Books

The Kaunteyas

  • Jan 21, 2021
  • Madhavi S. Mahadevan
  • 156 responses.

The Kaunteyas Death is important to a man but survival is important to a woman With a split destiny ruling her life Kunti given away at birth leads a hard but uneventful existence in her foster father s home At

  • Title: The Kaunteyas
  • Author: Madhavi S. Mahadevan
  • ISBN: -
  • Page: 102
  • Format: Kindle Edition

    • Death is important to a man, but survival is important to a woman With a split destiny ruling her life, Kunti, given away at birth, leads a hard but uneventful existence in her foster father s home At fourteen she is pressed into the service of the temperamental sage Durvasa who grants her a boon Its first use, however, only brings her adversity and a shameful se Death is important to a man, but survival is important to a woman With a split destiny ruling her life, Kunti, given away at birth, leads a hard but uneventful existence in her foster father s home At fourteen she is pressed into the service of the temperamental sage Durvasa who grants her a boon Its first use, however, only brings her adversity and a shameful secret With marriage to Pandu, Kunti dreams of a better future, but a curse makes him leave the throne of Hastinapur to his sibling, the blind Dhritarashtra, and retreat to the forest The births of the five Pandavas rekindle Kunti s hopes of returning to Hastinapur, but these are destroyed once again when Pandu dies suddenly Kunti journeys to the kingdom, no longer its queen but a widow, a dependant as are her sons She must now take up the task of guiding them through the long struggle to get their inheritance, a struggle made harder by the discovery that the illegitimate child she had abandoned long ago is alive and a sworn enemy of the Pandavas Recasting the Mahabharata from the viewpoint of Kunti, The Kaunteyas replaces the idealized mother figure with a fully three dimensional woman, providing new insights into the epic.

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      102 Madhavi S. Mahadevan
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      Posted by:Madhavi S. Mahadevan
      Published :2020-01-07T11:11:45+00:00

    About "Madhavi S. Mahadevan"

    1. Madhavi S. Mahadevan

      Madhavi S. Mahadevan Is a well-known author, some of his books are a fascination for readers like in the The Kaunteyas book, this is one of the most wanted Madhavi S. Mahadevan author readers around the world.

    156 Comments

    1. I knew I was in for a treat when I finished reading the prologue. The author is so genuine and confident of her writing that the strength of her words slaps you in the face. The last line of the prologue ensured that I wouldn't put the book down.The metaphors and phrases the author has used are magical; they made me grin and appreciate literature. The way she has depicted situations forces you to empathise with every character. You can't hate any of them - they're all described with such vigor, [...]

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    2. Madhavi Mahadevan follows up her previous work The Doppelganger Short Stories with her latest offering The Kaunteyas. In this book, Mahadevan wades into the world of the Mahabharata, and reframes the familiar narrative from a different perspective. As she says in the Prologue “I wonder what would happen if women started telling their own stories”. In giving voice and agency to characters traditionally sidelined within the traditional telling of the epic, she spotlights a fresh perspective on [...]

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    3. The TLDR version of my feelings:A brilliant read.I've read the original rendition of the Mahabharata , so I was blown by this rendition which was so expansive and yet so committed to bringing out the voice unheard so far. Strong,thought-provoking and a definite read for anyone with the passion to read.Mytho-fiction has never got me wishing this badly for a chance to meet the characters of the book.Longer Version of feelings?I don't have any particular affinity for fiction in general.So I made su [...]

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    4. A unique book that beautifully weaves the characters of Mahabharata together. It offers a feminist view on the ancient intriguing narrative. Would love to read more books of this genre. Overall, it’s a great book and a must read!

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    5. This was an awful book, I dont know why there are any postive reviews at all! Anand Neelakantan's Ajaya was simply awesome perhaps I expected something along those lines. But the narration was poor, and in many sections, it seemed like the author was just trying to rush things. I didnt like how the characters were depicted either, and as a passionate Mahabharata fan, I did not like this book AT ALL.

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    6. After reading Doppelganger Short Stories, I wanted to see what Madhavi Mahadevan, a versatile writer, would write. The switch from short stories to an epic like the Mahabharata has been seamless. A true master makes it look easy :)The unique voices she has given to the many different characters engaged me from the early chapters. Even the minor characters come alive through the lively and interesting dialogues. As for the protagonist Kunti, this is a Kunti never seen before. I've always known th [...]

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    7. Firstly let me appreciate the research the author has done to write this book. The narrative is gripping and the book was truly "Un put downable " and "A Page turner"for sure. Now to the reason why I gave 2 stars. I understand the author has marked this book as a "Mytho-Fiction". By calling it a fiction the author does get some creative liberties to shape the characters and add personal touches to the story. However disorting important facts which can contort the readers judgement about these ch [...]

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    8. I quite liked this book. With simple almost-pragmatic language, it makes for a leisurely short read. I read the Mahabharatas a long time ago and hardly remember the characters or specific details of the story, and this perhaps allowed me to enjoy the book a bit more. Or maybe this is irrelevant. One could read this book as any other, a story narrated by a female protagonist who faces more than her share of travesties and lives a life of abandonment or a constant fear of it. The story is about he [...]

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    9. Dont we have enough of Mahabharata retellings on our shelves? What does one more offer us?In fact, quite a lot. The Kaunteyas is misleadingly titled. It is not about the Kaunteyas in any sense, it is about Kunti. The sons, all six of them, barely feature in any way. The name perhaps indicates the role of Kunti in shaping the Pandavas, and why this makes it more important to call them with her name rather than his (and not because she was their mother, while he was not biologically their father). [...]

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    10. The writer captures the life and times of the Mahabharata so beautifully. But to me, it felt like a separate window opened onto the life of Kunti, giving us a clearer glimpse of her journey, her compulsions, her choices, and what made the woman she was. It was extremely engrossing and vivid. I really liked reading it. ​

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    11. I chose this book from Kindle Unlimited catalogue because I wanted something not too taxing to read. The title is slightly misleading because it is not a book on the Pandavas, but the life story of Kunti. My opinion of the book is mixed: I love love love her writing style, ( some of the quotes are on point and impactful!! ♥️ ) but the story is nothing much. I am guessing I feel this way because Mythology is an extremely abused genre these days. I am probably reading too much of it, and I def [...]

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    12. I picked this up owing to stellar reviews on and amazon (from where I purchased the Kindle version). I have been fascinated by Indian mythology and the genre - mythological fiction greatly interests me. However, this book just did not live up to the hype. The Kaunteyas is a novel that reflects on the various events that lead to the war of Kurukshetra from Kuntis point of view and scarcely on the aftermath or the actual events that transpire during the war. Madhavi's book although readable doesn [...]

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    13. I hadn't heard of this author or her book,till my friend gifted me The Kaunteyas, saying 'here's a recent book on your mahabharata'.Since I love mythology ,it was no bother for me.However,the book itself was a big surprise since it surpassed all my expectations and became the best read I have enjoyed in the last many months!Madhavi has made the epic very appealing in her simplistic writing style and reader friendly language.I particularly enjoyed her portrayal of the exchanges between the women [...]

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    14. I had read tharoor's -'the great indian novel' and loved it.Thereafter I have been reading a lot of mythology fiction and have hated the fact this genre is so alluring to writers. To be honest,I was a bit hesitant when I picked up'the kaunteyas'. Though I liked the prologue,I didn't know anything of Madhavi or her writings and expected very little of her book.However,I was in for a real surprise as the book turned out to be a very worthy read!I strongly recommend it for readers who want a good n [...]

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    15. The hype about this book had me wondering whether it was intended to be a strong feminist perspective of the great epic.Madhavi manages to depict kunti's viewpoint without distorting the earlier and more accepted narratives of mahabharata.Her language is reader friendly and manages to keep one enthralled.What I personally liked most about the book is that without boasting of the many attributes and multi dimensional facets of a woman,the book clearly conveys the same in a manner that is hard to [...]

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    16. The only objection I have is to the title-'the kaunteyas'.The book should have probably been -'kunti' the woman you never knew!Madhavi's work is brilliant.She has given character and face to a woman ,so central to the great epic, but of whom very little has been written all these many years.I look forward to my further reading / watching of the mahabharta ,with this depiction of kunti as told by Mahadevan. Congrats to her on what seems to be her maiden effort in this genre .

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    17. I liked 'the kaunteyas' very much, and thereafter read other books by Madhavi.I find her writing extremely easy to read.Her stories are varied and she qualifies in being a very gifted writer,who can mix emotions and characters fluently in any theme.Her short stories;her stories for children, and now this-a re-telling of the Mahabharata.I am eagerly looking forward to her next book, and,if I guess the trend,she will most likely not do a continuation in mythology.

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    18. kunti is the 'real' woman who adds merit to the great epic when one ponders-did all of this really happen?The author has painstakingly added every facet of her life,which makes this book unique and a very absorbing read.The characters remain true to earlier writings of the epic , and so ,while kunti remains the central character in this book,the author does not portray her as being the heroine in the story.For that I must congratulate madhavi in her exemplary work.

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    19. A very good read!I specially liked the author's depiction of Kunti , as a person less then perfect.Mahadevan has researched well and has introduced information into the narrative,which to me,as a person interested in mythology ,find very interesting.Her writing style is easy and simple and that is why,I assume, the book has been well received.I do hope, however,that 'the kaunteyas' is not a one-off and Madhavi will bring out more such works.

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    20. Really enjoyed this book!I knew the mahabarata in bits and pieces, so reading this book was exciting since it was an amazing connection between all those stories we have heard. It has been narrated in an interesting manner which makes us want to keep reading continuously! A great book for all youngsters!

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    21. I hate wars and always wondered if this great war could have been avoided.Madhavi's portrayal adds a new perspective to the story and makes it very interesting .The book is very well written and I particularly liked kunti's interaction with Lord krishna,(whom I simply adore !)Strongly recommend this book as an excellent read.

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    22. this book is unique in its telling of the great epice exchange between mother and son -karna and kunti is a master craft, extremely well handled without the usual melodrama attached in the many versions of film and tv depictions of the Mahabharata.I wish the author could have written more about the war from kunti's perspective.

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    23. A fresh take on Mahabharata from the perspective of a character, to top it a woman and who is not very significant in the other versions is very interesting. The book also brings in many realisations and struggles that are otherwise hidden/ not highlighted in the epic tale at all. Reading is quite light but confidently written.

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    26. Life of woman in kingdomThe book brought out the multi faceted and turbulances in the life of Kunti and the way she managed every situation honestly.

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    27. The Kaunteyas was such an interesting read. I was especially moved by the way the book describes Kunti's experience as a mother. The relationship between the different women and the scenes between them crackle with so much energy. I loved how the dialogue flowed between the different characters. Kudos to the writer for writing this book!

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    28. A very interesting take on the Mahabharata from a woman's perspective. Loved the description of person's, places and inner most thoughts depicted in this retelling of the Mahabharata. Felt drawn to the characters. But also felt it could have revolved around more deeply with other women like Panchali in better detail. Still unable to make out whether It is about Kaunteyas or Pandavas as the end seems very abrupt. Overall a book to be read to understand subtleties of a woman.

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