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rnbhargava's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
I loved so much about this Ramayana expansion and partial retelling. The highs and lows are dramatic and I love this book for it. I also love that the title character’s mind is where we exclusively reside in for this retelling given she’s usually depicted as a wicked stepmother type in many Ramayana variations. Seeing her extended family, early days of her marriage, her bonds with her fellow wives and the community of her adopted home Ayodhya. Seeing her build bonds and falter in others. Seeing her reconnect with others across time. I liked the recontextualizinv of Ravana too. The depiction of Rama is done for a specific reason and I kind of loved that surprising shift. I’m sure it ruffled some but I think fine, it’s merely one retelling so if you dislike it, disregard it. The family bonds really define the narrative here and it’s so good to read through. The characterizations of Kaikeyi’s fellow wives could have been expanded but then I guess it would take away from being solely Kaikeyi’s point of view.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Racism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexism, Violence, and War
The question of free will/manipulation is central to the abilities used by the title character and an few other individuals. The title character is asexual so depending on how you see it, the few sex scenes in the plot could be understood in a few ways. There is definite misogyny throughout the book, even from males that are mostly supportive of progressing rights for women. There’s a specific point in showing it that way. Going against the patriarchy and redefining society happens in time.scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
As a South Asian reader with Hindu family members, I'm not a stranger to the story of Rama and Sita and how their return to Ayodhya is marked by the celebration of Diwali. So, I jumped at the chance to read the retelling of the story from the POV of the allegedly wicked stepmother. I absolutely loved how the author told her story. I do agree that the pacing at some points felt like it dragged and many parts made me wonder why it was even written in but I suppose in the long run, it added more depth to Kaikeyi's motives for every decision she took. I already knew the ending, of course, but the story gave one hope that it would change and things would work out. I do believe there were also strong aromantic and asexual vibes with the MC which was a delight to read as a South Asian ace myself!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Misogyny, War, Death, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility
tinysierra's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kaikeyi is a beautiful story. It took me a moment to really get into the book, but once I did, I felt Kaikeyi’s frustration, joy, heartache. Vaishnavi Patel did a beautiful job crafting the story through Kaikeyi’s eyes. She was such a great main character.
Kaikeyi is aroace, which was incredibly well done. The words “aromantic” and “asexual” are not used on page, but the text is clear.
Aromantic quote:
“They thought me shy when it came to such matters, for I would sit back quietly, but in fact I had nothing to add. No such feelings for Dasharath, or any person, had ever surfaced in me. I was comfortable with my husband, loved him as a dear friend, but the pull of romance meant nothing to me. I could be happy for those in love, but I could not understand.” pg 198
Asexual quote:
”For when I thought about the acts Manthara described, or when I studied the illustrations in some of the more well-hidden recesses of the library, I felt only indifference. I had heard serving girls talk in whispers and giggles about men they found charming, or how it felt to steal a covert kiss with their betrothed. I thought of Dasharath and searched for the same desire within myself, but nothing ever emerged.” pg 98
I loved the sense of sisterhood between the wives. I loved that the children were cared for equally by all of them. It was so achingly beautiful.
I personally liked that although there was pregnancy, it wasn’t talked about deeply.
Kaikeyi is aroace, which was incredibly well done. The words “aromantic” and “asexual” are not used on page, but the text is clear.
Aromantic quote:
Asexual quote:
I loved the sense of sisterhood between the wives. I loved that the children were cared for equally by all of them. It was so achingly beautiful.
I personally liked that although there was pregnancy, it wasn’t talked about deeply.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Murder, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
amaranth_wytch's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Sexism, War, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Pregnancy and Child abuse
fareehareads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It's funny how many times I picked up this book and put it down now that I've actually finished it, because wow. I've stumbled upon my favorite read of this year thus far. This book is absolutely gorgeous. I love a good mythology retelling especially when told from the female perspective since most myths (from any culture in the world really, take your pick) often use women as ploys, foils, distractions, and of course villains in the man's epic tale.
Kaikeyi of Kekaya is not that simple. This retelling is from the Indian epic: Ramayana which has been told and retold may times over, similar to the Greek retellings we see saturating the publishing world today (I'd especially say to Medusa & Circe fans that you'll love Kaikeyi). This myth gives credit to and fully shapes this strong character who, in most depictions, is described as an evil stepmother figure that callously banishes Rama and causes pain across the land. In Kaikeyi's tale, we see a rounded human being that was often disrespected, belittled for her sex, and forsaken by the gods she fervently prayed to her whole life. We follow her life as she makes one calculated decision after the other to do best by her children, her kingdom, her people, specifically the women of her kingdom. She expands women's rights in a way that is almost seamless and such an incredibly cathartic inclusion for me as a reader, I'd love to see more fantasy novels that acknowledge small changes in kindgoms as well as large ones, it makes for a more well rounded setting (and is just so much more entertaining to read).
The worldbuilding in this story is just incredible and I have to gush about it. As Kaikeyi is growing up in her home land, Patel does such an incredible job solving a problem I see in so many fantasy epic stories make. They often brush past or rush through the growing up part, choosing instead to have a time skip and not really show what a lone kid in a large castle was up to. Instead, Patel embraces the still quiet moments, and shows us just how much Kaikeyi is up to. We watch her learn how to control her abilities, how to bend people to her will and how to practice restraint, we see what her day to day life is like when she starts training with Yudhajit and after her mother leaves we see as she slowly takes up house duties as a yuvrani (young queen), how her brothers defer to her, how her father barely acknowledges her until she needs to marry etc.
Reading this book was like flipping through a very detailed character study, and that's not a criticism, it's what made me enjoy the story even more. By the time she reaches adulthood and motherhood, I know Kaikeyi well. I understand her character motivations and it makes me root for her even more. Which is of course the point of framing a narrative around a character whose perspective is never often spoken about but damn it needs to be reiterated that this book is as clever as it is entertaining.
The finite details, the threads weaved between people binding them to her and to each other, the politics of men and women, the beasts and legends and myths, it was an absolute delight to read. I loved every second of this book. The prose is excellent, the story is engaging throughout, and without knowing the original epic I could see the bones of the story that is obviously in front of me, but Kaikeyi's version breaths such different air into it in such an artful manner, I was absolutely taken by it.
Definitely bump this higher on your TBR, I don't know why more people don't sing praises for this book, it deserves it!
Kaikeyi of Kekaya is not that simple. This retelling is from the Indian epic: Ramayana which has been told and retold may times over, similar to the Greek retellings we see saturating the publishing world today (I'd especially say to Medusa & Circe fans that you'll love Kaikeyi). This myth gives credit to and fully shapes this strong character who, in most depictions, is described as an evil stepmother figure that callously banishes Rama and causes pain across the land. In Kaikeyi's tale, we see a rounded human being that was often disrespected, belittled for her sex, and forsaken by the gods she fervently prayed to her whole life. We follow her life as she makes one calculated decision after the other to do best by her children, her kingdom, her people, specifically the women of her kingdom. She expands women's rights in a way that is almost seamless and such an incredibly cathartic inclusion for me as a reader, I'd love to see more fantasy novels that acknowledge small changes in kindgoms as well as large ones, it makes for a more well rounded setting (and is just so much more entertaining to read).
The worldbuilding in this story is just incredible and I have to gush about it. As Kaikeyi is growing up in her home land, Patel does such an incredible job solving a problem I see in so many fantasy epic stories make. They often brush past or rush through the growing up part, choosing instead to have a time skip and not really show what a lone kid in a large castle was up to.
Reading this book was like flipping through a very detailed character study, and that's not a criticism, it's what made me enjoy the story even more. By the time she reaches adulthood and motherhood, I know Kaikeyi well. I understand her character motivations and it makes me root for her even more. Which is of course the point of framing a narrative around a character whose perspective is never often spoken about but damn it needs to be reiterated that this book is as clever as it is entertaining.
The finite details, the threads weaved between people binding them to her and to each other, the politics of men and women, the beasts and legends and myths, it was an absolute delight to read. I loved every second of this book. The prose is excellent, the story is engaging throughout, and without knowing the original epic I could see the bones of the story that is obviously in front of me, but Kaikeyi's version breaths such different air into it in such an artful manner, I was absolutely taken by it.
Definitely bump this higher on your TBR, I don't know why more people don't sing praises for this book, it deserves it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Misogyny, Classism, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Grief
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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
This epic structure is very reminiscent of the Indian epics it’s based from. It’s super long and slow paced, but excellent and intriguing the whole time. I liked Kaikeyi as a character and loved seeing how she learned about her power to see and manipulate her bonds with others. That cataclysmic ending was rough but so well handled and very well foretold. Loved having some ace rep too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Classism, War, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Infertility
micaelamariem's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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
A while ago I received Kaiyeki by Vaishnavi Patel in a book box, and I finally got around to reading it!
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
leahrosiee's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
I love a good retelling, so I'm here for the overall boom in feminist classic mythology retellings. The Witch's Heart and The Silence of the Girls are both great, and of course Circe is an all-time favorite of mine. So I was super excited to delve into this feminist retelling of a non-Western epic, the Ramayana.
The titular protagonist, Kaikeyi, is, in essence, Rama's (step)mother. In the original epic, the story focuses on Rama's exile to the forest at Kaikeyi's urging, and his battle with Ravana after he kidnaps Rama's wife, Sita, and his eventual crowning as king. Patel takes this original story as the scaffold, but turns the focus to Kaikeyi, building her characterization and the unfolding of events that explain why she urged Rama's exile. We follow Kaikeyi through her youth, as she realizes that, as a woman, she has nowhere near the power and position of the men in her world, and that despite all her prayers to the gods (as urged by society and tradition), they seem to have forsaken her. And yet, Kaikeyi makes a life with what she can, forging forward with a bit of magic, a bit of manipulation, a bit of secret training with her twin brother, and a whole lot of effort to create a better world for herself and the women of her nation. When the will/plan of the gods for the human world clashes with her own, threatening her family, her status, her relationships, her life's work, she must make an impossible choice between averting war (saving her homeland and her new land) or preserving the public legacy of her years of diplomacy and advocacy (and her familial ties).
Well, I loved this retelling. Kaikeyi became such a fleshed out and fully developed character in Patel's hands. I loved reading about her youth, both the difficult parts of finding her own ways without a mother or the gods to guide and help her, and the sweet and fun parts, like her relationships with her brothers, especially her twin. This is one of the only books I have read that goes into the art of charioteering (the Nevernight trilogy is the only other one I can think of), and I was fascinated reading about it. Plus, I am a sucker for a lady in battle, historically (I was weirdly obsessed with Joan of Arc as a kid, and loved Tamora Pierce's Alanna series), so the entire "Kaikeyi winning over Dasharath and Ayodhya through her horse/weapons prowess" really hit the spot for me. As Kaikeyi got older, I really enjoyed reading about her mind-opening about how she could help the women of her nation. There was some great insight into how being raised in one way (within a powerful family/court life) can limit one in the ways a person thinks about potential for change or how to make it happen, but with a little looking outside oneself, there are many creative and roundabout ways to affect change. As for her role as a mother, it was well-written, but not as much the highlight for me personally. I was much more into the ways she found to influence and act as a diplomat and use her small magic to create connections. And finally, I was so here for the ace spectrum coding on Kaikeyi’s character; it was smooth and natural and just....felt so right.
The writing itself was perfect for the genre, that sort of the folklore-y narrative voice that feels like classic fairy-tale story-telling. It's narrated by Kaikeyi herself, sort of looking back on everything after it all played out, so there is some fairly heavy-handed foreshadowing, with (short) reflections on what decisions could have been different or moments might have been altered to change the way things happened (just as a heads up, in case you, like myself, are not the biggest fan of that stylistic device). There were a couple other common plot devices that were recognizable, but well used, like the dangers of open-ended promises/boons as repayment/gift/in recognition. Also, and you can see it coming from a mile away but can't look away from it, the inevitable finale due to Kaikeyi keeping secrets (because she is a woman and grew up with little power/support/trust) leading to making decisions for the best possible outcome...but the lack of confiding in others about her knowledge plays a major part in her downfall of status/trust with those closest to her (because they didn’t understand her reasoning for having to make the decisions in the first place and felt taken advantage of and strong armed). That was a long description, but I was trying to convey the vibe while staying vague. The point is, it's a pattern I've definitely read before, but the confluence of situations/events built to Kaikeyi's tragedy in a wonderful way. Finally, I want to mention that the magic/gods aspects were in great balance to the rest of the novel (plot and character development - which were well-balanced and paced in their own right - and feminist themes); present, but never overpowering.
This was a cinematic, adventurous and spectacular retelling. The female gaze and centering was spot on and, as it always is, so refreshing. I always go into these retellings hoping for a happier story, even though I know that the women in these classics are tragic characters, the ones that suffered. So though these retellings are their perspectives, they are not happier for it, just given their own voice to tell it. Regardless, the forceful (though subtle within the plot itself, as necessary) feminism of historical, "powerful" women, was reminscient of Signe Pike's Langoureth (The Lost Queen and The Forgotten Kingdom) in all the best ways (I personally love that vibe/style). All in all, I just really enjoyed this reading experience and definitely recommend this book.
“I could not stop thinking about Ahalya, doomed to remain a stone statue in a forest, slowly eroding while her husband continued to wander the world. If a woman crafted by the gods themselves could be consigned to this fate, what hope was there for a woman born of a woman?”
“I had long thought of Ahalya as the foremost example of how a man might devastate a woman, but as I saw more of the world, I was realizing there were many ways to ruin a person's life. Most women were not cursed by their husbands, but they suffered all the same.”
“In helping another woman, I had in fact helped myself.” (love love love)
“I did not wish to bring a daughter into this world of men, into a world that would silence her thoughts before she could even speak them. I wondered how many women had felt this same fear, deep in their bones. [...] I had to build a world where [...] her opinion could be valued…”
“If the gods had already ordained my evil deeds, then I had nothing to lose by defying them now. So, I would defy them.”
“It is not weak to avoid war [...] It is the strongest thing you could do, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”
“'Then why do I feel wicked?' / 'Because those who are good question themselves. Because those who are good always wonder if there was a better way, a way that could have helped more and hurt less. That feeling is why you are good.'”
“Before this story was Rama’s, it was mine.”
Content Warnings
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
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Rating: 5/5 stars
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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