
We are given to look up to Yudhisthir as he is called Dharamveer but he is flawed and so are other Pandavas.
I would read this book again would be sure to recommend.
More wise words by the one and only Krishna!!!🦚🦚🦚
Wise words, I just wish there were more by Krishna,that is the only thing lacking in this book!!!
pickIt is the same saga that almost everyone in India have grown watching and listening to but I still like any rendition of Mahabharata, and this is from a women's point of view, which I have never read before. I think it's complexity is it's charm and not to forget Krishna. Even if you know about the story, you would still like it for the fact that it highlights female characters which are usually shadowed in this epic saga!!!
pickThis is a retelling of the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, from the viewpoint of the female protagonist, Draupadi/ Paanchali. These kind of retellings are my favorite so absolutely loved this. Darupadi is the queen of Hastinapur who has five husbands. Lot of family politics, power dynamics, boons and gods, philosophy, and relationships make this a delightful read. Draupadi is a very human and realistic character as are the others.
Starting this one tonight, over the past month saw a number of people, especially girls, reading this one, so I took there advice because they are always right!!!
Ah forgiveness... it's a virtue that eludes even the great.
A problem becomes a problem only if you believe it to be so.
A lesser known book set in India for #AdventRecommends Day 15
I love this book so much! It has everything: good writing, history, mythology, crazy twists, and a great female protagonist. This is a feminist re-telling of The Mahabharata and I wasn't able to put it down. Highly recommend reading this, no matter what your favorite genre is, it has something for everyone.
@emilyrose_x
pickRadiant....a charming and remarkable book
pickI was brought up on the story of Mahabharata. However, while I knew what was going to happen, the perspective of Draupadi was nothing like I'd ever read before. It takes a feminist take on a male dominated mythic story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
pickAbsolutely brilliant! I love this book so much, I have gifted more than 15 copies to people who I think should read this book. The book gives insight into the great epic of Mahabharata from Panchali's point of view and is one of the best POVs of the epic that I've ever read.
pickThe palace of illusions brilliantly presents the epic tale of Mahabharata through the eyes of Panchali. It is a refreshing perspective as the female characters of Mahabharata hasn't had a chance to offer their side of the story before. An empowering take that doesn't hesitate to throw light on reality and ugly truths! It explores what it is like to be a woman and the kind of courage and sacrifice demanded when their men parttake in a deadly war.
pickWriting and pacing is upto international standards unlike many Indian authors. Detailed views on mahabaratha cultures and the depiction is beautiful. Got to know the character of Draupadi more and a good read it was .
pickBling it on!
#green
A refreshing take on an Indian epic. I like how the author gives voice to one of the most misunderstood woman in Indian mythology. Definitely a tale worth reading, especially if you know the background a bit.
@vkois88 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
One of the beautiful green covers from my TBR!
#GreenBooks #MarchInBooks
@maich
pickThis is my most favourite retelling of Ramayana from Sita's perspective. Which retelling of Ramayana do you love the most?
pickThere was an unexpected freedom in
finding out that one wasn't as important as one had always assumed!
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.
I am buoyant and expansive and uncontainable--but I always was so, only I never knew it!
pickThe Palace of Illusions portrays Mahabharatham from Paanchali's point of view. The book has portrayed a possible different side of her's in a way meant to be catpivating. The story is engaging, masterfully crafted and 100% entertaining.
Rating - 5/5
Opening line: "Through the long, lonely years of my childhood, when my father's palace seemed to tighten its grip around me until I couldn't breathe, I would go to my nurse and ask for a story." #thepalaceofillusions #chitrabanerjeedivakaruni #picador #picadorbooks #bookcover #firstline #bookgnome #bookish #book
"Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path - all they do is trip you up"
"If I ever wrote a book, I would place the women in the forefront of the action. I would uncover the story that lay Invisible between the lines of men's exploits. Better still, I would have one of them tell it herself, with all her joys and doubts, her struggles and her triumphs, her heartbreaks, her achievements, the unique female way in which she sees her world and her place in it'
First pick for #holidaybooktubeathon
pickCaptivating. Weaves in tale upon tale from the Mahabharata in enticing, beautiful language & from a female perspective. Wonderfully read by Sneha Mathan.
"Maybe it will mitigate the catastrophes to come."
Only just starting The Palace of Illusions but already in love.
