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just_one_more_paige's review
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I have a soft spot for retellings of mythology - any mythological origin and (mostly) any retelling genre/style. A few months ago, I posted a review of a retelling asking for recs for others and someone recommended this! I have looked back and cannot find which review it was that I got the recommendation on, and I feel bad because I wish I could recognize whoever sent over the rec... In lieu of that, I'll just send my thanks to the universe and hope the person feels it in some way.
The Palace of Illusions is a retelling of the Mahabharata, a Hindu epic that details the intergenerational saga of power/succession (primarily) between two family groups, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. In this case, the story is narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the five Pandava brothers. We follow her story from the moment of her birth (in fire!), through her childhood raised as a princess and beloved by her brother, and through the moment of her marriage to the Pandava brothers, where her life took some turns that were unexpected, contrary to promises made, and set her up to follow a preordained path of drama. Her support of her husband's lifelong efforts to regain their birthright gave her some years of happiness and contentment in her own home, dubbed the "palace of illusions." But their focus on that goal, and social rules/propriety, combined with some self-centered decisions, led her to experience a great deal of tragedy, and a lifelong struggle with unrequited love.
This was a really interesting retelling. I have not read the original, nor am I overly familiar with the story, so it was honestly all quite new to me, plot-wise. I have to say, even with the female centered narrative voice, there were still incredibly strong tones of patriarchy and a deep lack of control over her own life that made me feel deeply for Panchaali. I recognize that that's the most accurate way to present the story, even with the reframing to be more female-focused here, but I do want to make sure my frustration over that is clear, cause it sucked to read. But it was faithful to the original in that way, and gave Panchaali what I can only assume is significantly more space and consideration than she ever was given regardless, and I appreciate what the author did, compromising those two ends of a spectrum. Plus, I was invested in the unfolding of everything, frustrations about social realities of the time aside, and that's good writing and I respect it.
Relatedly, I want to say how much I love that Panchaali was allowed to be so flawed here. She made so many decisions that were selfish, prideful, against advice, in direct conflict with what she wanted, or just didn't feel "right," and she explains reasons for them all, but you're still annoyed about some of it. But we, none of us, are perfect - we make selfish and inadvisable choices all the time - and I love that she was given the chance to be that human here, to have those relatable dimensions. I have done some further research about her since reading this, of course, and have found out she is seen as a goddess in some areas/to some sects in India, and it's believed that her name carries power(s) when recited. This is so interesting because in reading about her here, even given her own voice, she is more part of a greater flow of fate, as opposed to having the power to change/do anything herself... I know that acceptance of what is preordained/destined is a major part of many belief systems, and honoring those who manage/survive that tide makes sense, but it still felt like a unique, kind of contraposed, juxtaposition to me.
Outside of Panchaali herself, like I said, the plot definitely carried me. I was very interested in trying to identify all the aspects of this story that made it such a popular and important cultural cornerstone of an epic. It definitely has all the drama: cycles of revenge, war, undercover personas and revels (oh that final secret family relationship reveal at the end was a surprise!), romance (ish, and a heavy dose of unrequited/unfulfilled love), insults and confrontations, political machinations, a difficult mother-in-law and other intra-family struggles that are universally relatable, prophecy and tragedy, and of course, a bit of gods and magic. I liked most of it, especially the mystical aspects. I was less enamored by the sort of overwhelming pride that, in the end, was the cause of most of the tragedy. It's not my favorite personality failing to read, despite it being common and very real, especially when it shows as hypocritical, like it did at the end, when men abandoned all "virtue and honor" that their pride was supposedly defending/revenging insults against, in the face of war/battle.
As a lovely final note, I really appreciated the ending. As Panchaali is looking back on her life, there is a gorgeous highlighting of the gift that is friendship and platonic love. That's not normally something I see highlighted, in general, but especially in fantasy. And like I said, I really liked that. Also, as an FYI, the writing itself was objectively solid. It was very "narrating my own memoir looking back" with *strong* foreshadow vibes, similar to other retellings like Kaikayi and The Witch's Heart and, a bit, Circe. So, if you enjoyed any of those, I would recommend giving this lesser-known one a try.
“…for a story gains power with retelling.”
“He believes it to be so. Isn't that what truth is? The force of a person's believing seeps into those around him— into the very earth and air and water—until there's nothing else.”
“Fear makes us selfish.”
“For isn't that what our homes are ultimately, our fantasies made corporeal, our secret selves exposed? The converse is also true: we grow to become that which we live within.”
“Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path—all they do is trip you up.”
“Your childhood hunger is the one that never leaves you.”
“Because ultimately only the witness—and not the actors— knows the truth.”
“How little we know our own reputations…”
“…war is like an avalanche. Once begun, it cannot cease until it has wreaked all the destruction it is capable of.”
“In this way the chariot of vengeance, which requires no horses or wheels, rolled on.”
“I am buoyant and expansive and uncontainable—but I always was so, only I never knew it! I am beyond name and gender and the imprisoning patterns of ego.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Bullying, Grief, War, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nidhimoney's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War
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