What a time to be writing a review for a book like this. We just found out a couple of days ago the extent of the attempt to suppress women’s rights here in the US. None of us are surprised. We knew it was coming, but the Supreme Court is looking to do away with a woman’s right to choose and wants to exert control over women’s bodies to an extent that hasn’t been seen in decades. Here I am writing a book review for a feminist book that reflects on the difficulty of overcoming the deeply held misogyny that exists around the world. Like I said, what a day.

I am not familiar with the original story from the Ramayana, the good thing is this book is written in a way that makes the story completely accessible to outsiders. I’m sure that being familiar with the story would have probably deepened my understanding and enjoyment but I liked it all the same.

Kaikeyi is an interesting character. She is not completely multi-faceted. She has faults a plenty, but ultimately she is working toward a goal. The betterment of women in her culture, as well as the prevention of what she see’s as a potential evil gaining control in her kingdom. It makes for a fascinating story. I could not put it down. I can fully recommend this book. If you are looking for something from POC author and set in a non-European culture, give this a try.

This book was a epic story spanning years. I don’t have much of a background in Indian Mythology, but this book inspires me to educate myself on the lore. I enjoyed the writing style and the story. Kaikeyi is a lovely retelling.

This was a really interesting story to read. I usually go into retellings without knowing the original myth, so I can’t say how close this book is to the actual story. But it was a pretty good read. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read retellings or is into mythology.

Wow, I really liked this book. I love Kaikeyi’s strong narration and the intricate web she weaves with relationships around her. I also loved learning about Indian mythology and would definitely read more books surrounding similar myths in the future!

Retellings are a forever favorite in my books and those based on stories I have not yet heard about easily gain entry in my understanding of mythologies. Thus, Kaikeyi, a retelling of the South Asian tale, “Ramayana,” is an easy sell, especially given its feminist bent.

We start the novel off with the main and title character, Kaikeyi, reflecting on how she is predestined to commit her most infamous act: the banishment of her future stepson. Instead of being a record scratch moment, this long range reflection showcases the effects of major choices and actions on Kaikeyi and those dear to her—the modus operandi of the story. Kaikeyi’s voice centers her agency, or lack thereof, which grows in strength in each act of the book despite the rampant sexism and paternalism she and other women in her life are forced to confront at every turn. Kaikeyi’s ownership of herself stems from learning that her father has banished her mother very early in her adolescence and in the book. This forces her to confront the fact that the most powerful man in her life has no reservations about extending that power to banish the most powerful woman she’s ever known. She uses this knowledge and her trusting relationship with her eldest brother to persuade him into training her in combat, a skillset she has been restricted from as a daughter. Her love of combat training only parallels the joy of reading, something she once shared with her mother. Once her mother is gone, she refrains from reading. But after gaining supernatural abilities from practicing a special meditation, she finds an ancient scroll. This amplifies her understanding of human connections and powers of persuasion, yet it is not enough to keep herself from becoming a pawn in men’s machinations as a young woman.

Fortunately, Kaikeyi is able to make the most of any situation she is thrown into, often due to the support she receives from other women. In fact, one of the best aspects of this novel is how much Kaikeyi’s story is a story about community, particularly the ways that women are able to create better communities by building strong collaborations among themselves. There are many points where Kaikeyi could have turned into a tropey story of a strong action woman who likes to kick butt and take names, or of a scheming female villain only out for her own needs. Yet, the author, Vaishnavi Patel, deftly breaks these molds by having Kaikeyi keep her abilities to herself while also being tantalized by the option to use them purely for her benefit. By doing this we see Kaikeyi grappling with using powers beneficially, which builds a moral barrier between her and the women she collaborates with, and the men who use any source of power against the women in their lives.

Overall, Kaikeyi is a successful debut novel that serves as an intriguing entry point into Hindu mythology while also standing well enough on its own for those longing for a story about an oft misunderstood strong female character who is more than just the archetype.

*BGC kindly thanks the teams at Redhook and Orbit Books for early access to this book.*

A stunning debut retelling the Ramayana. I am only a little familiar with the story of the Ramayana, however even with the little that I know, reading Kakeiyi I understand that Vaishnavi Patel has breathed new life into this ancient myth.

Kaikeyi is an incredible novel filled with my favorites, a woman led story full of mythology. The book's story was great, but I did prefer the audiobook version to this ebook copy. The energy, the pacing, and the mental pictures it painted for me had me completely enamored with the book. I chose to read along with the audiobook and it was fantastic. The writer really knows how to pull you in. I can definitely and confidently say that fans of Circe will absolutely love this one. Thank you to RedHook Books and NetGalley for a chance to enjoy this advance reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the ARC! What a great read! Loved every minute of this story. Now to listen to it on audio. Highly recommend!

I instantly fell in love with this book. Prior to reading it I had never heard of the Queen Kaikeyi and did not know that in the epic Indian tale she is portrayed as a jealous villain. This beautiful retelling is told from Kaikeyi's perspective. What follows is a fascinating tale that I can't recommend it enough!

I don't typically read books in this genre (historical epics), but this one had some wonderful fantasy thrown in that really made it a joy to read. I was also unfamiliar with this Indian myth so people with more knowledge of it might find the story richer overall. However, Patel certainly knows how to craft a compelling plot with a truly memorable heroine.

The story ranges decades from Princess Kaikeyi's childhood all the way until her children are set to rule. There were parts that felt a tad slow to me (mostly because I wanted to move onto the next scene of action) and there was one writing quirk that just didn't work for me - the dropping hints of what was to come in the future. This took a lot of the surprise and suspense out of the novel and made me wish for a more rapid storytelling pace.

Overall, though, this was definitely an ambitious story to tell, and Patel wove some beautiful fantastical elements into it (including the use of ancient Gods) to create a unique and moving story. I would be interested to see if she sticks to this genre in the future, and I'm curious about checking out more of these types of retellings of classic myths by other writers as well.

This one is a Book of the Month Club pick for a reason! Historical fiction meets mythology in this epic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4+ stars, I really enjoyed this but it wasn't totally un-put-downable though I was excited to read it at the end of the day. This is a historical fiction/retelling of a part of history I know nothing about. I do wish I knew more about it now so I could have made connections as I went but my lack of knowledge in no way hindered my enjoyment of, or understanding of, what was going on in the book.

There is really strong narration, which I love, and so you really get an idea of why everything is done and the thoughts and emotions behind it.

I feel absolutely unqualified to review this book. My knowledge of Indian mythology begins with my God-awful and super racist World History class in 10th grade (my teacher was pretty sure that Indians were caucasoid, but not 100%. I wish I was joking) and ends with *Lord of Light* by Roger Zalazny. I know Rama is the hero of an Indian epic because I was told so in Arthur C. Clarke’s *Rendezvous with Rama*. Literally nothing else about this story. I have, since finishing the story, read the Wikipedia page about Rama, and I’m going to assume that things I found out on that page don’t count as spoilers.

The premise of *Kaikeyi* is analogous to *Circe* by Madeline Miller: taking a maligned female character in an epic and retelling things from her perspective. (Of course, I haven’t read *Circe* either, but at least I know the Odyssey very well.) Rama is the eldest son and heir of a raja. Kaikeyi is one of the raja’s wives - Rama’s mother is a different wife - and forces the raja to exile Rama and give the throne to *her* son instead. According to an Indian friend of mine, Kaikeyi is definitely not a sympathetic character.

If Vaishnavi Patel’s goal was to write her as a sympathetic character, as far as I’m concerned she succeeded. Kaikeyi, as presented here, is an intelligent, capable, and strong-willed person. She’s determined to do what is best for her family (both the family of her birth and the family she marries in to), her kingdom, and her people.

The role of women takes center stage, unsurprisingly. Kaikeyi chafes at the role of women at every turn. Her father doesn’t value her, she hates having an arranged marriage (though she is able, to a certain extent, to enter it on her own terms), she hates her potential contributions being ignored, she hates the teachings of the sages (speaking for the gods) that enforce the subservience of women in society.

Because I am *so* ignorant of the source material, I really don’t feel comfortable commenting on how Patel handled the characters, but I know the story is well-written and very engaging. Especially now, while India grapples with rape culture and the United States is … unsettled … by pending Supreme Court decisions, this book is a very timely one.

Strongly recommend this book, though I’d love to hear from someone who’s read it and is not so embarrassingly ignorant of Indian mythology as I am. Which might be one of the highest compliments I can give this book: I really want to make the time to learn more so I can appreciate it better.

Loved this book. A very imaginative retelling of one of my favorite classic tales- The Ramayan. I think having a background knowledge of the Ramayan can only enhance the reading of the amazing book, but is not absolutely necessary. Growing up, the story of The Ramayan, had very classic straightforward lines of who was good and who was evil- at least the way the story was conveyed to me. This iteration is excellent as it gives a new twist to a maligned queen- who has mostly been represented as a villain. I really really enjoyed this interpretation. The cover is absolutely gorgeous also. So far 2022 is proving to be an excellent year of books. I am especially enjoying the representation of Asian authors this year.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

*Kaikeyi* is based on *Ramayana*, a Sanskrit epic; my review is based solely on the novel — I have not read *Ramayana* and my familiarity with it is very, very limited. I encourage folks to seek out reviews written by Hindu readers — I am not at all in a place to comment on the relationship of this novel to its source material.

As an epic spanning quite a few decades which seamlessly incorporates political maneuvering, complex familiar & interpersonal relationships, and an interesting form of magic unlike anything I’ve ever read before, I enjoyed *Kaikeyi*. The first-person POV of Kaikeyi felt well established, changing as Kaikeyi aged and grew but remaining cohesive; her relationships with other characters were also well written. I felt like the author’s representation of Kaikeyi as asexual was nuanced and respectful (though, here, I encourage folks to read reviews by ace readers). I do feel like the feminist angle could’ve been much more subtle and nuanced than it was, and that many of the characters could’ve been more morally complex (rather than straightforwardly ‘all good’ or ‘all bad’) than they were. A solid debut novel — I look forward to seeing what Patel writes next.

*Content warnings:* violence, murder, injury, death, grief, war, sexism, brief mentions of domestic abuse

*Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for providing an ARC in exchange for this review*.

Please, everyone, read this book. It is so, so good. This is definitely in my top three of the year so far.

Kaikeyi is a beautiful, rich retelling and anyone who loves ancient Indian mythology twisted into a fantasy retelling such as Madeline Miller, is sure to love this book. I will definitely be exploring this authors future books and can't wait to she what she writes.

India, myths-legends, royalty, historical-novel, historical-research, history-and-culture, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage, family, family-dynamics, friction*****

This story is representative of the mythos of a part of the world of which I have an inadequate understanding. But then, I have only limited understanding of the myths and practices of the First Nations of my own continent, and what I know of the Norse comes from fiction and movies.
I have seen where some readers have taken issue with the myth interpretation here, BUT IT'S FICTION FOLKS! Therefore, I totally enjoyed the story and the telling of it!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Redhook Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Stories played a vital role in my childhood. Specifically, Hindu mythology and its various stories significantly impacted me (As both my parents were employed, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, who constantly told mythological tales). Growing up, I have heard ‘Ramayana’ a dozen times from my grandparents and further and watched it in live-theater performances and plays, movies, TV shows, and even its animated versions. Yet when reading this book, I felt so exhilarated that I finished it in one sitting. That is a testament to the author’s talent for bringing a story to life - a known story, yet such a fresh delivery—a special shout out to Vaishnavi Patel for this gem of a book.

This book is a masterclass in character-based story development. Kaikeyi will remain one of the most layered and complex yet well-written and well-rounded characters I have ever read. I am short of words to describe her strength and resilience. Her evolution is remarkable - from a girl dissatisfied with her own status to a queen who realizes the more widespread issues in society and works to uplift all the women in her kingdom. Her journey is remarkable!

This is my best read of 2022!

"I had wished merely for a measure of freedom for myself, and perhaps now for others. There was nothing evil in that. Was there?"

If you like Madeline Miller's greek retellings, you will probably also fall in love with Kaikeyi.

I don't even know what to write, this book was both like and unlike my usual reads. It encompasses the entirety of Kaikeyi's life, from being a little girl searching for her place in the world, to a woman supporting and guiding other women. It is intricate in its handling of real world issues (inequality of the sexes for example), and showcases how old school thinking and thoughts can poison the next generation and set us back if we are not careful (kind of poignant in this day and age in America...)

Overlooked/ignored by her father, surrounded by her brothers who don't truly rise above their male privilege, Kaikeyi needed to find a way to matter in a world where a woman's place has been decreed by the gods themselves to be lesser - jewels to be displayed, kept safe, but never taken seriously on their word or worth. And in this world the gods are quite active in their meddling - they are not a maybe but a definite, and you get to meet a handful of them throughout the story. I really liked this aspect to the story as the religious aspect felt very grounded since you could see the consequences to actions such as praying, etc.

As a little girl looking for answers, Kaikeyi stumbles upon the Binding Place in an old scroll. In the Binding Place Kaikeyi is able to use "threads" in order to get others to agree with her, though if she pushes too far she risks losing the thread all together. At the beginning Kaikeyi uses her power in the Binding Place very recklessly as only a child would, to bend others to her will. Spoiled, she doesn't realize those around her have a breaking point. As she grows up she becomes more responsible and uses the Binding Place to help her cement her place in court. The Binding Place was an intriguing part of the story; I loved seeing how Kaikeyi grows as a person and learns to use it while not abusing her power.

Kaikeyi made me want to look up and research the Ramayana a little bit if only so I could become a bit familiar with the original epic. I liked how the author made Kaikeyi's story fit into the original, but also how easy to read it was. It never felt like a burden, like I was reading something for school, but more like I was going on a journey with this incredibly resilient woman that agaisnt all odds managed to carve a place for herself in the world. I found the story to be more hopeful than what would have really probably happened in the real world, or even in the original tale. I am really looking forward to the author's next book, whatever that may be.