‘Kaikeyi’ by Vaishnavi Patel

Before this story was Rama’s, it was mine.

‘Kaikeyi’ by Vaishnavi Patel continues the long tradition of retelling one of the most important Hindu epics, the Ramayana. Many of these retellings revisit female and/or villainized characters—like Kaikeyi—and allow them to tell their stories on their own terms.

At the heart of this novel is Kaikeyi, one of Rama’s mothers. In the original Ramayana, she’s often portrayed as a jealous, power-hungry woman who manipulates her husband into exiling Rama and crowning his brother Bharata king—the only son she gave birth to. But in this retelling, Kaikeyi is more than the sum of her actions.

Patel crafts a complex, multidimensional protagonist who grapples with duty, autonomy, and patriarchy. While Kaikeyi is still ambitious, she is also thoughtful, compassionate, and driven by a desire to protect those she loves and to shape a more just world. The novel blends a Hindu epic with magic and feminist insights to create a compelling reimagining.

Plus, it features a beautifully portrayed ace/aro character, which is still far too rare in epic and fantasy books!

CW: sexism/misogyny, war, violence, forced marriage, parental death