This wasn’t a quick read for me. I was engaged in the story for the first third or so, and then it got bogged down so much that my progress slowed to a crawl. Still, learning about Indian culture and beliefs was fascinating, and I loved Patel’s characterization of women, especially through the eyes of Ganga herself. There’s an interesting duty versus justice theme that really makes you think.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary copy. My review is entirely voluntary.

I have not had the opportunity to read many retellings from Hindu mythology, and not knowing too much detail about The Mahabharata, this book offered me a more detailed look into a specific portion of the epic myth. The story of Ganga, goddess of the river, is brilliantly told. Ganga is cursed to be a mortal until she fulfills the obligations of her curse. She is freed, but must leave her young son behind, and this sets off a chain reactor that leads to a tragic war.

As I said earlier, while I know the broad story of The Mahabharata, I don't know all the details and this book allows me to learn the story of one character in depth. This book is so well written. The writing flows so well and kept me engaged throughout. There are a lot of tough topics throughout, including the great tragedy of war, all of which are handled well and with care. There are a lot of characters and each plays a role in the story, but this is where I felt like the slower paced story shines. Each character is given space and even though there are a lot, it was not difficult to keep track of all of them after getting my bearings. The themes of duty, honor, and justice are prevalent throughout. Along with the theme of the real consequences of one's choices. These overarching themes shape the story.

Vaishnavi Patel is a fantastic and talented writer. She has brought this story to life with the best narrative and I am so glad to have read this book. I would love to read more retellings from The Mahabharata and familiarize myself more to the epic tale. I would highly recommend this book to mythology lovers and those who like a slower paced story that spans decades.

One more thing, if you are planning on reading this book please check TWs.

Love this mother son tale. I bought a physical copy for my shelf. Beautiful cover. Would like to see more from this author.

This book was beautifully written but it was difficult fo me to remain focused on as it didn’t completely catch my attention. I love that it’s a standalone, mythological retelling which I typically always am drawn into, but this one I didn’t struggle with. There was a great number of characters that were hard to keep separated from others. The first half was more intriguing to read while the second just got a little muddy.

Patel did an amazing job at making the religious text Mahabharata digestible for a modern reader. Through the eyes of the river goddess Ganga, the reader experiences the questions of dharma, justice and what responsibilities the powerful have. While there were times that the pace was overwhelming slow, the book was utterly fascinating. There are indeed dark themes and questionable choices but keeping those in perspective helps to not compare it to modern age mentality.

The pacing was so slow, but the story was moving. The book is more political and war-centric than the descriptions let on!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this. The premise was very interesting and was well written however it was just not my personal preference. But I think that the author is great and will look out for thier other works

I really liked Patel's first novel, but this one felt somewhat flat for me. The prose was easy to read but I didn't feel as connected to the characters of Ganga or Bhishma as I had to the main character in Kaikeyi. I'm also not familiar with the source material so I can't comment on whether this is a good adaptation or not, but overall I found this book to just be OK.

An enjoyable telling of a myth I was not familiar with. I did find the characters’ motivations a bit hard to understand, they all seemed a little cold. However, the tale was engrossing and I would read more by this author.

The flow of the story, the writing and the details were so well done! The author has done a great job of tying in so many plots from Mahabharata into a cohesive storyline told from the povs of Ganga and Bhisma

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel!

Thank you to Net Galley & Redhook for this ARC!

A beautiful epic novel recounting the Mahabharata. Having grown up with these stories it’s doubly exciting to read a retelling as an adult and to appreciate the nuances that much more. We follow the relationship between Ganga and her mortal son leading up to the epic war and watch their relationship morph from pure and childlike to a far more complex adult dynamic. The story feels quiet, deliberate and deeply contemplative as we explore themes around mortality, loyalties, duty, being a divine being and the complexities in making any choice. An immersive read and one I couldn’t put down! I would have loved a little epilogue to see Bhishma and Ganga interact one last time but that’s merely for my lil heart craving more peaceful moments.

There are a fair amount of triggering topics within this story and I would recommend looking into the trigger warnings up front.

Vaishnavi Patel is an auto-read author for me. I enjoy her writing style and the strong voice that she gives to female characters. With that said, I didnt enjoy this book as much as Patels first book "Kaikeyi". I found the addition of characters to be confusing and was craving more interactions between Ganga and Bhishma. I would love to re-read this at a later time when I've familiarized myself with Mahabharata as well. I believe the published book does come with a family tree for readers who are not familiar with the characters/Mahabharata to cut down on confusion.

Thank you NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit Books for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you Redhook & Orbit books and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

I was interested in this book from having heard about Kaikeyi being so good and as I was scrolling through the ARCs saw that this was available. I have read the Ramayana but have not read the Mahabharata. So, I am a little familiar with the Gods and Goddesses of Hindu religion. I think had I read the Mahabharata or heard stories from it before, then I would have been a little more interested and invested in this retelling. Not coming from that culture and not knowing all the characters, I think some of the impressiveness of this book was lost on me. That being said, I really liked the parts that were from Ganga's point of view. I found the first person and fantasy elements engaging. The point of view for Bhishma was more complicated with more complicated characters and relationships to remember. Because of this, I found the book's pacing to be a little slow for me. It took me a long time to read through this and I stopped reading at about 60% and just didn't come back to it for a while. From what I have read about the Mahabharata is that it is more a collection of stories than a complete through plot. So, how the author was able to craft a story encompassing all of this into a 400 page novel is very impressive. The exploration of dharma (duty), responsibility, justice and choice is really boiled down and done so well. It's important to see Indian culture and representation in mainstream media.

<b>Who it's maybe for:</b> I think anyone who enjoyed Circe and religious/mythological retellings would really enjoy this book. People who enjoyed the author's first book.

<b> Who it's maybe not for:</b> People who struggle with keeping track of diverse names; People who want faced paced fantasy or plots

Such a tragic and Magical Story! ** Please make sure to check the Trigger warnings on this book before picking it up. *** This is the beautiful tale of a Hindu Mythological Goddess Ganga, Her time on Earth after being cursed to live a human life and a river Goddess. The story opens with tragedy and grief after Ganga Drowns several of her own children (infanticide). Ganga' story then unravels a long struggle of her Devine role and human desires. Plenty of conflict; women's roles, loss, violence, power struggles. Lots of enriched characters, gods and goddess themes. A slow burn but so enjoyable and worth the read.
I will definitely pick this up again and I would love to re-read this in Audio format.
Beautifully written, I was a fan of Kaikeyi and this one was just as enjoyable.

Thank You Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review/opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting retelling and I really enjoyed the first couple parts of the book and really connected with those parts. I really enjoyed this book and story within. I did have time remembering who was who at times and had to stop and really think about it.

There is nothing Vaishnavi Patel can write that I won’t read!

Goddess of the River is a captivating tale that immerses readers in a lush world where mythology intertwines with the human experience. Patel's vivid prose brings the river goddess to life, exploring themes of love, loss, and the unyielding power of nature.

The narrative dances between the past and present, weaving together rich cultural elements and emotional depth. I was particularly struck by the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery, as she navigates the expectations of her lineage while yearning for her own identity.

Vaishnavi’s storytelling is both poetic and profound, making it an enchanting read that will resonate with fans of mythological fiction. If you’re looking for a book that beautifully blends fantasy with poignant life lessons, Goddess of the River is an absolute must-read!

DNF at 33%

I didn't dislike this book. The prose was beautiful and the narrator is great but the narrative structure reminds me of Circe which I had similar last feelings about. It's more of a passive narrative which I know some people love but I don't enjoy as much. I may come back to this book at some point but I usually need to be in the mood for a book like this.

That's how you do a mythological retelling!

Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rating: 5⭐
Diversity: South Asian/Indian

SUMMARY:
Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel is a reimagining of the story of Ganga, the river goddess, who is cursed to live as a human. After being forced to marry King Shantanu, Ganga bears him a son, Devavrata, but is compelled to leave him behind just as her curse lifts. Devavrata, unaware of his mother's curse, swears never to claim his father’s throne, a decision that sets in motion events leading to war. Patel’s novel weaves themes of duty, destiny, and the complex bond between mother and son in a tale exploring Ganga's struggle for freedom and Devavrata's tragic legacy.

WHAT I LIKED & DISLIKED ABOUT IT:
I loved this book! We start with Ganga in her purest form as a river goddess called down to Earth. There is incredible character growth in Ganga. She distrusts and judges the humans because she does not understand them, even when she is forced to live among them as one. It's not until she has her son that we see her learn more about humanity. This book was a masterclass in philosophy. There were so many themes to explore and ponder, like what does it mean to be honorable and keep your word if doing so harms others? Does freedom mean you get to do whatever you want?

The only thing I didn't like was it was a slow read but that wasn't a deal breaker. There was so much to take in. This book is something I will revisit because I know I'll learn something new each read.

RECOMMENDATION:
This book is perfect for those who love mythology retellings like Circe and the philosophical context found in Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.