Kaikeyi

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By Vaishnavi Patel

Publisher Description

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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Kaikeyi Reviews

4.0

Debbie

memeontherox

Jacinta Naicker

AndSaraSays

“Kaikeyi is billed as a feminist retelling of the story of Ram and his exile from Hindu scripture. It tells the story of Queen Kaikeyi who apparently is pretty vilified in the original story for having forced her husband to exile his beloved son, the God Ram all in a blatant attempt to grab the throne for her own son Bharat. Confused? I was too, especially since this book opened a whole new world of Hindu mythology for me. It was equal parts fascinating and devastating which is why it took me so long to read. I thought this book would basically relay the downfall of Queen Kaikeyi in the most tragic way, but instead the book is deeply inspiring. Yes, Kaikeyi is ambitious and strong and fiercely opinionated. But she’s also intelligent and a fighter who champions the rights of women across all walks of life. She went from being a princess with very little power to being the favorite Queen of an influential kingdom. She used her genius to convince a very patriarchal and misogynistic society that women should be valued and treated with the same respect and dignity that men are given. The story spans Kaikeyi’s whole life from childhood to motherhood. It’s a sweeping story of love, immense loss, and the power and sacrifice of one very impressive woman.”

amrutha

Created 3 days ago

“a little prequel to the Ramayana to try to explain Kaikeyi’s actions. interesting take but author took a LOT of creative liberty with basically destroying Rama’s character as a child and Ravana’s story too. i guess it makes sense given the trial by fire Rama put Sita through after but there’s debate about that part even being part of the og story so i don’t feel great abt that part. still a really cool story though! i love a good prequel to a villain story and for this i rly left the hook feeling like maybe Kaikeyi was never actually a villain”

About Vaishnavi Patel

Vaishnavi Patel is the author of the instant New York Times bestseller, Kaikeyi. A lawyer specializing in civil rights, she likes to write at the intersection of Indian myth, feminism, and anticolonialism. She grew up in and around Chicago and, in her spare time, enjoys activities that are almost stereotypically Midwestern: knitting, ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, and making hotdish.