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adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the book overall! It was riveting and emotional, and has some good twists and turns. I really like Kaikeyi as a character! She was strong, intelligent, and ambitious, but also has her flaws. I liked all the other characters too, though I wanted to slap a lot of them at the end xD My only criticism is the feminist messaging was pretty heavy-handed, and I'm a feminist lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, War
Minor: Infertility
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first introduction to Ramayana, so I can't base my opinion on it.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Kaikeyi, and I enjoyed watching her grow. It was really interesting watching her choices and seeing how they would lead up to Rama's banishment. I enjoyed the feminist storyline as well. I loved Kaikeyi's magic. It was unique, and I thought it fit into the story perfectly.
I did have some issues with the pacing. I thought it lagged a bit in the middle and was too rushed at the end. I also wish that we could have seen more of what happened after Rama was banished.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Kaikeyi, and I enjoyed watching her grow. It was really interesting watching her choices and seeing how they would lead up to Rama's banishment. I enjoyed the feminist storyline as well. I loved Kaikeyi's magic. It was unique, and I thought it fit into the story perfectly.
I did have some issues with the pacing. I thought it lagged a bit in the middle and was too rushed at the end. I also wish that we could have seen more of what happened after Rama was banished.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Infertility, Death of parent, War
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, War
Moderate: Infertility, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Domestic abuse
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Blood, Grief, Abandonment
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, War
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Classism
adventurous
emotional
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enjoyable read and an accessible introduction to Hindu mythology/the Ramayana epic - the worldbuilding is in some sense the same mental adjustment/ treated as in any fantasy novel, you don't need to know any background beforehand, though it does add extra depth/foreshadowing to know the basic plot points of the Ramayana.
Initially i was worried about reading one of these 'feminist retellings' - there have been many that arent particularly any good, written more because its a bit of a trend.But i had none of those frustrations with this, it was very readable, and felt it had something substantially extra, but also honoring the orginial myth, to offer.
The mechanics of Kaikeyi's magic in the Binding Plane is well done, it adds an additional 'visual' element to her bonds and manipulations. My favourite bits were where she's using those skills politically, juggling lots of people's needs to gain power and help people. She was also flawed enough in a realistic way that it wasnt annoyingly mary sue or being frustratingly dense just to avoid plotholes.
Always nice to see an aroace MC, and also the strong friendships she had with the other wives as well as her husband. I also liked the way the fantasy elements were introduced slowly - at the beginning you can even get the impression that maybe the 'gods' are just religious mortals over-interpreting random occurences or gaslighting people.
Initially i was worried about reading one of these 'feminist retellings' - there have been many that arent particularly any good, written more because its a bit of a trend.But i had none of those frustrations with this, it was very readable, and felt it had something substantially extra, but also honoring the orginial myth, to offer.
The mechanics of Kaikeyi's magic in the Binding Plane is well done, it adds an additional 'visual' element to her bonds and manipulations. My favourite bits were where she's using those skills politically, juggling lots of people's needs to gain power and help people. She was also flawed enough in a realistic way that it wasnt annoyingly mary sue or being frustratingly dense just to avoid plotholes.
Always nice to see an aroace MC, and also the strong friendships she had with the other wives as well as her husband. I also liked the way the fantasy elements were introduced slowly - at the beginning you can even get the impression that maybe the 'gods' are just religious mortals over-interpreting random occurences or gaslighting people.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, War
Minor: Infertility, Rape, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, War
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage
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
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: Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infertility, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infertility, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy