Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Kaikeyi

Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

9 reviews

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.

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lucystolethesky's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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? Yes

5.0

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julierambaeck's review

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I LOVE WOMEN!

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writingcaia's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Kaikeyi is a badly portrayed woman that tried her best to save and keep her family amidst an incredibly difficult life journey that takes her from her father’s home and country - where Kaikeyi found the unfairness of being a woman, where she was abandoned by her mother, but also where she found her power and forced her twin to teach all the arts of war - to her husband’s, the young ruler of the biggest kingdom, home and land, to be his third wife.
Scared but brave, Kaikeyi with her magic power and her cunning will soon be loved by all and have the power to change women’s lives in her new kingdom, which will have repercussion throughout. But not all will be happy about this.
And, the Gods were always against her, never replying to her prayers and sometimes even going so far as to do the opposite of what she prayed for.
Prophecies will unfold no matter Kaikeyi’s wishes and good intentions. Evil is lurking and the Gods are playing.
I loved loved loved this story.
I never knew of the Indian epic Ramayana, but it’s definitely intriguing to me now, although after this amazing tale of a minor character in it, the hated stepmother, I don’t think I can love it as much.
Absolutely brilliant take, the way the four parts of the book start, with what I assume are the “actual” tales written of Kaikeyi, and how as you read you understand how it played out, how the best of intentions and of her love get twisted by “history” is amazing.
Also, love that she’s portrayed by the author as asexual, as greysexual myself I love to see this representation.
There’s so much more I could say, the awesome writing, the incredible side characters, the scope of the story and the empowerment of women, and spoilers, but I’ll let you go ahead and read it.
Go now.

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