The end is drawing nigh, which is a bit frightening, remembering roughly what happens to everyone by the conclusion of the Mahabharata. I tend to prefer books without a great deal of violence and death...so this was a poor choice in those respects. I'm not looking forward to the next sets of chapters.
It was interesting, though, to suddenly be introduced to a host of new characters and reintroduced to some old ones. Kunti and Sikhandi are back, as are the sons of the Pandavas. I was particularly intrigued by the story of Hidimbi, Bhima's first wife, which I didn't remember from the epic. So many of these characters would be fascinating as the protagonists of their own novels! After all, they've all been doing their own things while the Pandavas are embroiled with their political and family dramas.
Hidimbi and the Pandavas
Another interesting aspect coming up is Indian philosophies. A kind of current running in the background of this novel is Draupadi's stubborn independence, while admirable for her position as a woman in her culture in that time, also leads her to some decisions with far-reaching, lethal consequences. If she would just let go of her anger and fear, she'd be happier and also have avoided some of the incidents that lead to the path the story takes. In this last section of reading, these themes were spelled out to her by others more explicitly than they had been in the past.
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