The politics of Venad is shown through the council of Ettuveettil Pillas, the subsequent claim of the throne by Padmanabhan Thambi, the coup attempt, the patriotic conduct of Subhadra, and finally to her tragedy following the suppression of the revolt.

The novel has been translated into English, Tamil, and Hindi, and has also been abridged and adapted in a number of formats, including theater, radio, television, and comic book.

The Venad kingdom under Ravi Varma (Kollavarsham 859–893, Gregorian Calendar: 1684–1718) had to resist foreign attacks and make the eventual payments of arrears to Madurai Nayaks; which resulted in the imposition of fresh taxes to meet the expenses.

[9] The plot moves two years ahead during when the payment to Madurai forces became arrears, the King become ill and bed ridden, feudatory chiefs and sons of Rama Varma joined hands in conspiring against the prince.

[10] The novel narrates how Marthanda Varma ascended to the throne overcoming hurdles with the help of his well wishers and the entanglements of their personal lives with the history of Travancore (Venad).

[13] The title was further revised post the centenary of the novel as മാർത്താണ്ഡവർമ്മ, replacing the Dot reph, ൎ with Chillu, ർ inline with the contemporary Malayalam script usage.

Desiring the throne, Thambi and Sundarayyan, spreads the lie that the rightful heir, Prince Marthanda Varma, planned the attack on Ananthapadmanabhan because of an argument over a prostitute.

That night, Thirumukhathu Pilla visits Thambi to ask about the murder of his son, Ananthapadmanabhan; during when one of Velu Kuruppu's lancers arrives and recounts the defeat at Mangoikkal's.

At the royal palace a message arrives from Pathan camp warning of the council at Kudamon Pilla's house, as the resolution is unknown, the prince should stay alert at all times.

C. V. Raman Pillai was introduced to historical fiction through the works of Sir Walter Scott and Alexandre Dumas during his days at Maharaja's College, Thiruvananthapuram.

[22] N. Balakrishnan Nair recounts that a challenge was raised by some Malabarians as to whether there were any men in Travancore who could create another literary work like Indulekha, to which C. V. Raman Pillai reciprocated that he will prove it as affirmative.

[64] In the review appeared on The Hindu, Madras edition dated 21 December 1891, the novel is mentioned as a respectable specimen what an Indian graduate is capable of accomplishing in the department of fiction.

[85] The honest behavior of Mangoikkal Kuruppu to the prince, the anxious preparations of Karthyayani Amma to receive Padmanabhan Thambi, short-tempered reactions of Shanku Assan represent realistic aspects in the novel.

[95] The romantic aspects similar to that in Prometheus Unbound and in the apocalyptic poetry of William Blake are identified in the personality of Subhadra, with which the character conveys a conflict-oriented complexity of multi-colored romanticism.

[99] The social relevance lies in its questioning of the collateral rule of succession (Marumakkathayam) followed in Venad, with the failed agitation of Nair-Thambi clans to acquire power from Varmas.

[101] Kalpatta Balakrishnan notes that the major theme of the novel is power struggle between the royal head and the kingship seekers, and not a conflict between the ruled and the ruler.

[117] N. Krishna Pillai and Prof. V. Anandakuttan Nair state that the novel comprises three plots, among which the first one is the political theme about the power struggle between Marthanda Varma and opponents, the second is the romance of Ananthapadmanabhan and Parukutty, and the third is the tragedy of Subhadra.

Prof. Thumpamon Thomas points that the narration is as small water streams that eventually form into a waterfall similar to the strands in a twisted rope made of coir.

[121] The author successfully combines geographical structure of locality and suitable historical period with a legitimacy of day and night, and an accuracy as in an almanac, through his narrative style.

[134] The major usages of quotes as epigraphs and inline ones are to indicate the plot of respective chapters or to point a particular behavior of characters, and this is noted to be a style inspired from Sir Walter Scott, as well as a manifestation of author's knowledge in the puranas, legends, yesteryear ballads, and socio-cultural situation of Venad.

[136] The narrative style depicts a considerable level of the coherence between the consecutive sentences and in parts, and presents notions adapted from performance arts such as Kathakali, Play, Kudiyattam, Mohiniyattam, and Bharatanatyam.

[155] The novel has a rich focus on intertextuality, making regular references and homages to both the Indian subcontinent and Western literary traditions, histories and cultures.

The novel also refers to the attack of a Mukilan (a petty chieftain under Moghul emperor) in Travancore during Kollavarsham 853–855 when, a few families were converted to Mohammedians, and the tragic death of Iravikutti Pilla in the war against the forces of Thirumalai Nayak.

Prince Marthada Varma halts there on his way to Boothapandi and later Padmanabhan Thambi camps there, after which fifty members of the Channar people were executed at the palace compound.

[178] The narrative depicts superstitious customs such as Ūṭṭŭ or Kāḷiyūṭṭŭ, Pāṭṭŭ, Uruvaṁ Vaypŭ, Amman Koṭa, Cāvūṭṭŭ, Uccinakāḷi Sēva as quite common among the hindu religious followers.

[181] Velu Kuruppu mentions that sorcery was used by a namboothiripad of the Akavoor family[M] to evoke protection on his armor shield by the incantation of seventy million Dhanwantharam, a set of hymns offered to Dhanvantari in order to safeguard against ill fortune.

[185] Padmanabhan Thambi is represented as a philanderer whose paramours include: Kamalam, Sivakami, the mistress at the seventh house and the unnamed female prostitute at Kottar.

[189] The novel explicitly mentions Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, P. Shangoony Menon, and also refers to Shankaracharyar as kēraḷēcārakaṟttāvŭ, which means the author of customs in Kerala, Venmani Achhan Nambudiripad as kavikulōttaṁsan (one at the crest of poets clan) and compares his lifetime to that of Sundarayyan.

[190] The novel uses the references to the Ettuveettil Pillas in the Sree Veera Marthandavarmacharitham Aattakatha, to form the characters and also uses the four-line verse about them as epigraph to the eleventh chapter.

The thirty-two pages of comic book adaptation was scripted by Radha Nair, illustrated by M. Mohandas, had the cover art by Ramesh Umrotkar under the consultancy by Ram Waeerkar and editing by Anant Pai.