A review by readwithria
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

Kaikeyi takes the Hindu epic Ramayana and gives us its prologue through the eyes of our titular character. This book is wonderful, and full of characters whose bonds can literally be seen waxing and waning.

I loved so much about this book! The pacing is excellent, especially given how many years this book spans. There are so many wonderful relationships in this book, and seeing how they change over the decades was so interesting. Kaikeyi is such an ambitious woman, and her strength was apparent throughout her journey. I loved the magic, and how it was and wasn’t used. It really was a fantastic book.

Why wasn’t it a five star read? I don’t know. It just didn’t give me the ~vibes~ I guess, but that’s nothing to do with the book and everything to do with me. I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys retellings, fantasy, or historical fiction.

This was a marvelous story of power and connection and fate. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5 stars.
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