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A review by scrubsandbooks
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As a South Asian reader with Hindu family members, I'm not a stranger to the story of Rama and Sita and how their return to Ayodhya is marked by the celebration of Diwali. So, I jumped at the chance to read the retelling of the story from the POV of the allegedly wicked stepmother. I absolutely loved how the author told her story. I do agree that the pacing at some points felt like it dragged and many parts made me wonder why it was even written in but I suppose in the long run, it added more depth to Kaikeyi's motives for every decision she took. I already knew the ending, of course, but the story gave one hope that it would change and things would work out. I do believe there were also strong aromantic and asexual vibes with the MC which was a delight to read as a South Asian ace myself!
Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Misogyny, War, Death, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility