Vaishnavi Patel boldly reimagines the life of Kaikeyi, the villainized stepmother from the ancient Sanskrit poem Rāmāayana, in her epic, exhilarating debut novel, Kaikeyi.
Yuvradnyi Kaikeyi, the only daughter of the raja of Kekaya, is no ordinary princess. Gifted with magical knowledge by her banished mother, she can see and sometimes manipulate the bonds between people. Years of training in secret with Yudhajit, her twin and dearest of her seven brothers, make her a superb spearwoman, archer and charioteer at a young age. When her father marries her off to the raja of the powerful kingdom of Kosala, Kaikeyi uses her gifts to save his life in battle. She requests as a reward a seat on his council, which she uses to better the lives of girls and women in Kosala. The respect of her people, the friendship of the raja's other wives and the love of her son and stepsons bring a happiness Kaikeyi never thought possible. When her stepson, Rama, becomes entangled in a struggle between gods and demons, Kaikeyi's desperate bid to save her family and her kingdom may destroy them all.
Patel does for Kaikeyi what Madeline Miller did for Circe in her novel of the same name, transforming a minor character cast by male storytellers as an antagonist into a strong, sympathetic woman determined to build "a place where we could stretch our wings and belong." Woven from a mixture of legends, ancient literature and Patel's own vibrant creativity, this spellbinding story of destiny, divine battles and family ties is intricate and action-packed. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads