My grandma told me many stories about kings and queens when I was growing up and I don’t remember one where the king’s many wives got along! Come to think of it now, it is quite sad that the pattern was this way. Kaikeyi formed a bond with the other wives, and her support network made her character strong and likeable. I think that’s such an important aspect in feminist retellings to ensure that other women aren’t petty competition or rivals. I really loved how the author had Kaikeyi reclaim her own narrative in this, in spite of the misogyny she faced.Ī portion I really loved in this book was how women supported each other. I had read Ramayana years and years ago, so I only remembered brief major portions of it, like Rama’s exile. The narrative voice of the author flowed very well, and I was completely immersed in this colorful kingdom and interesting characters. When Orbit sent the ARCs to us, I was so excited for our discussions about this book! When I picked up Kaikeyi, I found myself reluctant to put it down. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak-and what legacy she intends to leave behind.Ī 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.Ĭontent notes include violence, war, sexism.Īs a huge fan of ancient history, folklore/mythology retellings, and powerful women in leading roles, this book seemed right up my alley. 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.īut 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 when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.ĭesperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. 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. 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. “I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions-much good it did me.”

Kaikeyi goodreads