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Kaikeyi

Written by: Vaishnavi Patel
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
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Publisher's Summary

“With a graceful, measured elegance” (The 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

"A powerful, feminist retelling of the epic...Patel resets the balance of power, creating an unforgettable heroine who understands that it isn’t necessarily kings or gods who change history."The 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 The Wolf and the Woodsman

"Compulsively readable and infinitely compassionate." ―Roshani Chokshi, author of The Gilded Wolves

"A thought-provoking, nuanced new look at one of humanity’s most foundational stories." —Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB PICK • "MYTHIC RETELLING AT ITS BEST." (R. F. Kuang, author of Babel)

©2022 Vaishnavi Patel (P)2022 Redhook
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What the critics say

"A powerful examination of a woman maligned by myth and men. Patel’s imagination takes a hammer to the image of a stonehearted villainess and reveals the woman within, whose choices sparked immortal legends. Compulsively readable and infinitely compassionate, this is the story I’ve been yearning for all my life." (Roshani Chokshi, New York Times best-selling author of the Aru Shah and Gilded Wolves series)

"Patel’s mesmerizing debut shines a brilliant light on the vilified queen from the Ramayana…. Readers familiar with the source text will be wowed by Patel’s reimagining, while those new to the story will be won over by its powerful, multilayered heroine and epic scope. This easily earns its place on shelves alongside Madeline Miller’s Circe." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“The novel is compelling and rich, drawing on the source material while furnishing its characters with new complexity and motivations. Fans of Madeline Miller's Circe will fall hard for this story about a woman determined to do what’s right for her kingdom and its women, walking the fine line between rebellion and convention.” (Booklist, starred review)

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What listeners say about Kaikeyi

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  • Overall
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Boldly imaginative,

Complex characters and plots, intrigues, fascinating characters . A long , fascinating journey through ancient India. A great story for a road trip.

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  • Overall
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Absolutely riveting!

As someone who has studied Hindu mythology, this was a brilliant telling of Ramayana from the perspective of Queen Kaikeyi. Will be recommending this listen to many a friends and family!

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hope there is a sequel coming

I really enjoyed the strong female lead and how the story wove in women's rights

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Excellent Historical Fiction

This was a pleasure to listen to a feminist re-imagining of the Hindu epic Ramayana. This is one I would definitely go back for a future listens. Highly recommended.

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excellent story to be swept up in.

I really loved this story, it's psychological, political, and magickal. The rich Hindu mythology is made mortal in every character

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A beautiful, tragic, empowering tale of family

I was absolutely blown away by this book. A story of power, love, and challenging choices, KAIKEYI is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

The story follows Kaikeyi, a woman who is placed in an arranged marriage, but who uses her power to improve the lives of women in a society that disregards their value.

Kaikeyi is a fantastic character. She is intelligent, brave, powerful, and utterly devoted to her family. She makes choices that alter those around her, and even when everything crumbles around her, she never stops trying to do the right thing.

The relationships Kaikeyi develops with her sons, husband, sister-wives, brother, and father are all incredibly complex and well fleshed out. There are no villains, just characters with different ideas of right and wrong, which create truly devastating moments near the end.

Much of the plot is politically and family oriented, though I never felt bored or confused. There is plenty going on, but concentrating on the characters is where the story truly shines.

This is a gorgeous, heart rending story with an excellent ending that will stick with me for a long time. Recommended for anyone who loves family oriented epics and stories of female empowerment.

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Not really for me

Book club read for Dec-Jan.
This wasn’t bad. I didn’t know the mythology of Kaikeyi and the Ramayana and I see there’s a lot of controversy about the accuracy of details, so I’m glad I avoided all that. The story was moderately interesting, and written quite passively, so at times my mind wandered. I listened to the audiobook, which was very slow so I managed to listen at 1.25 and finished pretty quickly. It would have been nice to have a narrator with a slight Indian accent.
It’s another story of a woman in a man’s world, whose value really lies in being a wife and mother until she discovers magic and changes her fate. The fantasy stuff was minimal, which was good for me.

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Okay

I was excited about reading this - but the book fell short. Disappointing. Kaikeyi came across as self loathing rather than self empowered.

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