Thanks to Redhook for the copy of this book!

Another solid retelling by Vaishnavi Patel, this time a retelling of the Mahabharata. I love the way these stories are brought to life with vivid imagery, strong female leads, and lots of complex relationships. While this was definitely darker than KAIKEYI and it was a bit more slow-paced, I did still enjoy this one and learning about Ganga!

Goddess of the River follows the River Ganga as she is cursed to become a mortal. Once fulfilling the curse, she is freed of her human binding and forced to leave her mortal son (Devavrata) behind. This sets off a chain of events that leads directly to war.

I really enjoyed this story. I thought the characters were engaging and interesting. The only problem I had with this book was the pacing toward the middle. There were so many characters thrown at me that it was hard to keep up with who belonged where. I found it to drag just a little. I am excited to read more from Patel.

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

Such a worthwhile and unique fantasy read. Ganga is made so relatable and her journey is compelling. I could not put this down.

As beautiful as the prose is, I really was hoping for a retelling. The story of Ganga was placed in different places and it got really muddled and confusing.

As someone who does not know anything about Hindu mythology, this book lead me to research stuff on my own when I was finished. I believe any book that keeps you interested in the topic after you're done, is definetly worth the read. I picked this book because the synopsis was very interesting and I wanted to dip my toes into Hindu mythology because I love Greek mythology.
That being said, I loved the mother/son relationship, the writing was very descriptive, and ultimately the inevitable war was really interesting to read.
The cover is also beautiful!

Beautiful retelling of the Indian myth of Ganga and her doomed mortal son. This was a great intro to Indian mythology and I really enjoyed it!

DNFed at around 10%. I don't know why I could get into Kaikeyi and not this one. I have every intention of giving it another shot, but no guarantees.

could not get over the whole "river as a person" thing. I tried but the writing was just not as good as the authors earlier work.

Like her previous novel, Kaikeyi, Patel takes an Indian Sanskrit epic and uses it to create this intriguing novel. In this one, Ganga, Goddess of the River, gets put under a spell and becomes human, giving birth to a son. It follows her journey as a human and how her son's actions lead to war.

Patel's writing is as gorgeous as ever, but the narrative lost me in the second half. As compelling as Ganga was, her son's struggles weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked. The beginning of the book was more engaging than the end, but Ganga's struggles to navigate a human/God dichotomy were definitely compelling and worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook for this ARC Copy!

This is such a beautifully written story with such a poetic prose. The balance of beauty and also brutality really does a good job showing the world for what it really is. The narrative style can be a bit much for me and it took me a lot longer to get though that most books, but it was not something that I could just sit down and read for hours. I was extremely interested in the culture and the world but it was not something that I could really commit to finishing in a timely manner. This style just may not be for me, but I know that this book will be loved by many.

I was not at all familiar with the mythology of Ganga so this was a delight. Patel adds just enough of her own spin on the story to make it a captivating read from beginning to end. The characters were all well fleshed out and very easy to relate to.

Thank you to Redhook and NetGalley for this eARC! <3

I have a somewhat complicated relationship with this book. First off, I think Patel has a very enticing and unique writing style, and she really made it fit with this retelling. I also recognize that in writing this story, she was undertaking a pretty well-known retelling, and though it was triggering at times for me, it really came together. I felt like every side character, every detail, and exploration really fit together to deliver this intricate overall story. I don't necessarily gravitate towards this genre, but I can safely say that this was a beautifully-written story that would be enjoyed by fans of mythology and fantasy.

No one writes like Vaishnavi Patel. She just has a way of getting you so irrevocably entranced in a story. It’s easily accessible, but also a gorgeous experience. The best kind of storytelling.

It did get a little bogged down by the war elements, and I do wish it focused more on Ganga and less on Bhishma. But overall, I definitely enjoyed.

There are definitely content warnings and it is a tragic tale, and it shows how complex and gray life can be. But these characters are brought to life in the most magical way!

I didn't enjoy this as much as Kaikeyi, unfortunately. I do like Patel's writing style, but I just wasn't very interested in any other perspective than Ganga's. I was bored through a lot of the chapters from her son's perspective. I think that the first part of the book was very strong, but I got less and less interested the more I read.

At the novel's open, we meet the incredibly powerful Ganga, goddess of the river, enjoying her time experiencing everything around her, and caring for several godlings who roam her banks. When Shiva thinks Ganga's and the godlings' antics are causing havoc, he decides to make her and the little godlings mortal, putting her in a human body, and telling her that until all of the little gods have died, she cannot become immortal.

King Shantanu passes by the river shortly after, is entranced by her beauty, and convinces her to not only accompany him back to his home, but to also become his queen. She acquiesces, and they have a happy marriage. Ganga becomes pregnant several times, with a godling each time, and with a midwife's help, births them in secret, releases them back to their immortal states, then tells the King that each baby died. The last time she attempts this, Shantanu finds her and takes her newly born son (and godling) from her. Grief-stricken, Ganga is given back her immortality, and must watch her son, now called Devavrata, grow up. They do eventually reunite and she takes great joy in getting to know her boy, who is a good, and kind person.

There is much politicking in the kingdom, and when Devavrata is older, he makes an oath to never become king, making way for his cousins to vie for his father's throne instead. These cousins are initially friendly, but as they become men, jealousies and angers transform into scheming, hatred, assassination attempts, and eventually war, forcing Devavrata, now known as Bhishma, to take a side, though he has maintained his neutrality for years, thanks to his oath. Ganga watches from the sidelines, as terrible battles ensue, with families split and at each other's throats.

This was a terrific retelling of the epic story the “Mahabharata”. It's from a different perspective from the one I've normally read, but that makes the story even richer and shows the groundless envy, selfishness, fear and stupidity afflicting those who crave power.

I loved Ganga and her sometimes remote, sometimes deeply caring, perspectives, and her desire to protect her son. It was also really interesting seeing how the Pandavas and Kauravas move, step-by-step, towards war from Bhishma's increasingly frustrated and conflicted perspective.

For those unfamiliar with the epic, there are a huge number of characters to track, and even I had some trouble remembering who some of them were. There are also some genuinely difficult scenes to get through, involving child deaths and rape, and other moments of violence. But don't let that dissuade you. This is a beautifully and sensitively written story of a goddess who is delighted by the life around her, chafes at the limits of her curse, deeply loves her child, rails at the implacability of Shiva's black and white reasoning behind some of his decisions, and who grows incredibly in wisdom and compassion.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Goddess of the River is a feminist fantasy that dives deep into Indian myths with much to say. The storytelling style wasn't keeping me engaged, but the plot and themes hit hard - focusing on strong women facing struggles and oppression. The discussion around duty versus justice set against a backdrop of Indian culture was a perfect setup for personal contemplation.

Admittedly, I struggled to get through it. There were parts that were quite dark and others that slowed down completely, and I was having difficulty keeping track of all the characters. But learning about Indian beliefs was eye-opening, and the way Ganga was portrayed was powerful. The book flows like a river, weaving through time and different lives, all while tackling deep topics like sacrifice and what it means to stand by your principles.

If you're into mythological fantasy that's not afraid to get philosophical and morally murky, I would highly recommend this. Patel's writing pulls you into a world filled with heartache, tough decisions, and a hefty dose of human complexity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for an advanced digital reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This isn't the type of book that you binge read in a single sitting. You savor it a sip at a time. Normally, I don't love those kind of books, but I really appreciate them. That's how I feel about this book. I didn't love it, but I appreciate the story it told. Every sentence is written with such craft and care that I paused a few times to appreciate the author's style.

This book was fantastic! As someone who grew up learning about Hindu mythology, I felt that it gave an accurate overview while also providing a more emotional attachment to Ganga than the Mahabharata typically does. It also allowed readers to truly understand the dilemma between dharma and doing what is morally right.

Book Name: Goddess of the River
Author: Vaishnavi Patel

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and **Redhook Books**

Stars: 3.5

- Thoughts.
- Hard to Follow
- Flash Backs
- poetic prose
- Indian mythology
- unique storytelling
- it just wasn’t compelling
- wish the writing style was more accessible

3.75
Well-written and enjoyable read. The 1st part of the book was quick and after about page 100 slowed down a bit with a lot of characters to figure out and found it a bit confusing. Overall, good read and I would recommend this book if you enjoyed Kaikeyi.