New Book Roundup

Indian Ink
Two new novels set in India give voice to strong female protagonists. The Palace of Illusions, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, re-imagines the Indian epic the Mahabharat from the point of view of the beautiful and ambitious princess Panchaali who is married to the five legendary Pandava brothers—simultaneously. In The Age of Shiva, by Manil Suri, a young woman in 1950s Bombay trapped in a disappointing marriage lavishes all her care and attention on her son—with consequences that echo the nation's struggles as it deals with life in post-independence India.