Kaikeyi: A Novel
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "MYTHIC RETELLING AT ITS BEST." (R. F. Kuang, author of Yellowface) - A 2023 IGNYTE AWARD FINALIST - A BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB PICK "With a graceful, measured elegance" (New York Times), this lyrical novel reimagines the life of the infamous queen from the ancient epic the Ramayana, giving voice to an extraordinary woman determined to leave her mark in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come. 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 legends 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 tales threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak--and what legacy she intends to leave behind. PRAISE FOR KAIKEYI "Patel resets the balance of power, creating an unforgettable heroine who understands that it isn't necessarily kings or gods who change history." -Washington Post "Easily earns its place on shelves alongside Madeline Miller's Circe." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Utterly captivating from start to finish." ―Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart "Brave, compassionate and powerful." ―Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne "A lyrical and evocative retelling, full of power and grace." ―Ava Reid, author of Juniper & Thorn "Compulsively readable and infinitely compassionate." ―Roshani Chokshi, author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride "A thought-provoking, nuanced new look at one of humanity's most foundational stories." --Shannon Chakraborty, author of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
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Community Reviews
“But war is not something to wish for. It destroys people, destroys kingdoms. A raja should not wish for it. There is far more to being a ruler than that.”
My introduction to Indian mythology came through my “fair-skinned” Indian American dad’s mother. She used to tell me these stories and bring comics back from India. In one of them, she pointed to a demoness, dark-skinned, dressed in leopard skin with bones and claws as jewelry and a horned war helmet, and asked, “Doesn’t she look like your aunt?” My mother is Black. As any mixed-race kid growing up in America, I was already familiar with racism. I complained to my dad, and after that, she was no longer welcome in our home.
My parents still gave me the option to visit India and spend holidays with extended family, and I did, several times. I still travel there, and I love many things deeply about the country and its people. But as a child, these visits also made me more familiar with the ways religion and culture often shaped expectations for women. I grew up hearing plenty of “girls are not allowed to” from within the culture itself, and much of it was framed through tradition and religion. I didn’t need to tolerate any of it because I had the luxury of choice and could go back to my parents.
A lot of the criticism I heard of Kaikeyi came from people who are familiar with the “source material” and insist that the book was inaccurate, that certain characters were portrayed incorrectly, or that these stories do not treat women unfairly, and this is a colonial view. They even offered plenty of alternatives. And the versions of the stories I’ve heard from them display benevolent sexism, not fair treatment, and a limiting view of women and their rights.
Mythology has always been shaped by retellings, reinterpretations, and the values of the societies that pass the stories down. These are oral stories that existed in many forms long before they were written. So it always surprises me when people cling to the idea of one “true” version while rejecting another interpretation, especially one examining power, womanhood, duty, and autonomy through awareness. Kaikeyi takes a woman reduced to a plot device in many tellings and finally allows her an inner life, agency, and a voice of her own. It’s fascinating, a great addition to the mythological retellings from a culture other than Greek or Norse.
Changed rating to 4 after discussing it in book club - overall, Patel did a great job creating the setting and weaving a story around a historically villainized female character and the fantasy elements of the story were great! (spoilers ahead) I do think she went a little overboard for the audience that'll probably read this and I have to wonder if she could have done it without villainizing someone that people still worship to this day
Kaikeyi retells one of the ancient epics in world literature - The Ramayana - although with a feminist twist and dash of mysticism and magic. Vaishnavi Patel's novel focuses on Kaikeyi, the stepmother of Rama, who, in The Ramayana, is forced into a 14 yr exile. However, Patel's Kaikeyi narrates her story, so it's not necessary to know the original fable -- which is something I looked up only after enjoying this imaginative tale.
Narrated by Soneela Nankani at a length of 17 hrs and 22 mins.
Narrated by Soneela Nankani at a length of 17 hrs and 22 mins.
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