A review by bookishplantmom
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

dark reflective tense fast-paced
  • 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

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style and found the plot engaging. I don’t know the original story this is based on and so can’t speak the the quality of the retelling. What I can say is that I found this a interesting way to bring up women's rights within traditional and religious practices. It seemed like the author was reflecting on the ways that “tradition” is sometimes used as a foil behind which to hide and justify misogynistic behaviour. I see this book as a question too asking the reader to think about where in various cultures is it time to move forward and how can traditions be held on to while also respecting the full humanity of all of its members.  
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