3 Review(s)

A lot has been written on the Mahabharata. From various perspectives, each author telling the story of one central character. And then there are authors like Kane who speak of the lesser known people, in this case the wife of Karna – Kunti’s son – the outcast, who was only accepted by Duryodhana.Uruvi – the central character in this novel speaks of Karna – the unsung hero. She also speaks of herself, of her relationships with his family, and the way he is. The writing is crisp and to the point in most parts, while in others, the description is too much to handle.Kane has a keen eye of the incidents that occurred in the Mahabharata and weaves in her story quite cleverly in the narrative. Historical fiction is not written a lot in the country as it should. Books such as these will sure change the trend. A must read to not only know more about the epic battle but also a different point of view. A classic retelling of the Mahabharata from the unique perspective of Karna's wife Uruvi, who is witness to the twists and turns of Karna's fate and his role in the Divine plan.Summary Of The BookPublished in 2013, Karna's Wife: The Outcast's Queen is a unique novel in the genre of magic realism that tells parts of the Mahabharata through the eyes of Uruvi, the wife of Karna, who is the unsung hero of the Epic tale.The novel begins with her story, an accomplished Kshatriya princess who chooses Karna, the 'sutaputra', over Arjun, an antithesis of Draupadi's choice. A bright, witty and intelligent women completely in love with Karna, the novel traces her struggles and travails, coming to terms with Karna's socially inferior position and her own title as the 'Outcast's Queen'. How she uses her wit and intelligence to be accepted into his family is evocatively demonstrated. Slowly, she becomes Karna's mainstay, the one he comes to for advice and solace, and yet, she is helpless in the face of his wilful and blind obedience to Duryodhana. She stands behind him and is his true support when the entire world had turned against him, through a series of cruel misfortunes and turns of fate.The entire story of Karna and Uruvi unfolds against the larger backdrop of the Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Karna’s fierce loyalty to Duryodhana, Duryodhana’s constant love for Karna, his birth entirely shrouded in mystery and Karna’s associations with the Pandavas and Draupadi, these are all some of the themes explored in this novel. Karna's character is also deeply fleshed out, his role as a son, father, husband, friend, warrior and devotee. Uruvi is a silent witness to the strength and valour of Karna, his immeasurable love for Krishna and the unfortunate end he meets with.The novel has received good reviews from readers around the world as being a unique recasting of an old story in a fresh and new form. Karna's Wife: The Outcast's Queen is recommended for anyone interested in Mythology.About Kavita KaneKavita Kane is a novelist and journalist and currently works as the Features Editor of Pune Mirror.She is a post-graduate in English literature and Mass Communications. She is a mother of two teenage daughters and currently lives in Pune.