Combining myth, history, fantasy, and philosophy, The Palace of Illusions tells the story of Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, in a retelling of the Indian epic the Mahabharat. Neha and Shruti discuss the themes of appearances, feminism, and assertiveness in the various characters, while digging in to the plot.
We also get to chat with our first podcast guest! Mishika is a co-founder of Brown Girl Bookshelf, a platform that celebrates South Asian writers and literature. She tells us about Divakaruni's latest novel, Independence, and we just had so much fun talking with her about books, reading, and life!
Shelf Discovery and Other Books Mentioned
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Parted Earth by Anjali Enjeti
The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary and cultural analysis, curated book recommendations, and critical commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter. You can also connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.
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