Book name: Arjun Without A Doubt
Author: Dr. Shinde Sweety
Published on: 2015
Synopsis: The book mainly focuses on the journey of Arjun and Draupadi, the challenges they face and ultimately how they assist Krishna to establish righteousness back in humankind. Mostly from the point of view of Draupadi, it tries to flesh out the greatness of Arjun.
The story and the accuracy: Like any other published novel, the storyline and accuracy has been seeped down in the drain. The Khandav Dahan had taken place after Subhadra haran, but now it was incorporated just after the Pandavs were given Khandavprasth. Arjun was sent to exile for three years, and etc etc.
The book has extreme factual errors, here even the splitting of Draupadi was so awkward. Kunti does not say the phrases, "Divide whatever you have brought" but was actually waiting for Draupadi to arrive and be married to Yudhishthir. Also Yudhishthir interrupting Arjun and Draupadi once, but is not sent to exile because apparently, the author thinks he cannot survive an exile-
I-
And the part where Brihannala also helps in killing Keechak-
Such plot holes made the book extremely off and awkward, which shows there was minimum research done upon the epic. There is no following of a proper timeline and events happen whenever the author deems to befit her.
Writing: The writing switches from first POVs of Draupadi and Arjun to third POVs in the entire book, to give an insight to the thoughts and overall interpretation of events. The author uses mild to heavy English at times, but there are flecks of witty writing visible.
Specially the parts where Arjun admires Krishna, and witnesses Draupadi as an extension of Krishna during her Swayamvar should be a worthy mention.
But again, at some places, the writing is very haphazard, the author seems to be rushing fast so as to end the story. The interactions between Arjun and Draupadi after a few chapters seem to lose its charm, and when the basic story revolves around the love of the both, very minimal is shown.
And too much shifting of POVs made the read a bit jarring.
The character of Draupadi: Again, the character of Draupadi was NOTHING close to the real Draupadi. Nothing, I repeat. Just like the Palace of Illusions, you see a bratty woman-jealous, egoistic and self obsessed teenager who only cares of about Arjun and nothing else.
It wasn't her love that was portrayed, but a weird obsession for Arjun which was highly problematic. The fact that she was destined to wed the five and her being Devi Sachi is completely ignored and made to look how she is suffering marrying the five of them but loves only Arjun--(the annoying yet common ArDi trope).
She disregards everyone, is highly hot tempered and even seems to have a problematic relationship with Arjun as well. When Arjun returns after his exile, the chemistry between ArDi is so poorly executed! You absolutely do not get the point where Arjun gets besotted in her love or something--nor there is a breaking point where the both of them are at a high point of their love-
Even if the author wants to show that they are coming back after such a distance of years, (3 years here lol-) everything just-falls flat, even the romantic scenes-(I do not know how shouting at each other is 'romantic' as per the author).
Yes, the author has tried to incorporate romance in between them, but after all that happened between them this long and the way they were trying to justify their actions and stuffs, the romance between them just doesn't sit with you-it JUST doesn't-
