“Listeners will be enchanted by Mathan’s insights into her character as well as by Mathan’s voice, which is beautiful and elegantly expressive…Divakaruni’s deeply imaginative writing and Mathan’s skillful narration make a winning combination. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile
Description
This vivid reimagining of the world-famous Indian epic Mahabharata takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. It is told by Panchaali, wife of the Pandava brothers, a fiery female redefining for us a world of gods and warriors.
The novel traces the princess Panchaali’s life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands’ most dangerous enemy.
Praise
“Listeners will be enchanted by Mathan’s insights into her character as well as by Mathan’s voice, which is beautiful and elegantly expressive…Divakaruni’s deeply imaginative writing and Mathan’s skillful narration make a winning combination. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile
“A radiant entrée into an ancient mythology virtually unknown to the Western world…Remarkable.” Houston Chronicle
“An exotic escapist tale…Divakaruni has proven that her storytelling talents put her right up there with the best.” Miami Herald
“Divakaruni, renowned for her skillful take on women’s relationships, creates a very believable character in Panchaali, a queen who must choose between making history or following her true desires.” Oregonian
“Vivid and inventive…Divakaruni’s rich, action-filled narrative contrasts well with the complex psychological portrait of a mythic princess.” Publishers Weekly
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Jan 31, 2008 |
| Release Date | February 1, 2008 |
| Release Date Machine | 1201824000 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fiction - All, Fiction - Adult |
Author Bio
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning and bestselling author, activist, and professor. Her work has been published in over fifty magazines, including The Atlantic and The New Yorker, and included in The Best American Short Stories and The O. Henry Prize Stories. Her books have been translated into twenty-nine languages, and several have been used for campus-wide reads and made into films and plays. She teaches at the University of Houston.
Narrator Bio
Sneha Mathan is a voice actor and audiobook narrator. Her audiobook work has received several Earphones awards, and she is a three-time Audie Award finalist. She lives in Seattle.
Overview
This vivid reimagining of the world-famous Indian epic Mahabharata takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. It is told by Panchaali, wife of the Pandava brothers, a fiery female redefining for us a world of gods and warriors.
The novel traces the princess Panchaali’s life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands’ most dangerous enemy.
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