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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
as ive never truly acquianted myself w/ the original epic, idk how much work patel's done on crafting the characters in her novel, but theyre def layered and complex. the titular character in particular undergoes quite a transformation from a lonely young princess to a powerful radnyi, shaped by her numerous trials and triumphs. i esp like the relationships between those in the kosalan royal family, how some of them defy stereotypical expectations, and the complex web of motives that each has and impacts their relations w/ one another esp the siblings.
patel does a fantastic job of not only creating the story that occurs prior to the events of the epic, also adding new ones, but putting a fresher spin on the original as well, offering a new look and pov on certain events, relationships and decisions. ofc kaikeyi's decision to exile rama is one of them, but i also like how lakshmana's depicted here, as well as his relationships w/ kaikeyi and his most renowned brother. they all shed a new light and perspective on the epic, and is def a mark of a great retelling.
the last 20% hit me particularly hard, w/ kaikeyi having to choose to literally tear her family apart to avoid a greater disaster, which ultimately proves to be useless. her sense of utter helplessness in the face of the gods' hands and having to bear her family's hatred and wrath - theyre all told very movingly and i rly empathize w/ her plight and the recurring themes of how she tries to forge her own path anyway despite destiny, the gods' indifference, and the repressive patriarchal status quo.
although i do think the book's a lil too long - certain parts in the first 60% have middling pace and are overly detailed - and there are some major plot holes (ex: how could dasharath's promise to kaikeyi not be publicly known w/ how monumental a vow it is?), in addition to the author suddenly introducing then dropping certain plot points (kekaya's former chief lady in waiting, for instance), this is an enjoyable read and esp a must-read for those fond of good retellings.
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Violence, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and War
therainbowshelf'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: Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Classism, War, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Infertility
micaelamariem's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Vaishnavi Patel is a Chicago-based law student who enjoys writing about the intersectionality of feminism and Indian mythology. Her novel debut, Kaikeyi, explores the villain of the Ramayana myth. In the original myth, Kaikeyi is known as a jealous queen who exiles Rama so that her son may sit the throne. However, Kaikeyi is an epic that explores her coming-of-age, her faith, her purpose, and her reasons behind the exile.
I found this book to be very interesting. I know little of Hindu mythology and had never heard of the Ramayana before. Naturally, as I read, I did some googling to see what had happened in the original. What I did find were other reviews of this book saying how far from the original it swerved and how in some aspects, the portrayal of Rama can be damaging to the portrayal of the Hindu faith. So, with this in mind, I'm going to review this more like an original story instead of a retelling.
I loved the feminist themes in this book and how it showed that progression is slow. Kaikeyi at one point felt like she had made no changes for women, but throughout her life she aided smaller, subtle ones that helped shape a better society. And as a feminist and a woman, I love books with these themes.
I also thought the portrayal of Kaikeyi's asexuality was done well--only shown in a few subtle sentences and not something that defined her as much as her love for other people.
I loved seeing the work of the Binding Plane and found it very interesting, especially in my Google searches to find that such a concept does exist in the Hindu religion.
I did find some parts slow-going, though perhaps this is because it is an epic and spanned over a lifetime. I also didn't like how Ravana was introduced a few times, and then never really seen again until he went full-asura. I wish there was more of him or he was there not at all. I'm not sure it added much to the narrative anyway.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, with the caveat that I know this is fiction and does not define Hindu beliefs, as I know that was an issue brought up by many. As an original work, though, I would rate it four stars, and I'd love to explore Indian mythology further.
Graphic: Sexism, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, War, Physical abuse, and Violence
torturedreadersdept's review
- 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: Abandonment, Body horror, Colonisation, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, and War
Minor: Child death and Pregnancy
just_one_more_paige's review
- 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
savvyrosereads's review
- 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
mani'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
4.0
Moderate: Abandonment, War, Violence, Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
caseythereader's review
- 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
4.5
- It's not only a beautifully told page-turner, but an indictment of the patriarchy and the story of a woman lifting up marginalized people and holding her head high when punished for it.
- Plus, Kaikeyi is explicitly asexual and aromantic, and it was a joy to watch her grow close to her husband while never feeling a need to try to change herself.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Blood, Murder, Violence, War, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infertility and Sexual content
grichmond's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Misogyny, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Abandonment and Religious bigotry
Minor: Domestic abuse and Injury/Injury detail
ekmook's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny