Edit (ao 27 May 2022):

The more I reflected on my reading experience with Kaikeyi, the more I found aspects that I did not like about it. For this reason, I can't confidently recommend this book to other people.

Not recommended.

_

Initial thoughts (ao 23 May 2022):

Interesting. This one is tough to rate and review, given my laughably subpar knowledge on the original text of the Ramayana. So, please take everything I say with a grain of salt.

The writing was strongest and most compelling in the beginning, but unfortunately, the momentum wasn't sustained throughout the rest of the book. It seemed to me that past the halfway mark, things became visibly contrived and underdeveloped, especially in terms of:

1. World-building
2. Portrayal of patriarchy and feminism
3. Juxtaposition between good vs. evil

And due to the combination of these things, Kaikeyi's character arc felt unearned and undeserved. Which I believe is counterproductive to what this reimagining intends to achieve.

However, my personal gripes aside, I still found myself really invested in the outcome of Kaikeyi. It's a good book, but in my opinion, it could've done a lot more.