I get what you mean about the writing reflecting her age. How do we form our own opinions from knowledge? What makes an opinion truly ours?Īdding all your myth retelling recs to my TBR (I originally DNF’d Witch’s Heart but I think I need to give it another go).

“It is admirable to seek out more knowledge, so long as you form your own opinions,” is one of my favorite quotes from Kaikeyi.

How do you feel about the portrayal of Rama in this retelling? Ravana? Sita?.

What does it mean to take responsibility for your actions? In what ways does Kaikeyi show that?

There’s a recurring theme of owning actions in Kaikeyi (at no point is Manthara blamed).

How do you feel about Vaishnavi Patel’s depiction of motherhood? How did Kaikeyi’s own relationship with her parents influence her role as a parent?.

How do you feel about the Women’s Council? In what ways did the Women’s Council shape the story?.

What did you expect from Kaikeyi’s relationships with Kausalya and Sumitra? Did her relationships surprise you? If so, in what ways?.

How does Kaikeyi transform and grow (as a character) over the course of the book?.

How do you feel about the feminist aspects of the story? What makes Kaikeyi feminist?.

How do you feel about the Binding Plane? How did you feel when Kaikeyi used the Binding Plane?.

Have you read (or heard) any version of the Ramayana before? If yes, how did that impact your reading experience? Do you think people would benefit from knowing the story of the Ramayana before reading Kaikeyi?.

You can join in regardless of whether you’ve read, not read, or DNF’d the book! I understand that not everyone has the time to read or finish the book so I try to include a general discussion question as well to make the discussions more inclusive. Travel Book Club: Hungry By Jeff Gordinier Discussion I’d love to hear your thoughts on Vaishnavi Patel’s debut novel in the comments below!

And I understand that depending on the version of the Ramayana you grew up with, this book might be a hit or miss for you.

It expresses love for a religion while also being critical of it. It adds nuanced commentary to a world of patriarchy. It offers an alternate universe, one where there is a push for women supporting women. Kaikeyi takes characters that were given just skin and bones in the Ramayana and fleshes them out. Kaikeyi is not so much a retelling of the Ramayana as it is a mythology-inspired fantasy that fills in the blanks to a forgotten history. And now, with my own words in mind, I can say I loved it. With those words in mind, I read the book. I had heard that the main character was strong, that she was a woman of her own convictions, that this Kaikeyi made her own decisions. I had heard of the bravery in its storytelling, of its willingness to attack patriarchy, of its ability to show the deep, lasting bonds that can form between women. I knew before reading Kaikeyi that it would be one of my favorite fantasy books of 2023.

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