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A Broken Sun
In the bloody aftermath of the thirteenth day of the Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas and Kauravas look to avenge their losses. In the Pandava army, a grief-stricken Arjuna speaks to his dead son and tries to find solace on the battlefield, even as his brother Yudhishthira tries to keep his family from falling apart. On the other side, the Kauravas, led by Guru Drona and Radheya try desperately to bring the war to an end. Their lives entwine tragically on the battlefield in a tale of loss and redemption.
Narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha, and Sushasana, A Broken Sun is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra War and tells the story of the Mahabharata in a way that’s never been done before.
Narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha, and Sushasana, A Broken Sun is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra War and tells the story of the Mahabharata in a way that’s never been done before.
- GenresIndian Literature
200 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2018
About the author
Aditya Iyengar
7 books42 followersAditya Iyengar is a writer from India. He writes Indian mythological and historical fiction and enjoys constructing epic fantasies.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 13 reviews
July 19, 2018
Overall Verdict:- A fresh perspective to an old saga
I was a little bit sceptic when I was suggested “A Broken Sun”. For starters it was the second book of the series (seeing that I hadn’t read the first) and for another it was relatively thin for what the content was supposed to be.
“A Broken Sun” is a take on the war fought on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Mahabharat war post Abhimanyu’s tragic death.
Aditya Iyengar has successfully given the essence of this Hindu epic in his own version. The grittiness of war and the constant mortal peril is captured extremely well. His emphasis in how exaggerated telling of any normal event leads to many fancy tales is depicted flawlessly.
Whilst the original Mahabharat is written in second person perspective, this novel is written in first person through the eyes of a few of the original characters. The author’s use of creative liberty is terrific as it only adds to make characters more grey as that in the original text, keeping their essence humanely different but intact. Yudhishthir is shown less of an idealist, while Suyodhan (Duryodhan) is shown less of a villain as compared to the conventional B.R. Chopra televised version of Mahabharat that we have grown up with. Krishna is shown more of a intelligent man of action than that of a God and his presence however occasional, it leaves the desired impact.
Personally I would had loved the author to capture first person narratives for of other versatile characters such as Shakuni as that he did for Sushasan (Dushasan). But nevertheless the author makes the proper use of every character and incident, regulating the pace where need be, thereby keeping us engaged.
In all, Aditya Iyengar delivers a true masterpiece that keeps us gripped throughout the book and makes us eager to await the third sequel.
My overall rating for this unique take on Mahabharata would be 4.5/5
Detailed Review Link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/0...
I was a little bit sceptic when I was suggested “A Broken Sun”. For starters it was the second book of the series (seeing that I hadn’t read the first) and for another it was relatively thin for what the content was supposed to be.
“A Broken Sun” is a take on the war fought on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Mahabharat war post Abhimanyu’s tragic death.
Aditya Iyengar has successfully given the essence of this Hindu epic in his own version. The grittiness of war and the constant mortal peril is captured extremely well. His emphasis in how exaggerated telling of any normal event leads to many fancy tales is depicted flawlessly.
Whilst the original Mahabharat is written in second person perspective, this novel is written in first person through the eyes of a few of the original characters. The author’s use of creative liberty is terrific as it only adds to make characters more grey as that in the original text, keeping their essence humanely different but intact. Yudhishthir is shown less of an idealist, while Suyodhan (Duryodhan) is shown less of a villain as compared to the conventional B.R. Chopra televised version of Mahabharat that we have grown up with. Krishna is shown more of a intelligent man of action than that of a God and his presence however occasional, it leaves the desired impact.
Personally I would had loved the author to capture first person narratives for of other versatile characters such as Shakuni as that he did for Sushasan (Dushasan). But nevertheless the author makes the proper use of every character and incident, regulating the pace where need be, thereby keeping us engaged.
In all, Aditya Iyengar delivers a true masterpiece that keeps us gripped throughout the book and makes us eager to await the third sequel.
My overall rating for this unique take on Mahabharata would be 4.5/5
Detailed Review Link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/0...
May 29, 2018
Before I begin, I must say that I have been reading quite a few works of contemporary Indian Literature based on Mahabharata and each of them leaves me bewildered. I just had to try this book : A Broken Sun by Iyengar, a sequel to The Thirteenth Day commences on the 14th Day of the Kurukshetra War. The take of the narrative is so unique that one cant help but admire it, and it is the narrative that makes the work so likeable.
I am a huge digger for switching narratives and here we had 5 narrators, each picking up where the previous one left, each with a different yet united perspective that shows you the Mahabharata as a part of it, instead of being an outsider.
When the novel begins, we have a mourning Arjun, saddened with the death of Abhimanyu in the Chakravyuh. The story of Abhimanyu acquiring knowledge in his mother's womb has been told to each Indian child, and reminiscing childhood in the after math of the war's 13th Day was a delight.
Be it strategical policies, political conflicts or emotional turmoils - Iyengar leaves no stone unturned to make the war come to life. However, as strongly as it begins, he does lose his grip and smoothness of flow somewhere in the later half. However, if you are looking for a book of a retelling of Mahabharata, go for this book or its prequel
I am a huge digger for switching narratives and here we had 5 narrators, each picking up where the previous one left, each with a different yet united perspective that shows you the Mahabharata as a part of it, instead of being an outsider.
When the novel begins, we have a mourning Arjun, saddened with the death of Abhimanyu in the Chakravyuh. The story of Abhimanyu acquiring knowledge in his mother's womb has been told to each Indian child, and reminiscing childhood in the after math of the war's 13th Day was a delight.
Be it strategical policies, political conflicts or emotional turmoils - Iyengar leaves no stone unturned to make the war come to life. However, as strongly as it begins, he does lose his grip and smoothness of flow somewhere in the later half. However, if you are looking for a book of a retelling of Mahabharata, go for this book or its prequel
May 18, 2018
Vidhya Thakkar- Indian blogger, Mumbai blogger, book blogger, Book blogger Mumbai
A Broken Sun is an Indian mythology by Aditya Iyengar and is a continuation of the book The thirteenth day. The book narrates the tale of Kurukshetra war. It is from the thirteenth night to the fifteenth night of the total eighteen days of the prolonged war.
Well, The cover and the title of the book is impressive and good. I loved how the book started. How one can easily connect with the story. Sometimes, some mythology books are a heavy read, but this was something light, and easy to read. One can easily connect with the story. The book is narrated through the five main characters, Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana. The narration from Arjuna’s part could have been little more. The book does not have twists and turns but explains the history. One gets curious as the book proceeds till we come to Arjuna’s part, then I felt disappointed. The face of the story is good. The flow is smooth. There are chapters where different characters narrate the story which again was becoming confusing, but then the author’s style of writing was something, that kept me hooked to the book. The characters were not much described. The author could have given more details and twists to the story, but than Overall, It’s a good read for all the mythology lovers.
Simple Language, crisp narration and the Interesting story. This book is something one cannot miss.Its an easy read.
A Broken Sun is an Indian mythology by Aditya Iyengar and is a continuation of the book The thirteenth day. The book narrates the tale of Kurukshetra war. It is from the thirteenth night to the fifteenth night of the total eighteen days of the prolonged war.
Well, The cover and the title of the book is impressive and good. I loved how the book started. How one can easily connect with the story. Sometimes, some mythology books are a heavy read, but this was something light, and easy to read. One can easily connect with the story. The book is narrated through the five main characters, Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana. The narration from Arjuna’s part could have been little more. The book does not have twists and turns but explains the history. One gets curious as the book proceeds till we come to Arjuna’s part, then I felt disappointed. The face of the story is good. The flow is smooth. There are chapters where different characters narrate the story which again was becoming confusing, but then the author’s style of writing was something, that kept me hooked to the book. The characters were not much described. The author could have given more details and twists to the story, but than Overall, It’s a good read for all the mythology lovers.
Simple Language, crisp narration and the Interesting story. This book is something one cannot miss.Its an easy read.
April 4, 2018
Indian mythology stores considerable potential for the Indian writers to explore Indian historical events in their writings. In the past few years, there is a boom in Indian mythological books which has probe into unlike text of historical matter.
Aditya Iyenger in his trilogy retells the tale of Mahabharat’s Kurukshetra war from his distinctive prospect.
This is the second book of the trilogy on Kurukshetra war after ‘The Thirteenth Day’. It starts from where the first book ended. The book narrates the tale of Kurukshetra war from the thirteenth night to the fifteenth night of the total eighteen days of the prolonged war.
The book is narrated through the voices of five main characters, Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana.
The narrative of Yudhishthira and Ghatotkacha intrigued me much more than the other characters. The narration was so able in a way that, I was in the position to understand their sorrows, insecurities and sentiments.
In case of Arjuna, I was waiting for few more details to come but there was nothing than that just he was talking to his dead son, Abhimanyu. And in case of Radheya and Sushasana, there was just mere accounting of the original events that happened. I was unable to connect with their characters and to learn what they perceive as a person.
What was Good
• Sometimes, the book with multiple voices gets uninteresting but, in this book, the narration from different points of view is what keeping the interest alive.
• The book is very much captivating and at no time, I felt bored but rather I was fascinated enough to finish it in less time.
• I loved the narrative of Yudhishthira and Ghatotkacha and was curiously waiting to read all chapters related to them.
What wasn’t Good
• The thrill or twist was missing in the book while it was just the chronicle of original Mahabharata with few changes in the names and events. It may have turned more gripping with few twists and turns.
• Somehow, the language failed to impress me and I felt as if this is not a historical book but an informal fiction book.
Why to read this book
Well, Mythological fiction lovers never misses such books as this is their genre and this book is fulfilling enough. And for the others, it may prove to be satisfying as it is simple and easy read.
Aditya Iyenger in his trilogy retells the tale of Mahabharat’s Kurukshetra war from his distinctive prospect.
This is the second book of the trilogy on Kurukshetra war after ‘The Thirteenth Day’. It starts from where the first book ended. The book narrates the tale of Kurukshetra war from the thirteenth night to the fifteenth night of the total eighteen days of the prolonged war.
The book is narrated through the voices of five main characters, Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana.
The narrative of Yudhishthira and Ghatotkacha intrigued me much more than the other characters. The narration was so able in a way that, I was in the position to understand their sorrows, insecurities and sentiments.
In case of Arjuna, I was waiting for few more details to come but there was nothing than that just he was talking to his dead son, Abhimanyu. And in case of Radheya and Sushasana, there was just mere accounting of the original events that happened. I was unable to connect with their characters and to learn what they perceive as a person.
What was Good
• Sometimes, the book with multiple voices gets uninteresting but, in this book, the narration from different points of view is what keeping the interest alive.
• The book is very much captivating and at no time, I felt bored but rather I was fascinated enough to finish it in less time.
• I loved the narrative of Yudhishthira and Ghatotkacha and was curiously waiting to read all chapters related to them.
What wasn’t Good
• The thrill or twist was missing in the book while it was just the chronicle of original Mahabharata with few changes in the names and events. It may have turned more gripping with few twists and turns.
• Somehow, the language failed to impress me and I felt as if this is not a historical book but an informal fiction book.
Why to read this book
Well, Mythological fiction lovers never misses such books as this is their genre and this book is fulfilling enough. And for the others, it may prove to be satisfying as it is simple and easy read.
August 27, 2019
A Broken sun is a sequel to the author's previous book titled 'The thirteenth day' which depicts the brutal death of Abhimanyu in the Kurukshetra war.
A Broken sun describes the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the war where the Pandavas are dealing with the loss and looking to seek revenge. The events of the war are described in first person from the perspectives of several characters in the Mahabharata Epic.
Arjuna is seen to have conversations with his dead son Abhimanyu. Ghatotkacha traces back to his birth and provides a bird eye view of the battlefield. Yudhishtir is striving his best to keep the family together. Radheya is desperately seeking to wipe out the Pandava forces, particularly Arjuna. Suhasana is ruminating the events that lead to the war feeling regret for the first time in 13 years about the game of dice and disrobing Draupadi.
The book is a gripping narrative of the ongoings on the battlefield. It describes the fierce combat between several warriors and the bloody massacres that leave the readers at the edge of the seat.
The author does a good job of delving deep into each characters mind makes the readers view them in a different light. Themes of war, violence, deceit ad power are touched upon here.
Mahabharata no doubt is an interesting albeit a complex read that presents incidents and characters in varying shades of grey. Probably thats the reason why readers tend to partake different lessons from this epic irrespective of hearing the story numerous times. Aditya Iyengar leaves us awaiting eagerly for the third book in this trilogy series...
March 30, 2018
A fitting, albeit unexpectedly a little bit shorter sequel to The Thirteenth Day, the first of Iyenger's Mahabharatha trilogy, this book picks up right from where its predecessor had left off and chronicles the events from the 13th night till the 15th night of the great war. I didn't expect the narrative to be this engaging and given this retelling takes a microcosmic route in its examination of various things, both heroic & savage, that happened during the war that resulted in its subsequent reputation, it might as well have become boring, and repetitive. And it's quite difficult to make every voice stand out when it comes to multiple narrators but the author does it with quite an elan, with stress more on inner conflicts and underlying emotions. My favourite part of this retelling, that it has been stripped off all its embellishments of supernatural and divinity and showed a very human side of every player in this grand game, no one is outright white or black, rather, everyone is embellished with a different shade of grey. The only put off for me was the use of modern words here and there like "ars, shit, dude" etc etc. I think the book would have been more appealing sans their usage.
Also, I felt, unlike the first one, this one ended too fast but then again, that's my curiosity to read the third part speaking out loud.
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Also, I felt, unlike the first one, this one ended too fast but then again, that's my curiosity to read the third part speaking out loud.
Blog| Instagram | Facebook
July 19, 2018
Overall Verdict:- A fresh perspective to an old saga
I was a little bit sceptic when I was suggested “A Broken Sun”. For starters it was the second book of the series (seeing that I hadn’t read the first) and for another it was relatively thin for what the content was supposed to be.
“A Broken Sun” is a take on the war fought on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Mahabharat war post Abhimanyu’s tragic death.
Aditya Iyengar has successfully given the essence of this Hindu epic in his own version. The grittiness of war and the constant mortal peril is captured extremely well. His emphasis in how exaggerated telling of any normal event leads to many fancy tales is depicted flawlessly.
Whilst the original Mahabharat is written in second person perspective, this novel is written in first person through the eyes of a few of the original characters. The author’s use of creative liberty is terrific as it only adds to make characters more grey as that in the original text, keeping their essence humanely different but intact. Yudhishthir is shown less of an idealist, while Suyodhan (Duryodhan) is shown less of a villain as compared to the conventional B.R. Chopra televised version of Mahabharat that we have grown up with. Krishna is shown more of a intelligent man of action than that of a God and his presence however occasional, it leaves the desired impact.
Personally I would had loved the author to capture first person narratives for of other versatile characters such as Shakuni as that he did for Sushasan (Dushasan). But nevertheless the author makes the proper use of every character and incident, regulating the pace where need be, thereby keeping us engaged.
In all, Aditya Iyengar delivers a true masterpiece that keeps us gripped throughout the book and makes us eager to await the third sequel.
My overall rating for this unique take on Mahabharata would be 4.5/5
I was a little bit sceptic when I was suggested “A Broken Sun”. For starters it was the second book of the series (seeing that I hadn’t read the first) and for another it was relatively thin for what the content was supposed to be.
“A Broken Sun” is a take on the war fought on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Mahabharat war post Abhimanyu’s tragic death.
Aditya Iyengar has successfully given the essence of this Hindu epic in his own version. The grittiness of war and the constant mortal peril is captured extremely well. His emphasis in how exaggerated telling of any normal event leads to many fancy tales is depicted flawlessly.
Whilst the original Mahabharat is written in second person perspective, this novel is written in first person through the eyes of a few of the original characters. The author’s use of creative liberty is terrific as it only adds to make characters more grey as that in the original text, keeping their essence humanely different but intact. Yudhishthir is shown less of an idealist, while Suyodhan (Duryodhan) is shown less of a villain as compared to the conventional B.R. Chopra televised version of Mahabharat that we have grown up with. Krishna is shown more of a intelligent man of action than that of a God and his presence however occasional, it leaves the desired impact.
Personally I would had loved the author to capture first person narratives for of other versatile characters such as Shakuni as that he did for Sushasan (Dushasan). But nevertheless the author makes the proper use of every character and incident, regulating the pace where need be, thereby keeping us engaged.
In all, Aditya Iyengar delivers a true masterpiece that keeps us gripped throughout the book and makes us eager to await the third sequel.
My overall rating for this unique take on Mahabharata would be 4.5/5
May 21, 2018
A Broken Sun by Aditya Iyengar is the second book of a trilogy based on Mahabharata war. In the first book (The Thirteenth Day) of the series, the author presented a retelling of the events that took place between the tenth night to the thirteenth day during the war between Pandavas and Kauravas in the field of Kurukshetra. The book under review starts from where the first book ended. The book deals with the events that took place between the thirteenth night to the fifteenth night of the total of eighteen days of Mahabharata war. The story in this book has been narrated from the perspective of five different characters. These characters are Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Karna, Ghatotkacha, and Dushasana.
Writing battle scenes involving two large armies is not an easy task. The task becomes more difficult as the author has to define different characters’ motivation for fighting that war. Writing about large armies is definitely exciting, but the presence of huge armies is not enough to fully engage the readers. Readers will love battle scenes if they care about the individuals involved in it. Why are these individuals fighting the war? What does the outcome of the war mean to them? There should be some sort of emotional binding for the readers. This is specifically true when the author is venturing into writing about the great war of Mahabharata and, on top of that, taking the readers right into the middle of the battle without giving any proper background. There is no doubt that the war of Mahabharata is well-known but you cannot take readers for granted. Therefore, writing a book based on a well-known battle like that of Mahabharata could be tricky. I am happy to say that Aditya Iyengar has accomplished this challenging task brilliantly.
While the book is based on the battle of Mahabharata, the author has made an earnest attempt to focus on characters too. He communicates with the readers through the voices of five different characters. By giving voices to characters from both the sides (Pandavas and Kauravas), the author has tried to show war-related strategies of both the camps. He continuously shifts perspectives to tell the happenings of battle. Of course, there are sights of blood splattering and clashing sounds of swords, points of view of five different characters have been used as a key tool in this book. Both external and internal conflicts of the major characters have been presented well. This has helped him in creating an immersive narrative.
Battle scenes have been crafted expertly. Action sequences are realistic. At the same time, the author presents a blow-by-blow description of a number of action sequences, and that makes the narrative boring in those scenes. I also found that there was not even a single ‘on the edge of your seat’ type of action sequence. The inclusion of some of these types of sequences could have turned the book more gripping. However, despite these weaknesses, the book is captivating enough to hold the attention of the readers.
Read the book if you love reading books based on Indian epics.
Note: The review was originally posted on:
https://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2018/0...
Writing battle scenes involving two large armies is not an easy task. The task becomes more difficult as the author has to define different characters’ motivation for fighting that war. Writing about large armies is definitely exciting, but the presence of huge armies is not enough to fully engage the readers. Readers will love battle scenes if they care about the individuals involved in it. Why are these individuals fighting the war? What does the outcome of the war mean to them? There should be some sort of emotional binding for the readers. This is specifically true when the author is venturing into writing about the great war of Mahabharata and, on top of that, taking the readers right into the middle of the battle without giving any proper background. There is no doubt that the war of Mahabharata is well-known but you cannot take readers for granted. Therefore, writing a book based on a well-known battle like that of Mahabharata could be tricky. I am happy to say that Aditya Iyengar has accomplished this challenging task brilliantly.
While the book is based on the battle of Mahabharata, the author has made an earnest attempt to focus on characters too. He communicates with the readers through the voices of five different characters. By giving voices to characters from both the sides (Pandavas and Kauravas), the author has tried to show war-related strategies of both the camps. He continuously shifts perspectives to tell the happenings of battle. Of course, there are sights of blood splattering and clashing sounds of swords, points of view of five different characters have been used as a key tool in this book. Both external and internal conflicts of the major characters have been presented well. This has helped him in creating an immersive narrative.
Battle scenes have been crafted expertly. Action sequences are realistic. At the same time, the author presents a blow-by-blow description of a number of action sequences, and that makes the narrative boring in those scenes. I also found that there was not even a single ‘on the edge of your seat’ type of action sequence. The inclusion of some of these types of sequences could have turned the book more gripping. However, despite these weaknesses, the book is captivating enough to hold the attention of the readers.
Read the book if you love reading books based on Indian epics.
Note: The review was originally posted on:
https://pgalmora.wordpress.com/2018/0...
November 24, 2020
A different take on the War, even on Mahabharatha
He has tried to demystify mahabharata. No gods, celestial weapons, superhuman deeds. Instead, a description of what might have happened originally, which over the years got elevated to the status of legends.
Another aspect is the multiple pov story telling. So that you can't, as a reader, take sides, but see everyone from a empathetic pov.
Third, the superb device of arjuna's monologues with his dead son Abhimanyu. This alone is worth reading this book for.
All said, the end is abrupt, even if it was meant to be. The part 1, 13th day, had a very natural progression and ending. Same way, Broken sun (or should it be Son?) Could have ended at the end of 14th day, after analyzing the so called vow and fulfillment in full detail. That would have justified the title.
He has tried to demystify mahabharata. No gods, celestial weapons, superhuman deeds. Instead, a description of what might have happened originally, which over the years got elevated to the status of legends.
Another aspect is the multiple pov story telling. So that you can't, as a reader, take sides, but see everyone from a empathetic pov.
Third, the superb device of arjuna's monologues with his dead son Abhimanyu. This alone is worth reading this book for.
All said, the end is abrupt, even if it was meant to be. The part 1, 13th day, had a very natural progression and ending. Same way, Broken sun (or should it be Son?) Could have ended at the end of 14th day, after analyzing the so called vow and fulfillment in full detail. That would have justified the title.
April 2, 2018
Read full review at Eclectic Moods https://bit.ly/2H5lffa
Aditya Iyengar has successfully written an evocative novel that captures the uncertain, unmoored feelings of people fighting for their rights. The way Arjuna tries to come to terms with the death of his son, with the help of the latter’s ethereal presence, this story is also about seeking hope and finding beauty even in one’s darkest hours.
Aditya Iyengar has successfully written an evocative novel that captures the uncertain, unmoored feelings of people fighting for their rights. The way Arjuna tries to come to terms with the death of his son, with the help of the latter’s ethereal presence, this story is also about seeking hope and finding beauty even in one’s darkest hours.
April 8, 2018
A fine reinterpretation of the great war.
May 16, 2018
In the bloody aftermath of the thirteenth day of the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas and Kauravas look to avenge their losses. In the Pandava army, a grief-stricken Arjuna speaks to his dead son and tries to find solace on a battlefield, even as his brother Yudhishthira tries to keep his family from falling apart. On the other side, the Kauravas, led by Guru Drona and Radheya try desperately to bring the war to an end. Their lives entwine tragically on the battlefield in a tale of loss and redemption. Narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha, and Sushasana, A Broken Sun is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra war and tells the story of the Mahabharata in a way that’s never been done before.
This is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra war. I have not read the first part, so I was skeptical about picking up this book. However, I was able to follow the book easily as it is based on the Mahabharata. The book begins after the death of Abhimanyu on the battlefield. It has been narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana. The chapters switch between all of them and I was a bit confused. It would have been better if each character’s narratives were clubbed together or the number of characters narrating could have been reduced. The war has been described in complete detail but at the same time the emotions have also been incorporated into the narrative. The whole book is about war but we will never get bored as it does not become repetitive. We are able to sympathize with the situations of the Pandavas as well as the Kauravas. The author has not taken sides and does not try to justify either of them. I liked the neutral stance of the narrative that the author has adopted. The cover of the book is beautifully designed and instantly made me want to pick it up. I have always loved books based on the Mahabharata; so this was an interesting read.
This is the second part of Iyengar’s trilogy on the Kurukshetra war. I have not read the first part, so I was skeptical about picking up this book. However, I was able to follow the book easily as it is based on the Mahabharata. The book begins after the death of Abhimanyu on the battlefield. It has been narrated through the voices of Radheya, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Ghatotkacha and Sushasana. The chapters switch between all of them and I was a bit confused. It would have been better if each character’s narratives were clubbed together or the number of characters narrating could have been reduced. The war has been described in complete detail but at the same time the emotions have also been incorporated into the narrative. The whole book is about war but we will never get bored as it does not become repetitive. We are able to sympathize with the situations of the Pandavas as well as the Kauravas. The author has not taken sides and does not try to justify either of them. I liked the neutral stance of the narrative that the author has adopted. The cover of the book is beautifully designed and instantly made me want to pick it up. I have always loved books based on the Mahabharata; so this was an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 13 reviews