Comments on: palace of illusions

By: rads

rads — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:40:49 +0000

Broom: You read my mind. I quit Mistress of Spices halfway. Cosnidering how everyone else raved about her, I chalked it to a period of overdose of Indian authors then.

I just got Indu’s books over the weekend. waiting to start :)

By: Broom

Broom — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:36:27 +0000

I had sworn off CDB’s books after Mistress of Spices.
I had LOVED Sister of my heart. Vine of Desires was also quite disappointing, but not as spectacularly bad as Mistress of Spices.
But I love fiction based on popular myths or History, so will probably get this one!
Thanks for the review (which I just skimmed through to be honest, so that I didn’t have any idea what the story is like!)
I would highly recommend Indu Sunderesan’s “Twentieth Wife” & “Feast of roses”. Gazillion times better than watching “Jodha Akbar”!

By: sangeeta

sangeeta — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:44:29 +0000

thanks Rads..I just ordered 2 of her books. Will let u know once i have read them

By: rads

rads — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:33:04 +0000

Sangeeta: I tried her Conch bearer and didn’t really like it. This is the only one of hers Ive completed and liked. Will see if I can get more now.

By: sangeeta

sangeeta — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:08:27 +0000

Has anyone read her “Queen of Dreams?”

By: rads

rads — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:37:52 +0000

Sushma: Please do read. Chaala bagundi! :)

Sangeeta: Ah okay. Ray, Roy, Sen, banerjee – thought for the most part they are from Orissa-Bengal areas.

By: sushma

sushma — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:11:15 +0000

Good Review.. you made me want to read the book.. it truly is an intriguing idea and I heard this version too.. somewhere but I cant recollect exactly.. thanks for introducing me to this one.

By: sangeeta

sangeeta — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:57:09 +0000

Pratibha Ray is from Orissa I think.

By: rads

rads — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:47:52 +0000

Sangeeta: Yeah? It’s good to know someone else did the same. Ray eh? Maybe Bengali folklore had that angle? :-)
Thanks for your input.

Praveen: lol@wandering souls. :-)

TAAMom: But of course! Birthdays are special :-)

By: sangeeta

sangeeta — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:44:43 +0000

Loved the book! A page turner indeed. I was suprised about the Draupadi-Karna angle. A few years ago, a book by Pratibha Ray talked about Draupadi’s obsession with Karna. Apparently, it is also mentioned in a Maharashtrian folklore. I guess we should just tale it as Chitra’s creative liberty. Loved the post war chapters. Very well written as most people never talk about what happened after the war? I have a feeling Chitra really doesn’t care for Arjun, the otherwise most notable character from the epic. Overall, definitely worth a read. Very well written-almost poetic!