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nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, and War
shruti_menon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: War
Moderate: Violence and Murder
leahrosiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Gaslighting, Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death of parent, and Infertility
Minor: War, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Classism, Infertility, Blood, Misogyny, Violence, and War
Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Domestic abuse
hanarama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
*3.5*
Kaikeyi is Vaishnavi Patel’s ambitious debut novel, retelling the first part of the Ramayana from the perspective of one of its most complicated characters. The only daughter amongst seven brothers, Kaikeyi is often ignored, both by her father and by the gods themselves. What power she has, she fought tooth and nail for, and in doing so becomes a formidable warrior, advisor, diplomat, and queen.
The power and influence that she has spent a lifetime carefully cultivating is thrown off kilter as her step-son Rama begins to ascend into his own power.
I loved the first half of this book, though it moved slowly. The meandering pace gives the reader space to get to know Kaikeyi and to understand her motivations. Her flaws and virtues are presented side by side throughout her rise to power, making her feel very real.
Though most of the other characters are not given the same detail as Kaikeyi, their relationships to her feel clear. While reading, I felt connections to them through Kaikeyi. Particularly, I loved her interactions with Dasharatha. I loved how asexuality was represented in their relationship. Though she didn’t love him as a romantic partner, her love for him as a friend felt so real.
The Binding Plane was beautifully handled. Its introduction makes for an interesting dynamic between Kaikeyi and the court intrigues of Kekeya and Ayodhya. The power felt very defined, but also strong, making Kaikeyi’s use of the Binding Plane feel very impactful.
The second half lost me a little bit. While compelling and fun to read, I felt that Patel framed too much of it in black and white. This was jarring, considering the care given in the first half to portray things in shades of gray. Kaikeyi is presented initially as an ambitious, sometimes callous, sometimes caring woman, but as Rama becomes more prominent, Patel presents her as wholly in the right and Rama as wholly in the wrong. I feel like there was a way for Patel to have shown them both as complicated, whole people.
It felt too much like Patel was trying to flip the entire narrative in reverse, rather than to give more space to the female characters to be rich and interesting people. Because despite Kaikeyi’s efforts in the story to raise the station of women in Kosala, she’s really the only female character to get thorough characterization. Others like Sita and Sumitra feel very flat. Framing the major conflict between Kaikeyi and Rama as a disagreement of women’s place in society rings kind of hollow given how they seem to only matter as a concept and not so much as characters.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Infertility, War, and Violence
literaryintersections's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment
regen20's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, War, and Abandonment
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy
chelsaat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
bluejayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Gore, Death of parent, War, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Infertility, and Religious bigotry
Forced marriage, sexual content with dubious consent (mentions)savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A feminist retelling inspired by the Ramayana, Kaikeyi tells the story of Radnyi (Queen) Kaikeyi of Kosala and her journey through magic, motherhood, and the destruction (and salvation) of her family and kingdom.
“It was a child, freer than her mother had been.”
I adored this book! I love a feminist retelling, but it’s no secret that many of them have a tendency to be slow and a bit boring in sections. Not so here—Kaikeyi is action-packed and engaging from the very beginning, and Kaikeyi herself is a delight of a character who I was rooting for the whole way through. So much happens in this book that it isn’t easy to summarize (or even review), but I laughed, cried, and was thoroughly enthralled by the story and all the side characters (especially Kaushalya and Lakshmana, my faves).
I will also add that even though I went into this with pretty minimal knowledge of the Ramayana/any source myths, I never felt confused about the world or the events taking place. In fact, while I’m sure those who grew up with these myths will also enjoy the book, I think I was even more enchanted because everything was new to me—so if you’re intimidated by this book for those reasons, don’t be!
Bottom line: if you enjoy mythology and retellings, you absolutely have to read this one.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: feminist retellings; Hindu epics; fantasy meets mythology.
CW: War/violence/injury/death; death of parent; abandonment; discussions of infertility; discussions of child death.
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Infertility and Infidelity