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A review by weiwuxivns
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So happy I decided to pick this up, I think this is the type of book I’ve always wanted to read. My mother always wanted me to read the old hindu myths and stories and I think Kaikeyi was the perfect read to introduce me to the Ramayana that was engaging to me.
I only knew a loose idea about the Ramayana before, mostly the tales about Rama, Sita, and Ravana, and never knew about Kaikeyi prior. In the summaries I’ve read before it was clear she was painted as almost an evil-stepmother stereotype. I absolutely love the way all her actions were fleshed out from a deeper backstory and the author made her a three dimensional, admirable woman. Keeping this spoiler-free but the ending was so inspiring, I feel so much rage for her and the injustices she faced but the fruits of her efforts still bloomed into tangible change for women.
To view the classic tale of good vs evil with characters shone in a different light, making them fall onto unexpected sides of the morality spectrum, was absolutely compelling. I was most surprised by the characterization of Ravana as a progressive, intelligent, fatherly man as opposed to the insidious demon which I had grown up knowing. It inspires me to read more of the original texts to examine what were his motivations and values, because I think his depiction here really puts a spin on what is defined to be evil.
The relationships between so many of the characters were so beautiful to me and Patel did a great job creating those relationships so that they were as tangible as the threads of the binding planes. It was a wonderful rollercoaster of warmth, rage, heartbreak, and hope. From now on, Ramayana will also be Kaikeyi’s story to me.
I only knew a loose idea about the Ramayana before, mostly the tales about Rama, Sita, and Ravana, and never knew about Kaikeyi prior. In the summaries I’ve read before it was clear she was painted as almost an evil-stepmother stereotype. I absolutely love the way all her actions were fleshed out from a deeper backstory and the author made her a three dimensional, admirable woman. Keeping this spoiler-free but the ending was so inspiring, I feel so much rage for her and the injustices she faced but the fruits of her efforts still bloomed into tangible change for women.
To view the classic tale of good vs evil with characters shone in a different light, making them fall onto unexpected sides of the morality spectrum, was absolutely compelling. I was most surprised by the characterization of Ravana as a progressive, intelligent, fatherly man as opposed to the insidious demon which I had grown up knowing. It inspires me to read more of the original texts to examine what were his motivations and values, because I think his depiction here really puts a spin on what is defined to be evil.
The relationships between so many of the characters were so beautiful to me and Patel did a great job creating those relationships so that they were as tangible as the threads of the binding planes. It was a wonderful rollercoaster of warmth, rage, heartbreak, and hope. From now on, Ramayana will also be Kaikeyi’s story to me.