Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

Name of Book: Kaikeyi

Author: Vashnavi Patel

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5733-8

Publisher: Redhook

Type of book: ancient India, godhood, Ramayana, Rama, Kaikeyi, politics, ACE representation, traditions old and new, women's roles in kingdom, supernatural, war, threads and bonds, rakshasa, asura, gods, Kosala 

Year it was published: 2022

Summary:

"Patel’s mesmerizing debut shines a brilliant light on the vilified queen from the Ramayana….This easily earns its place on shelves alongside Madeline Miller’s Circe." –Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“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 prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the devout and the wise. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.

Desperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With this power, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen, determined to carve a better world for herself and the women around her.

But as the evil from her childhood stories threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak—and what legacy she intends to leave behind.

A stunning debut from a powerful new voice, Kaikeyi is a tale of fate, family, courage, and heartbreak—of an extraordinary woman determined to leave her mark in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come.

Characters:

Main character is Kaikeyi, a talented and intelligent only daughter of  king Ashwapati, ruler of Kekaya. Kaikeyi is resourceful, forsaken by gods, but also very powerful. Recently her mother was exiled, leaving her and her seven brothers motherless. She also has no interest in romance. She does have interest in politics, and of helping other women by trying to change laws subtly. She is very politically savvy. Other main character is Rama, blood son of first queen, but still a son of Kaikeyi. Rama knows his divine nature, but at the same time he is backwards when it comes to women's rights and quite frequently he and Kaikeyi tend to butt heads, especially since Kaikeyi is immune to his charms. Rama desires to go to war while others counsel him not to. There are plenty of wonderful secondary characters like Kaikeyis family as well as the queens and king Dasharath. 

 
Theme:

When gods enter into earth, humans tend to suffer 

Plot:

The story is in first person narrative from Kaikeyis point of view. In all honesty I never read of ancient India before so I don't have anything to compare it to. There is ACE representation, and although I don't think I am ACE, I loved how the novel didn't focus on romance. I also loved the harmony that Kaikeyi and her sister queens lived in. It was a relief to find a novel where there weren't power grabs or manipulation between women. But instead there was mutual respect and understanding between them. One complaint I do have is that there was no map. For someone who isn't familiar with India I needed a map to see and figure out where events and kingdoms were located. 

Author Information:

 NA

Opinion:

I recall perhaps reading a little bit of Ramayana, on which this wonderful tale is based on, but Ramayana I recall was based on extraordinary events of Sita. I don't recall anything about Kaikeyi. ( when I did ask someone about Kaikeyi, all I was told was that she exiled Rama into the forest and that's it.) However this wonderful tale doesn't require one to read Ramayana ( any chance I can make a request that the author can continue writing a sequel/ companion novel from Sitas point of view?) And instead it fills in the blanks and understanding of why Kaikeyi has done what she has done. In other words a very beautiful and complex tale that puts immortality under the human scrutiny. I was really impressed with how the author put a microscope under the lofty ideals, giving us an all too familiar tale of old vs new traditions, of women's role in society, and of what it means when youth is not tempered with experience. In addition to that, what does it mean to the family when it seems as if one member is divine or out of this world? These and many more topics are beautifully explored within the novel. 

This was given for review 

5 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)