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Quick answer: If you loved The Palace of Illusions, read Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Sister of My Heart and The Mistress of Spices, then Circe, A Thousand Ships and The Penelopiad. All give women at the edge of famous stories their own voices.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's 2008 novel retells the epic Mahabharata from the viewpoint of Panchaali, also known as Draupadi, the wife of five brothers. It is a story of power, love, anger and fate, told as a woman's life story. The books below offer similar women-centred retellings and sweeping family stories.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sister of My Heart | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | Adult | more Divakaruni |
| The Mistress of Spices | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | Adult | magical realism |
| One Amazing Thing | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | Adult | stories in a crisis |
| Queen of Dreams | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | Adult | dreams and family |
| Circe | Madeline Miller | Adult | witch of the Odyssey |
| The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | Adult | Trojan War |
| The Penelopiad | Margaret Atwood | Adult | wit and rage |
| A Thousand Ships | Natalie Haynes | Adult | women of Troy |
| The Silence of the Girls | Pat Barker | Adult | the Iliad's captives |
| Ariadne | Jennifer Saint | Adult | Minotaur retold |
| Lavinia | Ursula K. Le Guin | Adult | Roman epic |
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | Adult | lush literary fiction |
| A Suitable Boy | Vikram Seth | Adult | big family saga |
| The Inheritance of Loss | Kiran Desai | Adult | global stories |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan | Lisa See | Adult | women's friendship |
1. Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Two cousins grow up like sisters in Calcutta, and their lives diverge. Warm and moving.
Best for: more Divakaruni.
2. The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A woman with magic runs a spice shop in Oakland. Sensual and lyrical.
Best for: magical realism.
3. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Strangers trapped in a visa office tell their stories. Compassionate and quiet.
Best for: stories in a crisis.
4. Queen of Dreams by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A woman interprets dreams for others while troubled by her own. Gentle and magical.
Best for: dreams and family.
5. Circe by Madeline Miller
The goddess Circe tells her story from exile to power. Lush and thoughtful.
Best for: witch of the Odyssey.
6. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Patroclus tells the story of his love for Achilles. Lyrical and heartbreaking.
Best for: Trojan War.
7. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Penelope tells the Odyssey from the underworld. Short and sharp.
Best for: wit and rage.
8. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
The women of the Trojan War tell their own stories. Witty and sharp.
Best for: women of Troy.
9. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
The Trojan War told through Briseis. Harsh and powerful.
Best for: the Iliad's captives.
10. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Ariadne's story of love, betrayal and her sister Phaedra. Emotional and well paced.
Best for: Minotaur retold.
11. Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
A princess in Virgil's Aeneid tells her story. Calm and beautiful.
Best for: Roman epic.
12. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Twins in Kerala live through a family tragedy. Beautiful, dense and powerful.
Best for: lush literary fiction.
13. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
A mother searches for a husband for her daughter in post-independence India. Very long and rewarding.
Best for: big family saga.
14. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
A retired judge, his granddaughter and the cook live in the Himalayas. Won the Booker Prize.
Best for: global stories.
15. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Two girls in nineteenth-century China are bound by a secret language. Moving.
Best for: women's friendship.
How to Choose
For more Divakaruni begin with Sister of My Heart. For epic retellings choose Circe, A Thousand Ships or The Penelopiad. For Indian family sagas pick A Suitable Boy, The God of Small Things or The Inheritance of Loss. For stories of women's friendship try Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The Palace of Illusions is a long but quick read, with a strong narrative voice. If you do not know the Mahabharata, the novel works as a standalone, and a short summary online can help with the cast of characters. Retellings of epics can be a gateway into the original stories. If the Mahabharata interests you, there are many English retellings and short summaries, but you can enjoy Divakaruni's novel on its own. If you want other women-centred retellings, the Greek myth books on this list share the same spirit. Her contemporary novels are lighter and offer a good change of pace.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Palace of Illusions about?
Draupadi's life from her own point of view, set against the great war of the Mahabharata.
Who wrote it?
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
When was it published?
2008.
Do I need to know the Mahabharata?
No, but it helps to have a basic outline.
Is it a feminist retelling?
Yes, it centres a woman's perspective.
Is it long?
About 360 pages.
Is it historical fiction?
It is mythological fiction based on an epic.
What should I read next?
Try Sister of My Heart or Circe.
Who is Panchaali?
Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava brothers, who narrates the novel.
Is the book a good book club choice?
Yes. Its themes of fate, anger and love give plenty to discuss.