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Kaikeyi

Vaishnavi Patel (Goodreads Author)

4.32 · Rating details · 3,925 ratings · 1,000 reviews

“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. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on tales about the might and benevolence of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat pr ...more

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Hardcover, 496 pages

Published April 26th 2022 by Redhook

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Jan 16, 2022 R.F. Kuang rated it it was amazing

One of my favorite books of 2022 so far!

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Mar 10, 2022 Vaishnavi Patel marked it as to-read · (Review from the author)

I was encouraged by some readers to share a bit of information about Kaikeyi here that readers may be curious about. I believe Goodreads should stay a platform for readers, so I'll be continuing my policy of avoiding this page after posting this.

Kaikeyi began many years ago, as I listened to my Aai and Ajji disagree about the character of Kaikeyi in the Ramayana. I’m so grateful I can share this brave, determined, and ultimately flawed character with you. I know that some people will read this I was encouraged by some readers to share a bit of information about Kaikeyi here that readers may be curious about. I believe Goodreads should stay a platform for readers, so I'll be continuing my policy of avoiding this page after posting this.

Kaikeyi began many years ago, as I listened to my Aai and Ajji disagree about the character of Kaikeyi in the Ramayana. I’m so grateful I can share this brave, determined, and ultimately flawed character with you. I know that some people will read this book and be curious about my relationship to Hinduism or yes, even be angry about my portrayal of Hindu figures. I am a Hindu. It’s the religion that I love. I do not believe it to be above criticism, and I’ve written more about that here if you're interested. My Hinduism is one that can be critiqued, put through the wringer and come out stronger for it. I wrote this book for the Hindus who question their place in this religion because of patriarchy or fundamentalism, and for myself, because I love my religion and want to see it become better.

If you’re curious about my research, I have written more about some of my foundational sources in Kaikeyi's Author’s Note, as well as a bit about some of the changes I made from the plot of the original Ramayana. There are truly too many changes to name, as this is not the Ramayana you might have read or heard growing up. These changes are often, but not always, in service of the plot--it was important to me to establish that Kaikeyi is a "what-if" style alternative rather than a faithful retelling of Valmiki's Ramayana from someone else's perspective. If you want to have a conversation about Kaikeyi I am more accessible on Twitter than here.

What I love most about Hinduism is its ability to contain multitudes of stories, opinions, and contradictions. I love Kaikeyi and its world. But I also love the Ramayana and its original heroes. Part of me will always be the kid who loved the Diwali story of Rama’s homecoming (who am I kidding, it still brings me to tears!). It’s an absolute honor to add my voice to the long list of the Ramayana’s many reimaginings. Thank you for reading. ...more

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May 21, 2022 jessica rated it it was amazing

i knew nothing about the ramayana before reading this.

but now i want to know everything.

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Jan 16, 2022 Jananie (thisstoryaintover) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own

PLEASE GO PREORDER THIS BOOK NOW ✨

KAIKEYI has truly become my favourite book of all-time ✨ Not only does Vaishnavi Patel do wonders with the source mythology—bringing vilified and heroic characters alike into new lights—but she weaves the most fascinating and empowering story of a woman looking out for other women, of motherhood, of the danger of unchecked misogyny and patriarchy. I felt so deeply for Kaikeyi and the empathy and resilience she possessed. She goes down as one of the most well wri ...more

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Nov 23, 2021 Nomadic Reader (Baba Yaga) rated it liked it

Shelves: sf-and-fantasy, 2022

I’ve seen many readers compare this book to Madeline Miller’s Circe, and while I don’t think they’re in the wrong, I personally found it to be a lot more similar to Christa Wolf’s retelling of Medea. Both books feature a much-maligned mythical queen who leaves her home to marry a foreign ruler, works to make her new country more progressive and feminist, and is ultimately brought down by the Evil Patriarchy. Most importantly, both novels are determined to make their infamous protagonists out to I’ve seen many readers compare this book to Madeline Miller’s Circe, and while I don’t think they’re in the wrong, I personally found it to be a lot more similar to Christa Wolf’s retelling of Medea. Both books feature a much-maligned mythical queen who leaves her home to marry a foreign ruler, works to make her new country more progressive and feminist, and is ultimately brought down by the Evil Patriarchy. Most importantly, both novels are determined to make their infamous protagonists out to be unflinchingly, unambiguously Good™.

In giving the original myth a feminist spin, Wolf and Patel decide to turn their heroines into innocent victims of patriarchal violence who desire nothing but the common good, are tirelessly loyal to their country, and would literally rather die than harm another human soul. One could argue this approach succeeds in making them sympathetic to the reader; I, however, am inclined to think it makes them less complex and ultimately, less interesting.

Simply put, I do not need a woman to be perfect in order to root for her. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’m totally okay with my fictional heroines being flawed, selfish, even cruel, if this makes them more compelling and realistic. Personally, I don’t go into novels looking for moral lessons, or examples of righteousness; I read them because I want to be entertained, moved, and inspired by stories of fictional people. I want to be able to relate to the characters’ humanity, and as a woman, it’s really hard for me to relate to women who are practically perfect in every single way.

Maybe Kaikeyi’s Goodness™ wouldn’t have bothered me so much if the other female characters had been written with more nuance. Instead, every single woman was portrayed as unfailingly good, kind, generous, forgiving, strong-but-not-violent… you get the gist. I understand that Patel was trying to make a point about female oppression; still, I’d argue that making all women out to be flawless angels is just as sexist as demonizing them. Women don’t deserve equality because we are better than men, we deserve it because we are people. We deserve to be recognized as complex, flawed humans who have no obligation to save the world from the patriarchy.

After all, this is the reason generations of female readers have latched onto controversial figures like Medea, or Kaikeyi: they are powerful anti-heroines who are allowed to be just as messy and morally gray as their male counterparts. What some modern authors don’t seem to understand is that people love them because of their flaws, not in spite of them. They are relatable because, when trapped and marginalized by a sexist society, they asserted their power with the only (toxic, unfair) tools they had access to.

Or maybe I’m just too much of a bad woman to appreciate a book about a queen who has never done anything wrong. ...more

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Jan 11, 2022 Sujoya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-arc, favorites

In the Indian epic, The Ramayana, Queen Kaikeyi is portrayed as a jealous queen who wants her son Bharata to ascend the throne of Kosala and uses the boons granted to her by her husband King Dasharath to send Rama , the eldest of Dasharath’s sons and first in line to the throne, into exile . She is , therefore, labeled a “villain” as is her trusted maid, Manthara who is instrumental in fueling Kaikeya’s jealousy and convincing Kaikeye to make use of her boons to further her agenda.

In reimagining

In the Indian epic, The Ramayana, Queen Kaikeyi is portrayed as a jealous queen who wants her son Bharata to ascend the throne of Kosala and uses the boons granted to her by her husband King Dasharath to send Rama , the eldest of Dasharath’s sons and first in line to the throne, into exile . She is , therefore, labeled a “villain” as is her trusted maid, Manthara who is instrumental in fueling Kaikeya’s jealousy and convincing Kaikeye to make use of her boons to further her agenda.

In reimagining Kaikeyi’s story, Vaishnavi Patel adds much depth to this powerful, brave and influential woman who, forsaken by the gods and left to carve her own destiny emerges powerful in a day and age when men rule in accordance with the will of the gods and women are bound in roles defined by age-old traditions and relegated, in most part, to the background. Told in a first person narrative format we follow Kaikeye’s journey from her early years as the only daughter of King Ashwapati and sister to seven brothers in the kingdom of Kekaya to becoming King Dasharath’s third and youngest wife, loving mother to Bharata, her biological son,and Rama, Lakshmana and Shatrugna, Dasharath’s children by his other queens through to the role she plays in Rama’s exile. Kaikeyi, whose mother was banished by her father who for the most part ignored his daughter , finds a way to train as a warrior with the help of her twin brother Yudhajit and masters in the art of meditation after discovering magical powers in the scrolls of ancient texts. She is observant and intelligent and proves a worth ally and advisor to her husband King Dasharath even in the battlefield where she joins him as his charioteer. Kaikeyi’s bravery on the battlefield, thirst for knowledge, determination to bring about change in the way women of all ranks are viewed and treated , the way she holds her own against the archaic, orthodox beliefs of the sages, her rise to the rank of a minister in the King’s court and ultimately the ‘saciva’ to her King and husband are described with a reverence that is her due. Her agony, when forced to make difficult choices that she knows will vilify her in the eyes of everyone she hold dear, is palpable. Vaishnavi Patel's Kaikeye, the queen, is much more than daughter, sister, wife, mother or villain. She is complex and flawed but she will be seen and heard and in that she is a force to be reckoned with. Her emotions are strong as is her resolve to do whatever it takes to protect her kingdom and her children. Her asexuality is a theme that is explored with great respect and sensitivity as is her bond with her husband.

Kaikeyi’s story would be incomplete without Manthara and I applaud the author for the manner in which she portrays Manthara as a mother figure, guide and confidante. Manthara plays a significant role in showing Kaikeyi firsthand how the women in the kingdom are treated by their male counterparts thereby motivating Kaikeyi to fight for the visibility of women – in the marketplace, in their homes and in the court, an achievement that causes ripples within her own circle but whose impact is felt in lands near and far.

With its vivid imagery, absorbing narrative and masterful storytelling Vaishnavi Patel’s Kaikeyi is a brilliant debut. The very first sentence of the narrative reeled me in and I was completely immersed in Kaikeyi’s story till the very end. I felt nostalgic revisiting these characters and stories. I was constantly reminded of the stories I’ve heard and read as a child. I would recommend this to anyone one who enjoys retellings/reimaginings of mythological stories revolving around strong, female characters and those with an interest in the Indian epics. This novel is brilliant on its own merit though I do feel that knowing a little bit about The Ramayana would enrich the reading experience. While The Ramayana will always be known as the story of Lord Rama, Vaishnavi Patel’s immersive and powerful debut gives Kaikeyi her own story told in her own voice. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the digital ARC of this stunningly beautiful novel in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Feb 04, 2022 ash ♥ [ i could give you the stars and the moon ] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: south-asian-rep, lgbtqia, nd-disability-mentalillness-trauma, arc, rtc, comfort-crowd, fake-dating-or-arranged-marriage, five-star, fantasy, morally-grey-mc

When I was younger, my parents told me the story of the epic Ramayana; later, I watched the 100+ episode series based upon it with my grandparents, making this one of the epic stories in my childhood.

edit: KAIKEYI IS OFFICIALLY OUT (well, was out on the 26th - this is a bit late) !!

As someone who wasn't only read Cinderella, The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast as childhood stories, it made me so excited when I saw a Ramayana retelling - or should I say, Kaikeyi's story. In my youth I alw ...more

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Apr 18, 2022 Jasmine rated it it was amazing

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel is a retelling of the life of the eponymous queen from the Ramayana, an Indian epic poem.

In the kingdom of Kekaya, Kaikeyi is the only daughter among seven brothers. Out of all her brothers, she is the closest to Yudhajit, her twin. Although not particularly close to either of her parents, it still comes as a shock when Kaikeyi’s father announces that her mother has left the kingdom with no explanation.

Seeking comfort in the library's scrolls, Kaikeyi learns she carr ...more

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Mar 05, 2022 Srivalli Rekha rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2022, indian-authors-2-3-gen-indian, 2022-netgalley-challenge, arcs, retelling-fan-fiction, historical-fiction, netgalley

*Long Review Alert*

1.5 Stars

One Liner: A colonized retelling written for the Western and west-aligned audiences.

Let me first share how the rating reached 1.5 stars.

• The first 30% - 4 stars despite the slow narration and the feeling of reading about Medieval European kingdoms rather than an Indian setting.
• The book up to 55% - 3.5ish stars as things got repetitive and the colonial influence was beginning to become prominent. (Also, the story deviated too much from the original.)
• The book ...more

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Jun 18, 2021 Fanna marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022-releases

finally picking up this book and there's something i really wish to share after scrolling through some reviews for this book: retellings aren't meant to be exactly the same as the original work it's based on or inspired by. expecting it to fit the story or resemble characters of the original clearly means constricting the creativity that retellings can bring.

of course retellings should hold resemblance to the original work which is why i used the word 'exactly'. i just mean retellings shouldn't

...more

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Mar 07, 2022 Marquise rated it did not like it

Shelves: have-reviewed, myth-and-legend-retellings, hugely-disappointing, fantasy, historical-fantasy

Redeeming a villain is tricky, and redeeming the archetypal wicked stepmother can be harder to achieve, as anyone who has read the tale of Snow White from the perspective of the queen will know. It's a balancing act that requires being able to incorporate a fresh and original interpretation whilst at the same time keeping to and respecting the core of the original story, which is always metaphorical.

And you have to do that whilst also resisting the temptation of demeaning the opposite side. And Redeeming a villain is tricky, and redeeming the archetypal wicked stepmother can be harder to achieve, as anyone who has read the tale of Snow White from the perspective of the queen will know. It's a balancing act that requires being able to incorporate a fresh and original interpretation whilst at the same time keeping to and respecting the core of the original story, which is always metaphorical.

And you have to do that whilst also resisting the temptation of demeaning the opposite side. And Kaikeyi doesn't.

Like many retellings from the "villainous" point of view, this book has fallen into the trope of doing a reverse job and portraying the other characters that are heroic in the original legend as the less-than-perfect ones, and portraying the characters that are villainous as the good ones. In this case, Queen Kaikeyi from the Ramayan, who uses the boons given to her by her kingly husband to make her own son king and have her stepson the heir exiled. Not exactly all that rare a scenario, even in real history, in the harems of rulers where there's multiple wives. How many wives of the Sultans schemed to have the sons of the other wives disgraced or even killed just so their own sons would inherit, for example? It's not like Kaikeyi's is so especially outlandish a case of mischaracterisation that it merits making her the poor misunderstood little queen who battles the patriarchy and misogyny and toxic masculinity at every turn, in such a preachy, infodumpy fashion that it wears the reader down eventually.

I would have dearly loved it to see the story focus on Kaikeyi's character growth instead of trying too hard to prove the above point by having periodic rants inserted in, and to show us more of the world, because the beginning of the book is quite good, her relationship with her twin brother is heartwarming, as is her dynamic with her maid Marantha, and she is relatable in some ways. I applaud the author trying to make her layered and explain her character flaws fairly, but she should've stayed on that course and extended that treatment to the others, too, because eventually, he who is the hero of the Ramayan, Prince Rama, ends up being not exactly heroic but the schemer whose exile is justified, and the evil villain that is Ravana in the original epic is here a sympathetic character. So, essentially, it becomes a heroes made to be bad and villains made to be good swapping of places, which is a rather unimaginatively lazy way of "redeeming" a character, because it's no better than moving pieces across the chessboard towards the opposite side, when the ideal way is to have us learn and understand why they are like they are. With skill, Kaikeyi could've been made a likable villainess or a layered anti-heroine, which would've been more fascinating to read about, in my opinion.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jan 03, 2022 aashna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, authors-of-color, lgbtq, favorites, 2022-reads, desi, fantasy

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc!

as a feminist, queer reimagining of one of the most vilified women in hindu mythology, kaikeyi was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. this book mentally transported me to when i was a child, listening to my dad tell me the ramayan. because i had heard the epic so many times, i thought i knew what to expect, but there were still twists and turns throughout the book that kept me hooked.

the storytelling was bri ...more

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Jan 06, 2022 hiba rated it really liked it

Shelves: authors-of-color, lgbtqiap-rep, asian-rep, 2022-favorites

4.5/5

this is an absolutely wonderful debut - honestly a joy to read and made me feel so much.

- kaikeyi is a fantastic protagonist with a strong narrative voice that really absorbs you into her story. the author did a great job in getting us to understand her and sympathize for her.
- the novel takes us through several years of kaikeyi's life - we get to watch her grow up from a brash, determined kid to a fiercely resolute, tough young woman and i loved it.
- the familial relationships were excell 4.5/5

this is an absolutely wonderful debut - honestly a joy to read and made me feel so much.

- kaikeyi is a fantastic protagonist with a strong narrative voice that really absorbs you into her story. the author did a great job in getting us to understand her and sympathize for her.
- the novel takes us through several years of kaikeyi's life - we get to watch her grow up from a brash, determined kid to a fiercely resolute, tough young woman and i loved it.
- the familial relationships were excellently done - i adored kaikeyi's relationships with her sons, husband, fellow wives, and especially her twin brother yudhajit.
- loved how unique the magic was - creative, simple to understand, and we get to learn more about it alongside kaikeyi.
- impressive storytelling for a debut with a beautifully vivid writing style.
- really appreciate the feminist twist to the original myth.

i do have a few issues with the last third of this book - i wish the events towards the end could've been stretched out more and that the author could've taken us to the end of the original epic. i also got frustrated with some of the characters' decisions and reactions, which felt irrational and unnecessarily overdramatic to me (though i can't really blame the author because it was pretty much in line with the myth). plus, i wish certain characters got to face harsher consequences for their actions and that we got more of a payoff for the conflict.

despite all that, i loved reading this book - felt so many emotions, even got choked up at certain scenes.

so if you're into the idea of a feminist, queer retelling of one of the most villainized women in hindu mythology, this is it. highly recommend!

(disclaimer: i went into this book with only a wikipedia-level knowledge of the ramayana so can't comment too much on the changes made to the original myth. do check out hindu readers' reviews).

rep: aro/ace main character

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 04, 2021 Kiki marked it as to-read

ok so i’m a little reluctant to say this—don’t ask me why, it’s just a condition of opaque publishing tends to be—but i read this book during a brief stint working in the publishing industry. now listen: i can’t stress enough how absolutely FANTASTIC it is. it’s been a year? more than that? and i’m STILL thinking about it. i’ll be buying a copy when it comes out. i can’t even tell you how good it is so please if you love yourself at all BUY IT. god i’m so excited to read it again.

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Mar 15, 2022 Althea ☾ marked it as to-read

Shelves: author-bipoc, rep-asian, 2022-releases, rep-bipoc, rep-queer

keep selling books to me as “if you loved Circe” i’ll read all of them

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May 01, 2022 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2022-favorites, audiobook

After a few uninspiring reads I was yearning to be swept away. And the magnificent Kaikeyi did just that! The novel is a dazzling retelling of the Ramayana with the vilified Queen Kaikeyi reimagined as a brave feminist heroine who seeks to make the world a better place for girls and women. Spellbinding! (The audiobook narrated by Soneela Nankani is excellent.)

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Apr 24, 2022 Tanaya Deshmukh rated it did not like it

This book feels like it’s trying to clear Kaikeyi’s name. She’s infamous as the queen who brought upon a rift between a father and his sons by sending Ram into exile. The epic portrays characters of Ram, Dashrath, Lakshman, Sita in a good light and characters like Kaikeyi & Ravana in a bad light which is solely based on their actions throughout their lives.
This book seemed to be an attempt to show characters like Ram as villains by cooking up stories of how he called women a whore and whatnot. R This book feels like it’s trying to clear Kaikeyi’s name. She’s infamous as the queen who brought upon a rift between a father and his sons by sending Ram into exile. The epic portrays characters of Ram, Dashrath, Lakshman, Sita in a good light and characters like Kaikeyi & Ravana in a bad light which is solely based on their actions throughout their lives.
This book seemed to be an attempt to show characters like Ram as villains by cooking up stories of how he called women a whore and whatnot. Ram is shown as a manipulative and immature person not fit enough to rule as a king- this is the justification provided for why Kaikeyi had to exile him instead of her selfish reasons. Ravan on the other hand is shown as a smiling young Rakshas king engaging in playful banter with Kaikeyi. ( I really wish the author would’ve used a different storyline to show what was going on with Ravan parallely rather than his strange meetings with Kaikeyi. It didn’t connect to the plot line and felt forced. ) Ravan being Sita’s father, he had to protect his “daughter” from evil Ram for which he abducted her. At this point the book stopped making any sense to me.
Even though I know the author took some liberties with the epic, this is an outright mockery.
I was really interested in knowing Kaikeyi’s story and was expecting something better than a rant about how she was overlooked all the time and trying to explain her mean nature and wicked thinking. An example is where she treats all sons as equals but then goes to Dashrath to remind him of how Bharath should be made the king. If she really felt all her sons were equal she would’ve never felt the need to see her son as the king. The way the author handled this is comical, and I was wondering why was there even a need to explain Kaikeyi’s actions? She was imperfect and I would have enjoyed reading the perspective of a flawed queen. I would have loved to read about Kaikeyi the way she really was without touching the core of the epic. You can’t make bad seem good and then expect everyone to sympathise. What instead you can do, is talk about the bad and give a fresh perspective to the villain which would be fascinating as well as engaging to read.
You can’t justify the actions of bad characters no matter what you write. The plot started falling on its face for me when this started happening. It was very interesting to read about Kaikeyi’s magic and the concept of Binding plane, her life before getting married and how she was interested in areas where women didn’t dare to venture. But apart from this and the cover, there’s absolutely nothing that works for this book.
Also, if you have read or watched Ramayana and have even a little bit of love for the epic, I would advise you to not read this book as it’ll end up hurting you. I wish I had known this before or paid more attention to the blurb.
My heart breaks for the audience who’s going to read this book without really knowing what the true story is. I request you to please read Ramayana before attempting to read this twisted tale that is being sold as a retelling to appeal the western audiences. ...more

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Apr 05, 2022 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2022-releases, fantasy, 2022-poc, review-copy

3.5 Stars
This interesting stand alone fantasy inspired by historical India, drawing from Hindi traditions. The story is rich in character development and world building. The novel centers around a strong female character with a strong voice. I appreciated the themes surrounding equality and the role of women in this re-imagined society.

As someone who loves diverse, non European settings, I really thought I would love this one. Yet, while I appreciated all the individual elements, I was never ab ...more

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Mar 20, 2022 Ayushi (bookwormbullet) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: asian-authors, arcs, adult-fantasy-favorites, lgbtqia-rep, own-voice-reviews, historical-fiction-favorites, south-asian-rep

Thank you so much to Orbit Books for providing me with a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW! Vaishnavi Patel is incredible. This book is incredible. I loved every second of this. I don’t even know how to begin to describe how magnificent it was. When the upcoming release of Kaikeyi was first announced in 2021, I was so intrigued to learn that this fantasy would be a reimagining of the life of Kaikeyi, the vilified queen from the Indian epic, Ramayana. Growing up, my Thank you so much to Orbit Books for providing me with a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW! Vaishnavi Patel is incredible. This book is incredible. I loved every second of this. I don’t even know how to begin to describe how magnificent it was. When the upcoming release of Kaikeyi was first announced in 2021, I was so intrigued to learn that this fantasy would be a reimagining of the life of Kaikeyi, the vilified queen from the Indian epic, Ramayana. Growing up, my knowledge of Hinduism stemmed from learning Indian classical dance and from my mother and grandmother’s stories. Of course, the Ramayana was also one of the epics that I grew up with. From children’s books, to animated films, to live theater performances, I’ve consumed the original story in so many different formats. In Kaikeyi, Patel imagines Kaikeyi’s life in Keykaya and Ayodhya, before the Ramayana takes place. The relationships between Kaikeyi and other characters, such as Yudhajit, Lakshman, Dasharath, and more, were so heartwarming to read about. This story really is a character-based story, highlighted by Kaikeyi’s ability to observe and manipulate the magical bonds that she holds with everyone around her. I rooted for Kaikeyi and her friends and family so hard, even ones I didn’t expect to be rooting for from the original story. This is all due to Patel’s incredible ability to turn the original epic on its head and focus on the unique motivations of each character rather than reusing the black and white dynamics from Valmiki’s story.

All this to say that Kaikeyi is a masterpiece of a novel, and I highly recommend picking it up if you’re Hindu and open to an alternate retelling of Valmiki’s Ramayana. And if you aren’t Hindu, I definitely suggest reading a brief summary of the original epic to become familiar with the characters and story before picking up Kaikeyi. I know that this story is going to sit with me for the rest of my life, and I can’t wait for my mom and grandmother to read it as well.

Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations! ...more

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Feb 22, 2022 gauri rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, south-asian-voices, adult, 2022-reads, fantasy, historical, queer-rep, 2022-favourites, top-tier

i had a feeling i would love this and happy to annouce kaikeyi surpassed my expectations. i'm in love with her character. THIS is how you do a reimagining folks!!!! ...more

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May 11, 2022 Mai-Anh rated it really liked it

Reading for AAPI month

Buddy read with Ekene

What a ride. Kaikeyi's rise and eventual fall are so reminiscent of Circe.

I want to slap nearly every man in this book.

If you need me, I'll be reading up on Indian mythology. ...more

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Apr 17, 2022 lou rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC.

Kaikeyi is an astounding, beautifully narrated story. I didn't know anything about her, but after some reading, I loved the way the author transformed this into such a fascinating retelling.
Slow paced at first as we get to know about her upbringing living with 7 brothers, and her close relationship with her twin, Yuddhajit, as well as her really distant (non existent) relationship with her father and the exile of her mother. Things get tur ...more

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Apr 14, 2022 Sucharita Jayanti rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2022-books, mythological-tbr

Unfortunately, this book was primarily a disappointment. I really wanted to love it, and it had SO much going for it:

1) Kaikeyi is a beautifully complex character who is traditionally considered the woman who made sure Rama fulfilled his purpose on earth. Yet, frequently, as the tale of the Ramayana is shortened for easy consumption, her character like many is flattened - and in her case flattened into a cookie cutter selfish villain. I'm dying to see a detailed representation of her roots and m Unfortunately, this book was primarily a disappointment. I really wanted to love it, and it had SO much going for it:

1) Kaikeyi is a beautifully complex character who is traditionally considered the woman who made sure Rama fulfilled his purpose on earth. Yet, frequently, as the tale of the Ramayana is shortened for easy consumption, her character like many is flattened - and in her case flattened into a cookie cutter selfish villain. I'm dying to see a detailed representation of her roots and motivations. (In fact, I'm not even sure we know her name, since the word Kaikeyi is just a derivative from her kingdom of Kekaya meaning daughter of Kekaya.)

2) Vaishnavi is a wonderful writer, keeping a beautiful balance between description and dialogue, between poetry and prose. She holds the reader's attention captive.

3) The magical system Vaishnavi added to the plot was beautifully thought out.

Yet, unfortunately this is where the positives of this book end. Vaishnavi sets out to make a feminist retelling of the Ramayana. Yet her plot construction is weak and she falls for two major issues:

1) Poor research. While Patel clearly did significant research into certain areas of her plot, she fails to acknowledge any of the existing feminist aspects of the characters, or any of the power they possess in the original narrative. In fact, she plainly takes away the existing power and equality in the narrative, just to give back a few bits of it and claim a feminist retelling. A few such points:
- Ahalya who Patel uses as her example of someone treated terribly, in traditional Hindu literature is actually a lesson to the population that sexual assault and rape should not remotely affect the reputation of a woman - Ahalya is considered one of the sapta pativratas the seven purest women in the history of Hindu literature.
- Women in Hindu literature were encouraged to learn how to fight. Kaikeyi is an example, yes, but at various points Sita (also from the Ramayana), Satyabhama (from the Mahabharata), Uloopi (from the Mahabharata) etc are all shown to be well versed in wielding of weapons on a war ground. Patel's decision of remove these skills from women, only to give them back to Kaikeyi in some mistaken portrayal of feminism, is simply an act of taking power away from women.
- Kaikeyi is shown as the only one among her siblings to study the softer arts. While this may be true in Kekaya (I wouldn't know), Hindu itihaasas have long shown that any great man should know all 64 kalas (arts) including even arts that we consider feminine today such as hairstyling, makeup etc. Rama, Krishna, Arjuna etc are all shown to be experts in all 64 arts. To take these softer aspects away from men is also a blow to feminism.

2) She takes the easy way out: reversing the good for bad in an attempt to redeem a character traditionally considered a villain. Hurting good people, and breaking moral codes makes people villains, the beauty of a retelling comes from explaining the characters actions and drawing out sympathy. Maleficent the movie, was a great villain retelling. Patel bypasses the hard work by just changing the rules. Did Kaikeyi hurt good people? Let's fix it. Those people are now bad. Did Kaikeyi break moral codes? Those codes were evil, designed to put her down by evil gods who hate women and commonfolk. She villainizes Rama, and turns Ravana into a sweet, well-meaning friend who was loyal to his wife (Ravana in canon had multiple wives and raped many women).

Ultimately, while I'm sure Vaishnavi Patel's retelling will appeal to those who have never read the Ramayana. Those who have, will likely be turned off and disappointed by her shortcuts. A disappointment made ten times worse by the fact that as a writer, this young woman has genuine talent. I only wish her storytelling could keep up with it.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC. ...more

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Apr 23, 2022 Simone rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2022, books-i-recommend, fantasy

It's been such a good reading year for me and after finishing Kaikeyi, I can say that I've found another favorite of 2022. Filled with magic, adventure, political intrigue, feminist themes, and a woman who believed her fate was much bigger than what was foretold, I think everyone will truly appreciate Kaikeyi. Thanks Orbit Books for a gifted copy of this book.

While I'm not the leading expert on Ramayana, I had some idea of how the story goes before I started reading the book. I knew that Rama is It's been such a good reading year for me and after finishing Kaikeyi, I can say that I've found another favorite of 2022. Filled with magic, adventure, political intrigue, feminist themes, and a woman who believed her fate was much bigger than what was foretold, I think everyone will truly appreciate Kaikeyi. Thanks Orbit Books for a gifted copy of this book.

While I'm not the leading expert on Ramayana, I had some idea of how the story goes before I started reading the book. I knew that Rama is supposed to be the hero. I knew that Kaikeyi was essentially the wicked stepmother that condemns him to exile for 14 years in the forest, to fight evil monsters, and then return to become king of Ayodhya. I expected to watch Kaikeyi and shake my head at all the nefarious ways she tried to gain control and power, but what I ended up doing was feeling so bad for her. I felt empathy for the villain, but the uncanny part of the story is that she actually isn't the villain. In fact in her small way, she was a hero.

I think one of the downsides of villain stories and myth retellings is that you end up seeing the exact steps a villain takes to become the person they're portrayed. The evil queen was evil because people made her evil. The wicked stepmother had no choice but to be wicked. However, Vaishnavi Patel approached Kaikeyi in a different way. Instead, she shared a villain that's only flaw was loving her family. She shared the story of a woman redefining her role in the kingdom that didn't listen to her and giving voice to the voiceless. There was no evil in Patel's Kaikeyi, just a series of unfortunate missteps that led to her losing almost everything.

And that's how you garner the level of empathy you feel for Kaikeyi throughout the story. It shapes itself into its own story creating a modern tale of empowerment and strength. It's less about how she wickedly banishes Rama so that her son can become king and more about a woman who lived in a world that granted her no power and she did what she could.

Let's not forget that Kaikeyi's biggest passion outside of her family was bringing a voice to the voiceless; namely to the women of this time. Beholden to older beliefs that women are child rearers, home carers, and any choice they make is an offense against their beliefs and the gods. I loved that Patel explored this throughout the book not only for Kaikeyi, but for the people she served. It's truly the biggest component of the book that lends itself in ways I didn't even see by the end.

The magic in the story is also incredible. Aside from the monsters and gods that make appearances throughout the story, the magical power Kaikeyi has was also very interesting. I won't get into the details of it because it plays such an important role in the story. I want you to read about it and see how it works itself into Kaikeyi's life. And it really weaves itself throughout the book not as a tool for manipulation (which is what I thought because she's supposed to be the villain), but as a tool of self-assurance; that what she's doing is the right thing and that she can help others with it as well.

Each of the characters are also so well written. They play such vital roles in Kaikeyi's life and you can see that enforced through her bonds with them. I loved that there were men in her life that loved the change she was bringing. I loved that her husband, Dasharath, was supportive of her work in the city. I also loved that there was opposition; that the ways of the past continued to encroach on the progress she's led. I loved that it didn't come easy for her and that she had more to protect than just her family. Even the gods and goddesses that made their way into the story were elegantly written to give the readers an understanding of their power and their intelligence.

The story is almost poetic in its writing and the pacing kept you reading on. There were moments where I didn't want to put the book down! That's always a good sign that the book has my full attention and my mind isn't wandering off on some menial task I needed to accomplish.

Overall, Vaishnavi Patel has written something truly special. It's a story that will win over the adventure seekers and fantasy readers, but it will also speak deeply to those who feel hopeless and bring a level of light to those who are wandering in the dark. ...more

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Feb 06, 2022 Rashi Malik marked it as time-pass-not-tbr

A book that says kaikeyi was good? No, thank you.
I don't mind reading the backstory, motivations, etc of kaikeyi but if you try to make me read a book where kaikeyi is the do gooder heroine then I'm not going to support or read it. She is not someone who can be redeemed. Period.

Kaikeyi is someone majority of Hindus believe to be real so this just doesn't feel right.
I can't believe that people are actually happy about this. Next, everybody will be cheering about a book that has Raavan as the hero ...more

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Dec 30, 2021 Elle marked it as to-read

Shelves: on-deck, 2022, coming-soon, netgalley

did someone say…….vilified queen 👀 ………….and Circe? 👀 ...more

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Jan 13, 2022 alka [hiatus] marked it as anticipated-2022

not to be that person but i think this might be my most anticipated book of 2022

!!!!! *high-pitched squeal*

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May 23, 2022 Shealea rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-not-recommended

Edit (ao 27 May 2022):

The more I reflected on my reading experience with Kaikeyi, the more I found aspects that I did not like about it. For this reason, I can't confidently recommend this book to other people.

Not recommended.

_

Initial thoughts (ao 23 May 2022):

Interesting. This one is tough to rate and review, given my laughably subpar knowledge on the original text of the Ramayana. So, please take everything I say with a grain of salt.

The writing was strongest and most compelling in the ...more

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Apr 12, 2022 Aki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A powerful Hindu retelling about a mortal woman seeking to find her own agency in a world ruled by Gods and Men. One of the best fantasies I’ve read in a long time. I cannot recommend this enough.

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Jan 07, 2022 Arundhati rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, arcs, south-asian-books

I can’t stress enough how incredible Kaikeyi was. It’s a feminist retelling of one of the most vilified and hated women in Hindu mythology; it explores religion, history, tradition and patriarchy.

The storytelling is complex and layered, allowing the reader to really get a feel for Kaikeyi’s flaws and depths. I’ve grown up around stories of the Ramayana, and my family has always encouraged open discussion of my opinions on its characters and plot threads. I love that Kaikeyi doesn’t shy away fro I can’t stress enough how incredible Kaikeyi was. It’s a feminist retelling of one of the most vilified and hated women in Hindu mythology; it explores religion, history, tradition and patriarchy.

The storytelling is complex and layered, allowing the reader to really get a feel for Kaikeyi’s flaws and depths. I’ve grown up around stories of the Ramayana, and my family has always encouraged open discussion of my opinions on its characters and plot threads. I love that Kaikeyi doesn’t shy away from analysis and alternative interpretations of the Ramayana’s primary characters, even those that might be controversial.

I loved witnessing the way Kaikeyi grew over the course of the book - over the course of her lifetime, really. I loved the way that her eventual actions were foreshadowed throughout the story. Kaikeyi is most known to history for what she eventually did to Rama, but the book does a fantastic job of depicting her entire life, rather than reducing her to those moments. Patel also does a great job of exploring the reasons behind Kaikeyi’s most villainized actions (which, quite frankly, are not as egregious as history makes them out to be!)

The magic system was easy to understand and it contributed effectively to the story. The imagery that the system provided made every betrayal and relationship hit even more strongly; I’m never going to get the image of (view spoiler) out of my head.
I do wish that the epilogue had taken us right to the end of the epic, though I understand why it didn’t, really. The end of the epic is the end of Rama’s story, and this is Kaikeyi’s story. Still, I was incredibly curious to see how Vaishnavi Patel would interpret the Agni Pariksha and Sita’s eventual banishment, since they seem to go pretty well with the overall themes of the story.

I think that a decent working knowledge of the Ramayana is pretty much necessary to fully appreciate this book; though anyone can enjoy it, I would definitely recommend that readers at least brush up on the basic storyline of the epic. It’s also important to keep in mind that this is a retelling; it’s not the original. Don’t read it if you’re going to be upset that it’s not the same as Valmiki’s Ramayana.

If it’s not clear already, I absolutely loved this book. I may have read the e-ARC, but I’m definitely going to be pre-ordering it as well and forcing my entire family to read it and discuss it with me. ...more

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Quotes from Kaikeyi

“You did the right thing," Manthara told me.
"No matter what is said about you, Kaikeyi, remember that you did the right thing. You are not wicked."
"Then why do I feel wicked?" I whispered.
"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." She too pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"This will be terrible, but you are so strong. You can make it through.” — 11 likes

“I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions—much good it did me.” — 4 likes

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