3.7 Stars

One Liner: I like it, but wanted more

This is a retelling of the Mahabharata centered on Draupadi, divided into four parts.
It comes from Draupadi’s third-person POV with occasional POVs from other characters.

My Thoughts:

2025 has been a year of Mahabharata retellings so far. I started with Bhyrappa’s Parva and loved it. Then Goddess of the River was nothing less than a disaster. Since I knew this author was Indic (I liked her other work, Rukmini), I was hopeful for a better book. I’d also mention that the target audience is Indian readers with some knowledge of the Mahabharata.

The book starts with a prologue much like the original. However, this one takes place after the snake sacrifice and has a more personal setting (I like this).

It took a while to get used to the changes (not sure how I feel about the temple scene, but was it later sorted, so maybe I can let it go). However, once I got into the flow, I could read freely and enjoy the character developments and the nuances presented in the conflicts. It’s subtle but evident. Well done!

Naturally, this retelling also has elements that didn’t exist in the original. Initially, it didn’t have the layer of fantasy I usually prefer in epics, so it reads more like historical fiction. I was okay with it and then bam! We get random insertions of magic realism without warnings. Once again, either incorporate it throughout or don’t. This half-hearted approach doesn’t work for me.

I could see the traces of Parva in some developments (of course, I approve), especially the Pandavas vs. Kauravas part and Draupadi and Arjuna’s relationship. However, I loved the change the author brought to Draupadi’s relationship with Arjuna (his short POV helped).

The sudden shift in POV caught me off guard when it first happened. While it provides the other person’s perspective, I didn’t expect it. I was prepared for it after that, so the next switch was smoother. But still, the shifts tend to happen at random (not a fan of it).

Shikandi’s track is unclear. I’m not sure why the author didn’t present Shikandi's sex change when she spent enough time on Arjuna-Brihannala’s gender fluidity. Brihannala was addressed as she and Arjuna as he, just like in the original, so clearly, it could have been done. Moreover, towards the end, there’s a hint about Shikandi’s true identity. All we needed was a short paragraph at some point to make it clear.

There are subtle nods to classic Telugu movies like Mayabazar and Narthanasala. As a fellow Telugu, I loveee this! These pauranic movies were a part of our growing years. Seeing their lingering influence makes me super happy. For me, it’s an ode to movies that kept our interest in our ithihasas alive and thriving.

But… I don’t like how Draupadi is put in situations she wasn’t, just to make her stand out. This is not necessary. Yeah, the others also get enough limelight, so I can’t call this outright Main Character Syndrome. But, not going to lie that it toes the line a few times.

The age gap between Karna and Arjuna is highlighted (this is so important), which many retellings don’t bother with. Karna was at least thirteen years older than Arjuna (fifteen+ years according to some calculations). That means, a fully grown Karna had been jealous of a teenager (Arjuna) and spent the rest of his life trying to better him. Also, a fully adult Karna helped a spoiled brat teenager, Duryodhana, in making death plans for his cousins (the Pandavas). Do you see how the dynamics change when we shift from ‘loyal friendship’ and ‘rivalry’ to focus on their ages? Think about it.

To summarize, Draupadi is a steady-paced and worthy retelling of the Mahabharata focusing on the empress of Indraprastha. While it has its flaws, I’d still recommend it over other books like Palace of Illusions (another retelling from Draupadi’s POV).