Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel --starting June 11th

[Maisha]

“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.

[Maisha]

Starting a little early....

[Maisha]

Part 1; Chapter (1-7)

Loving the book so far. The author has incredibly good writing style. The prose is so gorgeous. I'm not Indian but I know the story of Ramayana really well. Excited to see Vaishnavi Patel's take on it.

[Maisha]

(view spoiler)[So far, I'm really loving Kaikeyi. She doesn't seem like a villain at all. Yes, she acts selfishly sometimes but doesn't everyone do that? I liked how the magic was introduced. The magic system is soft yet fascinating. Kaikeyi's bond with her brothers warms my heart. It's sad to see that she still feels lonely. Her brothers don't understand her because they are men and favoured by her father. But they love her dearly (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

I'll be starting today!!

[Maisha]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[This particular chapter broke my heart. I almost cried. I really thought her twin brother would be more understanding. He was doing what he thought would be best for the kingdom. But ended up destroying their beautiful bonding. I don't blame Kaikeyi for her reaction. My reaction would have been worse.

Noticed what ultimatum Kaikeyi gave? Now everything is falling into pieces. I don't wanna spoil it too much. But I know the original story. Really excited! (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Maisha wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

I was unsure about this book, but really like it so far! I'm finding that the writing flows easily. Even though I don't know much about the story of Ramayana, the author's note, in the beginning, was a good introduction to the topic of the book (view spoiler)[ Kaikeyi is a bit selfish and is learning how to navigate her life with her mother gone. She is only 12 at the beginning of the story and even though she was misusing her magic in the beginning she didn't use it against others in a hurtful way. I'm loving the relationship between her and her twin brother. The end of chapter 7 left me feeling heartbroken because they have shared such a close bond since her mother left... the visual of the bond shattering is how my heart felt :/

I agree with you Maisha!! I don't blame her one bit for how she reacted and was disappointed in how her brother was treating her arranged marriage as her having 'freedom' like what... I'm interested to see how the next part plays out with Kaikeyi giving the ultimatum of her son being the next heir... (hide spoiler)] sorry for the long note lol

[Maisha]

Haley wrote: "Maisha wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

I was unsure about this book, but really like it so far! I'm finding that the writing flows easily. Even though I don't know much about the story of Ramayana, th..."

I agree with everything you said. Kaikeyi's character is morally grey. But that's something I always enjoy. Her slight selfishness, then feeling guilt for her actions makes her more real and unique...

[aliteraryarchivist]

Maisha wrote: "Part 1; Chapter (1-7)

Loving the book so far. The author has incredibly good writing style. The prose is so gorgeous. I'm not Indian but I know the story of Ramayana really well. Excited to see Va..."

I agree!! I think the prose is beautiful. I am really excited to finish the book. I am also excited to see what the author will do next.

[Maisha]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[ I think Dasharath is a good husband, considering how oblivious her father and brothers were to Kaikeyi's wisdom and talents. And this woman! I really like her. I respect her strong will and determination. She too has flaws and she never refrains from accepting them. What do you think about the other wives? (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

Maisha wrote: "Chapter 11
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I think he is too. I'm happy he doesn't seem to come across as aggressive or manipulative. I'm liking the other wives, but I think Kaikeyi is very protective about who to trust and who not to trust. She views herself as the youngest wife and believes others will judge her because she doesn't have experience in being a wife. I feel like the other wives are trying to be helpful, but unsure how to approach Kaikeyi (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

It's taking me forever to finish this book. I have been so busy lately, couldn't find time to make much progress.

Chapter 17 (view spoiler)[I know Kaikeyi is a villain. But she wasn't always a bad person. I love seeing this soft side of her along with the fierce side. She's such an amazing and loving mother. Never discriminates between Bharat and the other boys. She treats all of them as her own. I know things will change...But it is still good to see these lovely moments. (hide spoiler)]

[Haley]

I'm having the same issue, I thought I'd read more this week but I've been slacking. I sadly have to to work all day today, but I plan on picking it back up tomorrow!

[Maisha]

Chapter 26
(view spoiler)[“He is not ready to be king,” Lakshmana said. He paused to gauge my reaction, and I motioned for him to continue. “Not yet. He will be a great ruler only for
some. His rule will be excellent for many people.”
“But not all of them,”

Exactly what I have been thinking! Rama might be gods-touched but he definitely is not suitable to be the king. The gods has made him a complete puppet and playing a bigger, darker game using him. Rama has influence over people. People loves him. But he clearly doesn't respect women. Women would suffer under his rule. Kaikeyi has started this. So I guess she would try to stop Rama from being the ruler or something. And thus she would become the villain. That's my prediction... (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

Haley wrote: "I'm having the same issue, I thought I'd read more this week but I've been slacking. I sadly have to to work all day today, but I plan on picking it back up tomorrow!"

No worries. Take your time. This book is great. Worth the trouble..

[Maisha]

Just finished
(view spoiler)[ I loved this book. It was epic and wonderful. I liked the first half a lot more than the second half though. The second half spans over so many years and covers so many incidents that it just felt chaotic. My mind was spiralling. It was lot to wrap my head around. The ending was different. Almost like an open ending. I enjoyed that. Overall, Kaikeyi was an amazing book. Solid 4 stars from me. (hide spoiler)]

[aliteraryarchivist]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ I am really enjoying the book so far!!! Kaikeyki breaking the connection with her brother was an emotional read. I really hope their relationship can be repaired. I hope her twin brother learns why he did what he did was wrong. I wonder if Kaikeyki will have some sort of consequences for manipulating people's bonds. Although, I do like how Kaikeyki very much acts her age, despite having a lot of duties. Also the magical system is really interesting and I cannot wait to see it to expand with the rest of the novel!!! (hide spoiler)]

[aliteraryarchivist]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ Wow. I really loved the character development of Kaikeyi and the world building throughout this part. I also love how readers are learning about Kaikeyi's life as if the novel is her autobiography, which is solidified when Kaikeyi foreshadows what is yet to come, such as her husband's death and Rama being trouble. (hide spoiler)]

[aliteraryarchivist]

Part 3 and 4: (view spoiler)[ I feel Part 3 is really when tension between Kaikeyi and Rama starts to grow. The foreshadowing in Part starts to come to fruiton. Retrospectively, I did not realize it was foreshadowing until this part. I felt part 3 and 4 felt a little rushed. Now I do not know if the author was trying to mimic a sense of urgency with the pacing or if I read the last two parts too fast. (hide spoiler)]

[aliteraryarchivist]

Final Thoughts: I loved Kaikeyi. It was a phenomenal retelling and I truly believe Vaishnavi Patel brought a new perspective into this myth (which I did end up looking up). It makes you wonder how many women are villianized in myths, folklore, legends and etc.