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lucystolethesky's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Sexism, Death, Child abuse, War, Misogyny, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Child death
Minor: Blood, Infertility, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Grief, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Death, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infertility, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Acephobia/Arophobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Medical content
Minor: Xenophobia, Animal death, and Child abuse
torturedreadersdept's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
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
bluejayreads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.0
I have to start out by saying that I have not read the Ramayana, although it is on my list of things to read eventually. So I had zero context going into this. But I do know I love reading books in interesting settings (ancient India certainly fits that bill) and usually enjoy vilified characters getting to tell their side of the story, especially when said character is a warrior queen fighting against society and the gods themselves to make her mark. I didn’t know if I was going to get an anti-hero or a heroine whose story got told only by her enemies, but I was excited to find out.
Kaikeyi herself was a fantastic character. As a woman, her purpose in life was to be married off; as a princess, she learned a lot about politics and diplomacy; as a stubborn sister, she convinced her brother to teach her to fight and drive a war chariot. She is also on-page aro-ace, making the eventual marriage an even worse prospect. And she also has a magic that lets her influence others’ thoughts and feelings, which adds an extra dimension to the politics. She wants equality for herself and other women, and she will use all the tools available to fight for it.
There is a lot of politics and diplomacy in this book. Normally that’s something I don’t enjoy, but Kaikeyi’s magic and its uses in getting her way made it tolerable and sometimes even enjoyable. I also love reading about characters who are good at what they do, and Kaikeyi is very, very good at what she does. I’m sure some of it is the magic, but she’s also had a lot of practice and is determined to make life better and more equal for women. Somehow even the fully political parts never crossed the line into dull.
I very nearly did not finish this book, and that is not at all the book’s fault. I’ve been under a lot of stress related to an unnecessarily complicated and frustrating move, and apparently my emotions are a little raw. As the book moved towards the end and things kept getting worse and worse as the climax approached, I nearly stopped – not because I didn’t want to see how it ended, but because I couldn’t handle the emotional intensity. I assumed it would have a sad, tragic, likely violent ending (again, have not read the Ramayana, but “vilified queens” rarely have happy endings in any mythology) and I liked Kaikeyi too much to want to watch that happen.
But I pushed through and I survived (and the ending wasn’t nearly as tragic as I expected). And I am very glad I stuck it out. Even without the context of knowing the Ramayana, Kaikeyi is a great book. I suspect that it would be even more interesting and engaging to someone who knows the original myths of the queen who is reimagined in these pages.
Content Warnings
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)albon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent
jessgreads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Title: Kaikeyi
Author: Vaishnavi Patel
Genre: Fantasy
Setting: Bharat
Month Read: April 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication:2022
Publisher: Redhook
Pages: 475
*Book of the Month Selection
TRIGGER WARNING-
Violence / Death / Rape? / Arranged Marriage
"Regardless of birth position, Yudhajit, being a boy, was the heir to the Kekaya kingdom. I was but a dowry of fifty fine horses waiting to happen."
No Spoiler Summary:
In the vein of Madeline Miller’s Circe comes a bold and sweeping debut that reimagines the life of Kaikeyi, the vilified queen of the Indian epic the Ramayana.
“I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions—much good it did me.”
So begins Kaikeyi’s story, that of a young woman determined to create her own destiny in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come. But as she transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most-favored queen, Kaikeyi’s will clashes with the path that has been chosen for her family. And she must decide if her resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak.
-Goodreads Summary
Review:
It has been no secret if you know me by how excited I was that this book was coming out, and that Book of the Month was offering it in April. I am so thrilled to say that my specific hype for this novel did not let me know, and I devoured this novel in a few days (despite being my third 400+ page book of April.) I don't know much about the Ramayana, but I was absolutely engrossed in Kaikeyi's story, and the mythos and lore within the pages.
I'm a sucker for a good feminist perspective, especially in books like this where women are typically uh--- demonized? Second class characters? I love that Kaikeyi did what she had to do, no matter the cost, but never ever gave up on her power, and what she felt she deserved. She frequently is villainized for standing up for herself, and for others, and at the end of the day has to pay the consequences for this.
I loved the tales of Sisterhood woven throughout Kaikeyi. Whether it is with her brothers in her homeland, or with her sister-wives in Ayodhya, Kaikeyi loves those around her hard, and selflessly once she warms up to someone. I thought she was an incredibly gracious person, and her fight for women never ceased.
Kaikeyi is a dense book, and at times slows down, but reading it is so worth it (especially for fans of Circe!) The reading of this felt a lot like Circe (but more fun, in my opinion) and if you like Madeline Miller or Jennifer Saint you'll definitely like this. It was also a nice break from the Greeks.
10/10 recommend- you won't regret it.
"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."
See more reviews at: https://jessgreads.wixsite.com
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Pregnancy, Classism, Infidelity, Misogyny, Infertility, Grief, and Animal death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Bullying
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