Extra Credit Reading Notes: The Palace of Illusions Part F

• I like the way she did the one scene when Draupadi has to try and be accepted into Virat's court with only the wife talking and just us imagining what she's saying.
• Keechnak is such a creep and the way his sister just justifies it and says oh just let it happen is infuriating.  I'm glad Bhima killed him although maybe that was a bit too far.
• The big battle is finally happening!  I was really wondering how they were going to show all of the battle since Draupadi can't really be in all the places at once to show us what's happening, so I like how she did it with her also having the sight like Sanjay.
• I feel so bad for Uttara!  This war is going to be awful for her, and also for so many other people too!  So many people will die and for what?  I am glad that Draupadi does feel some remorse but too little too late.
• Hearing Arjuna talk about how honorable the war will be made me sad.  It's like how boys think war is such a great and honorable thing until they're actually in one and then they realize that it's messy and complicated and bloody.  They've all been in wars before so I wonder why they don't already know this.
• Poor Karna too!  Having Draupadi see his conversation with Kunti and kind of grasp what happened was a nice touch, so she can finally understand some more of his motivations.
• I like the way she glossed over the Bhagavad Gita part with Krishna because it's been told so many times and I appreciate that she didn't feel the need to excessively narrate all of it.

Kuruksheta War.  Web Source.

Bibliography:  The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.  Reading Guide.

Extra Credit Reading Notes: The Palace of Illusions Part E

• I can't put this book down so I thought I'd go ahead and finish it for extra credit since I have some more time this week.
• What happened with Draupadi because of Yudhishthira was so painful!  Much worse hearing her thoughts because basically only Krishna came to her aid and her supposedly powerful husbands could do nothing.  I can kind of understand why she became so bitter and hateful after this.
• Ugh Karna and Draupadi make me so angry.  Why can't Draupadi just be nice!  I can understand because Kunti was right there and she kind of suspected but still just say the normal things and she can't really say anything.  And then at the dice game I can see why she didn't want to beg for his mercy but she didn't have to look at him like she hated him!  I don't know I just feel like it's becoming increasingly harder for the author to justify Draupadi's behavior towards Karna in terms of her love for him.
• Although Karna is not entirely blameless either!  He could have been nicer to her face instead of just whispering about how she's "noble and beautiful."
• The slow transformation of Draupadi from happy, headstrong young girl to bitter, vengeful woman was very well done!  It goes so slowly and naturally that I didn't even really notice that she was changing.  It was only at the end that it becomes very obvious with how she can't take pleasure in anything and only lives for revenge.
• Poor Bhima :(.  He loves Draupadi but she'll never love him.  Even in the original I think they always made it seem like she preferred Arjuna.
• They didn't really include that time that Arjuna accidentally walked in on Draupadi and Yudhishthira and banished himself for 7 years.  I feel like that might have affected their relationship some so I wonder why she didn't include it.

Draupadi and the Pandavas in exile.  Web Source.

Bibliography:  The Palace of Illusions.  Reading Guide.

Reading Notes: The Palace of Illusions Part D

• The story for how the Pandavas built their palace was a bit more fleshed out in this version.  It includes a magical architect Maya that Arjuna saves when they burn down the forest.  In gratitude, he helps them design and build the Palace of Illusions.  I had no idea that they had somebody else help them build it!  How was he able to do all of the illusions that were in there?
• So I think Draupadi was around 15 or so when she was first married to the Pandavas and it says that she spends a decade in the Palace of Illusions before Duryodhana visits.  That means she's still only 25!  And she already has 5 sons!
• I'm a little surprised that she doesn't seem to care much about her sons.  I mean I suppose in the Mahabharata she's not really mentioned in connection with her sons, but still I would have thought she would love them more.
• I don't like her kind of jealous and vengeful attitude towards the other wives.  I guess it's understandable to want them to all love her, but I wish she would work with them more rather than thinking she needs to control all of her husbands.  And her "fights" with Kunti too!  I wish they would get along better.
• It's so funny hearing them talk about Krishna like oh he's just a normal guy, minor king, haha.  Narad says that Krishna is the incarnation of Vishnu and none of them can believe it!  I suppose it would be like hearing one of my friends was actually a god, but I just think it's hilarious that none of them really notice that he's divine.
• I like how Draupadi's love for Karna makes some of the decisions and things she does make a bit more sense especially with some of the things like going to see Duryodhana for the game.
• Speaking of which, I can kind of understand why Draupadi froze up when Duryodhana fell into the lake but still!  I would think that kind of response would be automatic after practicing at being courteous all the time.

Indraprastha.  Web Source.

Bibliography:  The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.  Reading Guide.

Reading Notes: The Palace of Illusions Part C

• Finally we're getting more into the exciting part of the Mahabharata!  I can't wait to see how Draupadi will deal with married life and also the bet.
• She still constantly thinks about what might have been with Karna and that's probably not good for her marriage.
• I really like how they did the slow reveal of Arjuna being her husband.  If you're familiar with the story, you know what's going to happen but if you're not, you could still pretty much figure out who the mystery brahmin was.
• The cute touching moment between Arjuna and Draupadi where he helps her out is great.  I wish they had just been able to be happy together maybe that would have worked out better.  Then again, even without that Arjuna seems pretty selfish and unthinking just making her walk like that.
• I don't know if this is the author's actual attitude but I really hate how she always has Draupadi thinking that she needs to do things a woman's way otherwise she won't be able to accomplish anything which seems like a strange way to think.  Maybe Draupadi wouldn't have made Arjuna like her more if she'd have said hey I need to rest, but he would have learned that she demands respect and doesn't just submit meekly.
• I wish Kunti had liked Draupadi more.  I think that would have been nice if they had learned to work together but I suppose it seems very "realistic" to have the hated mother-in-law figure.
• Yudhishthira always seemed overly perfect to me too so I'm glad even Draupadi comments on how perfect and calm and unshakable he is.  Too eerie in my opinion.
• The representation of Bheeshma is pretty great.  He definitely seems like the cunning grandfather type because he knows how to sway people but does love his grandsons a lot.
• I'm definitely getting the Game of Thrones vibe from this telling of the Mahabharata!  Draupadi is going to have to get better at scheming and hiding her feelings.

Iron Throne.  Web Source.

Bibliography:  The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.  Reading Guide.