thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc!

as a feminist, queer reimagining of one of the most vilified women in hindu mythology, kaikeyi was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. this book mentally transported me to when i was a child, listening to my dad tell me the ramayan. because i had heard the epic so many times, i thought i knew what to expect, but there were still twists and turns throughout the book that kept me hooked.

the storytelling was bright and vivid, and the magic system was unique and easy to understand. kaikeyi herself was a wonderful main character and narrator, and it was so fun witnessing her development over the course of her life. the relationships that she had with other characters were written really well and the imagery added another layer to the reader's experience. i wish that the book took us to the end of the epic, but other than that, i barely have any complaints. it's so hard for me to put my feelings about this book into words because i really did love it so much, but this is a fantastic debut and makes me so excited to see more from vaishnavi!