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A review by amandasbookreview
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“This whole time I thought I could convince you,” Rama said softly. “This whole time, I thought you were on my side. But it turns out you were deceiving me. Deceiving everyone. Everyone else was right about you, and I was a fool.”
KAIKEYI
Thank you, NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Vaishnavi Patel for the opportunity to read this book. It was released on April 26th, 2022.
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel is the story inspired by the ancient epic, The Ramayana. Instead of reading about Rama. This book focuses on Kaikeyi, the second wife of Dasharatha. Kaikeyi was raised in a palace but as a woman, she knew what her fate would be—to marry and bring forth sons. She becomes the second wife to Dasharatha and delivers a son named Bharata. Upon marrying him, he had sworn that any child she would have would be named heir to the throne. However, the first wife Kaushayla has a son named Rama. He is the leader that his father wants. Thus begins the story we know, but is Kaikeyi that easily manipulated, or is there another side?
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I loved studying Ramayana in college. It has had a huge impact on the world and particularly on Asian and Hindu cultures. I am a sucker for retellings, especially stories that twist the ones we are all familiar with, however, this one is a little more delicate. I applaud the author for tackling such an intricate story. Although, this story is the center of millions of people’s beliefs. I want to acknowledge Own Voices reviewers who mention why they did or did not like this book. It is their opinion that matters the most, as I am not of the Hindu religion.
While I like the idea to recreate some details into more feminist details, it really wasn’t. Ravana who is supposed to represent evil is kind of humanized? It didn’t work for me. The book was also very slow. Considering the topic, I assumed it would be a little more fast-paced. I did love the characters’ connections, specifically the relationships between Kaikeyi and her brother and also between her and the other wives. The Binding Plane aspect didn’t necessarily make an impact on me but I did not dislike it either. My favorite aspect was the depiction of Kaikeyi as a warrior Queen and her success in battle.
Overall, I am pretty neutral when it comes to this book, but it definitely makes me want to revisit the Ramayana. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I loved studying Ramayana in college. It has had a huge impact on the world and particularly on Asian and Hindu cultures. I am a sucker for retellings, especially stories that twist the ones we are all familiar with, however, this one is a little more delicate. I applaud the author for tackling such an intricate story. Although, this story is the center of millions of people’s beliefs. I want to acknowledge Own Voices reviewers who mention why they did or did not like this book. It is their opinion that matters the most, as I am not of the Hindu religion.
While I like the idea to recreate some details into more feminist details, it really wasn’t. Ravana who is supposed to represent evil is kind of humanized? It didn’t work for me. The book was also very slow. Considering the topic, I assumed it would be a little more fast-paced. I did love the characters’ connections, specifically the relationships between Kaikeyi and her brother and also between her and the other wives. The Binding Plane aspect didn’t necessarily make an impact on me but I did not dislike it either. My favorite aspect was the depiction of Kaikeyi as a warrior Queen and her success in battle.
Overall, I am pretty neutral when it comes to this book, but it definitely makes me want to revisit the Ramayana. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.