NNO Book Club: Kaikeyi

I always say that this book club is not a dictatorship, of if it is, it's more like a benevolent dictatorship (that was a joke). But really, even though I do end up selecting the majority of the books – I try very hard to select things I think the group will like and that is sometimes a LOT of work. So it is one of my happiest moments when someone else suggests a book – even more so when it looks to be right in the wheelhouse for this book club. Many many thanks to TCS for finding and suggesting this one!!

I know very little about the culture and mythological traditions of India so I am very excited for this exploration of the “evil stepmother” from the Ramayana. I have been assured that we do NOT need to be super familiar with that work to enjoy this one. For March 2024, we are reading Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel.

***Book summary from Goodreads***
“I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions—much good it did me.”

So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on tales about the might and benevolence of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the worthy. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to the marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.

Desperate for independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With it, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen.

But as the evil from her childhood stories threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak—and what legacy she intends to leave behind.
The unforgettable tale of a woman determined to leave her mark in a world gods and men dictate the shape of things to come.

"Patel's mesmerizing debut shines a brilliant light on the vilified queen from the Ramayana"

***This month's restaurant selection***
I don't always manage to "theme" the restaurant to the book, but for this month - how could I resist? Particularly when I have found one of the few place that has brought back a lunch buffet and one that is available on Saturdays? For this month, we will be meeting at Desi Flavors on Fletcher. This is tucked into the front of an office park roughly across the street from Lettuce Lake Park. Their website is here: https://www.desiflavorstampa.com/.

***Not sure about book club or never been to one before? ***
Read the book (or some of the book). Come to the Meetup. Eat yummy food and chat with folks about what you thought about the book. REPEAT!

***Not sure where to get the book? ***
All books we select have a decent number of copies (at least 3-4 across all formats) at both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Library. And, of course, you can always buy a copy.

***Didn’t finish/hated this book?***
Come to the Meetup anyway! If you didn't finish - just be aware, there will be spoilers. If you hated it, come and rant! In my experience, the books that generate the best conversations and the books we really love are rarely the same books.