thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!
kaikeyi was such a beautiful story. i loved every minute of this. watching her life unfold before me was so different and interesting. the writing was also very easy to read.

I’m so glad I requested this because it was so freaking good!! I decided to request it after seeing other BookTokers rave about it. Keikeyi was worth the hype. I loved the friendship, courage, and the multiple themes that were in this!

An amazing and subversive retelling of the most vilified woman in Hindu mythology. Patel’s Kaikeyi is a headstrong girl born into a world determined to squirrel its women away into places where they cannot be seen or heard. But Kaikeyi finds the Binding Plane, and with it, a source of magic that allows her to influence people and gain a semblance of control and independence. What follows next is part tragedy, part family drama. I loved Patel’s world building and her keen eye for overturning just the right details of the traditional Ramayana. As a Hindu reader, I really enjoyed her characterization of Kaushalya, Rama and Sita in particular. I loved the incisive look at sexism in Hindu culture and cannot wait for more from this author.

A bright and powerful entry into the myth retelling sub genre. Fans of Circe and Ariadne will love it.

4.5/5

Wow. The fact that this is a debut...*Gordon Ramsay voice* stunning, delicious. This book reimagines the life of Kaikeyi, the maligned queen from the Indian epic the Ramayana. Admittedly, I have only read some Indian folklore/mythology on a couple of occasions so I really was not familiar with this story at all. I am somewhat grateful for that because I really didn't know how the story would end, except that I of course felt a growing sense of dread. One doesn't have to be an expert in mythology or folklore to understand that women in these stories are usually either the pious mother, the faithful wife, a woman with no agency or voice whatsoever, or a villainous character (especially the latter). So it is for Kaikeyi.

While I didn't give this 5 stars, it is only for some pacing issues at least in the first 50% or so of the book. Kaikeyi discovers in her childhood that she is ignored by the gods, and that she can enter the Binding Plane, which allows her to manipulate the bonds between people. As she is discovering this power, there is some repetitiveness that really slowed the pacing of these first several chapters.

Nevertheless, this book truly felt so epic. The reader is immersed in Indian folklore, culture, rituals, food, etc. and you follow Kaikeyi throughout her life as a woman. A royal woman, to be sure, but a woman nonetheless in a time and culture that treated women as second-class citizens. She is ignored by her father, restricted in her ability to receive an education, prevented from partaking in what men do, but despite this she works on her magic and learns from her twin brother how to ride horses, drive chariots, wield spears and swords. The story continues when she is given away in marriage to Dasharath, the raja of another kingdom. There, she fights in battle and grows her power, using her position to help women in her kingdom. Things begin to unravel, slowly, when the forces of men resistant to change, religion, and the gods themselves threaten all that Kaikeyi loves and fights for.

Overall, this was beautifully written and I loved this reimagining. Like Madeline Miller's Circe, I want writers (especially women) to recreate these myths and stories for women today. I felt Kaikeyi's pain when she began to realize that even with her power, as a woman, everything was weighed against her. In many ways, the world still feels that way--still is that way--for many women today. A great debut.

Being one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and as someone who isnt typically a fan of mythological retellings, I was incredibly nervous going into Kaikeyi. Fortunately, though, Patel had be hooked by page 6 with breathtaking prose, vivid storytelling, and an rich cast of characters and magic system. It’s always refreshing to see a new story take on a vilified woman, especially from a history other than my own. My only complaint could also be a request in that this story absolutely begs for a sequel. Bravo, Vaishnavi Patel, bravo.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I enjoyed this book a lot. In the oft told Ramayana myth, Queen Kaikeyi is never portrayed as anything other than a jealous troublemaker whose only intentions are to push her own interests forward via her son Bharat. Vaishnavi Patel’s story takes us through Kaikeyi’s childhood, and her eventual marriage to Dhasharatha. I particularly loved the way that Kaikeyi fights for her own place, and eventually those of the women around her, from being the woman whose strings are pulled to being a woman who pulls strings. I think it’s a great retelling of one of the most vilified characters in Hindu mythology, and highly recommend.

thank you netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.


this book was a stunning debut! the writing was beautiful and drew you into the atmosphere, and the pacing was perfect. the family dynamics felt very real and each character got just the right amount of development and never felt one dimensional. the book has very solid progression, it never feels slow, but it also never overwhelms you with info. it’s a slow build that feels rewarding by the end!

So, I am prefacing this review by saying I know nothing of the epic that inspired this book. I didn't even know the name Kaikeyi. Had I heard it, I wouldn't even know to guess what it would be about. But seeing it compared to CIRCE, or at least likened to this style of female-focused retelling, I had to snatch it up.

Curiously, I read the wikipedia summary after finishing this book and wow. I mean, I don't know if it's accurate (again, prefacing, I am Jon Snow and know nothing), but what a different spin on things. And actually it made me appreciate this story even more.

<i>It occurred to me [..] that maybe the gods had marked me for my mother's sins. Sons could not be held responsible for maternal sins, but daughter's? [..] Nothing protected me.</i>

I truly don't even know where to begin, really. This isn't a short book and nor is it one that you can blast through; this took me hours to read. Maybe I savoured it, maybe I just didn't rush, but either way, it took time.

The story spans decades, from Kaikeyi's birth until well into middle age (ish), when her son is almost full grown. We see her grow up amongst many brothers, lose her mother, and try to find a place where she belongs. Then, once married off, she is even more at loose ends having lost the connections and stability she had at home. She struggles for a time to be a wife -- one of three -- but is lucky enough to be married to a good man who finds more value in her than just someone to give him sons; though she eventually does. And it's after the birth of her child, and others, that things begin to change again.

"<i>Kaikeyi, remember that you did the right thing. You are not wicked.</i>"
"<b>Then why do I feel wicked?</b>"
"<i>Because those who are good question themselves. Because those who are good alway wonder if there was a better way, a way that could have helped more and hurt less. That feeling is why you are good.</i>"

Please note, I made a very oversimplified summary of things and omitted a lot because spoilers. There is so much more to this than the above. There are gods, and demons, magical connections, unexpected friendships, the fight to empower other women in a society that only values them to a certain extent, and more.

I was sad this ended, I could have definitely read more, and I do wish some plot points had been made clearer. But maybe that's just because I'm unfamiliar with the source material. I don't know. Overall, I thought this was very strong, very interesting, and would absolutely recommend. I will be very interested in Patel's next release (can you believe this is a debut!?), whether related or not, and will definitely be picking it up.

<B>For those who love Madeline Miller and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni</b>

This is a brilliant feminist retelling of events in the <i>Ramayana</i>. It can even be something of an accompaniment to <i>The Forest of Enchantments</I>, Divakaruni's retelling of the <i>Ramayana</i> from Sita's perspective.

You don't need to know the story of the Ramayana to read this, and it may even be more exciting to go in pretty blind to what's going to happen. I did know the story and felt that it added to the emotional impact of the book. If you'd like a summary of the Ramayana, here's <a href="https://asiasociety.org/education/ramayana">an introduction from Asia society</a>.

This story is about love and legacy and the place of women in society. It gives a voice to a character usually seen as the villain, and she is complex and strong. We see a tremendous amount of growth from Kaikeyi throughout this book: I had a hard time getting into the beginning because Kaikeyi is a child with a child's thoughts, but Kaikeyi very quickly evolves into a complex and strong character.

This is Patel's debut novel, and it's brilliant. I can't wait to read more from her.

<i>I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book. It’s written beautifully, it’s atmospheric, the characters are believably complex. It just wasn’t quite a hit for me. I think the pre-release marketing comparing it to circe and other mythology books is accurate. It’s rich in similar ways and follows the same sort of slow build narrative structure. For me, personally, this structure left me feeling emotionally disconnected from the story throughout. I really don’t have that much to say about this book, as it is a three star. There are no egregious errors, I just personally found it boring.

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley. I love the trend of giving new perspective to historical figures. For those who love Circe, you will love this too even if you are unfamiliar with the story of the main character!

An absolutely beautifully written book. An empowering tale of motherhood and the perils of the patriarchy. The author did a wonderful job of weaving together the relationships that stick with you. While I’m not familiar with the the story of Kaikeyi, Patel does a wonderful job of bringing the reader in and guiding them through a vibrant world. This book snatched me up and did not let go. A classic in the making and everyone needs to pick this up when it drops.

While I was unfamiliar with the Ramayana before reading Kaikeyi, Patel's debut interested me straight away. From the cover, which is gorgeous, to the constant comparisons to Madeline Miller's Circe, Kaikeyi promised to be one of my favorite books of the year. Unfortunately that was not the case.

I don't want to ramble about the usual things, such as a writing style, because those are personal and while I personally wasn't impressed, it isn't to say another person won't be. But I have to admit I am sick to death of reading about the type of feminism that is prevalent in this novel. I don't believe that trying to prove yourself to men is the way to go on the search for equality, and the constant paragraphs ranting about masculinity and misogyny present throughout the book exhausted me. At the beginning, when Kaikeyi complained that her father would discard her opinion and listen only to her brother, all I could think was, cry about it. Call me anti-feminist if you want to, but I never cared about Kaikeyi, her journey, her thoughts, or even what she stood for.

But this story wasn't completely lost on me. I loved reading about Kaikeyi... when she was with other people. Her relationship with her brother and especially with her husband's other wives was heartening to see. I especially adored Dasarath's character, and found myself emotional at one of the most climatic scenes between the two of them. I do wish we'd gotten more of Marantha and Kaikeyi's dynamic, though. From what I researched, their bond is one of the most important parts of the Ramayana, and while believable, their relationship relied too much on telling instead of showing.

For a debut, Kaikeyi is extremely solid and will resonate with a lot of people. But I do have to bring it up—it did not have to be so long.

I am loving the trend of trying to give mythological women a more complete backstory. Too often, mythology and history have relegated women to the backseat. As stories are told by the victors, we often lose the complexity that makes humans, well, human. It was also nice to hear a retelling of something beyond the "classic" Greek/Roman mythology, as much as I love those stories.

Was Kaikeyi perfect? Of course not. She wasn't perfect in the Ramayana and she isn't perfect in this version either. Yet this book fills out her character and makes her feel more real and well-rounded. I was often frustrated by what she did but the book fills in some gaps. I will be the first to admit that I'm not religious and I view the original telling as mythology not a sacred text. A very devout Hindu may have a very different response to this book.

Mythology retellings are fascinating to me in general, but particularly so when I grew up hearing the stories. I was raised by strong women who always told me to think critically about the stories you hear - particularly about women. I loved that this book was dedicated to Vaishnavi Patel's Aji and Aai (grandma and mom in my family's native tongue of Marathi) - it made it feel personal and real.

On the whole a stunning debut and I can't wait to read what else Vaishnavi Patel writes. Despite receiving an e-ARC of this book, I have now preordered a physicial copy.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for the ARC. I don't know how I would have waited for publication day.
Expected Publication: April 26, 2022

This is an interesting take on Kaikeyi, who in Hindu mythology was the queen responsible for the exile of King Dasharath’s oldest son Rama from Ayodhya for 14 years. One of three wives of King Dasharath, she was a warrior in her own right and influential in the king’s court. In this retelling, we see Kaikeyi in a different and more favorable light than she is portrayed in the epic Ramayana. She is brave, intelligent, and a loving mother to her own son, Bharata, as well as to the sons of the other two queens, including Rama. Her husband had promised her two boons, including the one that their natural son would succeed the king - she was in essence holding the king accountable for what he promised. She did much to elevate the role of women, giving them a voice and encouraging them to make decisions for themselves, rather than solely relying on their husbands and menfolk. The other character who is portrayed more sympathetically in this retelling is Ravana, the king of Lanka who Kaikeyi encounters a few times. I enjoyed seeing Kaikeyi from a different perspective - a loving and caring mother who considered Rama a son, but who also believed he wasn’t ready to be king, hence she resorts to asserting her right that the king keep his promise. I enjoyed the writing, the characterization of Kaikeyi, and the relationships between the three queens, king and Kaikeyi, and Kaikeyi with the four sons. We definitely come to view Kaikeyi very differently and understand her motives more fully in this version of the story, which is nicely done. It was fun reading this version. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am in love, 10/10 would recommend. I immediately added Kaikeyi to my favourites and even though I have a digital arc I plan on purchasing a physical copy once it's released because it's just that good.

Thank you to NetGalley and RedHook books! five out of five stars, I devoured this in one go and loved it so.

First off, t was incredible to read a book where the main character was ace!!! And discusses her lack of desire/attraction in that way? *spectacular*. I also don't know if she's on the aro spectrum or if it wasn't important to her, but I was living. I loved it so. As another ace person, thank you so much!

The writing was lush and descriptive, colors and people dazzling against my eyelids, enough that I could almost see them. (I cannot see pictures in my head. it's always amazing when I catch the feelings of what it's like, even if i can't) Kaikeyi's relationships to others-- to her siblings, to her mothers (biological and Manthara both), her sister-wives, her husband, and all their sons were fantastic. She loved truly, deeply, and even desperately-- like all of us. She was doing the best she could,

I also found the magic in the book that Kaikeyi could do particularly interesting, and enjoyed seeing the ways it had its downsides and inabilities to work both. I can't wait to order this-- and to read more by Vaishnavi Patel!

this was absolutely incredible, and i already preordered my own copy!! seriously cannot recommend this enough!

In awe of Vaishnavi Patel's talent in crafting this retelling from a detailed perspective into Kaikeyi's life, how she humanizes her character and brings her motivations to life with a touch of an interesting magic system. A fabulous debut

Thank you Netgalley and Redhook for the arc of this book.

I'd probably give this a 3.5 star rating because it was overly long and slow in places (probably because it was long) but did I sit there and binge read regardless, yes! I would say that if you have no knowledge of the epic Ramayana then I suggest that you look it up before or you won't understand. You would probably still enjoy the story but even a basic understanding will help a lot.

I liked the retelling of this from Kaikeyi's perspective as she is the super villain of her story. It was so nice to see the almost full story form childhood to her demise. It was also interesting to learn that she was asexual. I also loved all the side Hindu mythology we get and how that has shaped the culture. In the original we just see a woman who is bitter, mean and jealous. In this we get that other side, what makes her seem that way and why it's shaped because of the men in her life and all the patriarchy and misogyny that formed their way of life. A like Kaikeyi was trying to change for the betterment of not just women but men and their children. The writing style was somewhat clunky at the beginning but did get better, not my preferred writing style to read but well done. The magic of the mythology was present and well written. A fitting end to the book but definitely needed more there as it felt rushed.