The original, written in Sanskrit some 2,000 years ago, is thought to be one of the world's largest books, its verses amounting to 1.8 million words. These elements and many more are found in abundance in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's new novel, "The Palace of Illusions," which ambitiously encapsulates the Indian epic "Mahabharat" within a 360-page novel. Your truly epic narrative myth calls for bitter experience descending, avalanche-like, down dynasties, incorporating dramatic turning points of ineradicable impact curses looming fates tricky and meddlesome gods feuds sages, sorcerers and wars. The Headless Horseman, Rip Van Winkle and John Wayne seem cut from a different cloth than Odysseus, Odin and Beowulf. And a bloke who is obsessed with his own reflection." Say what you like about "old" Europe and other cultures longer in the tooth than settler U.S.A., but they've ripened some fine mythologies over the years. In a start-of-the-new-year promotion, Britain's Guardian newspaper has been giving away a series of booklets and wall charts featuring the Greek myths, using the advertising copy: "Baby-eating gods. By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni DOUBLEDAY 360 PAGES $23.95
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