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. I also love, that while not specifically mentioned, it seems like Kaikeyi is Asexual, and I'm here for this representation.
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.
Recommendation:
Circe by Madeline Miller
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Pachinko by Lee Min-Jin
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
"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."
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