Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this Advanced Reader Copy!

This was just kinda okay.
I have a huge interest in Indian History and Indian Mythology, and when I saw that the author of some of my favorite retellings like Kaikeyi and Goddess of the River was writing another book based on the Avatars of Vishnu....I was sold.

However, after reading this, I am a little disappointed in the execution. This read more like a YA dystopian novel than what I was expecting. There were many moments that I wished the pace was a bit tighter and the infusion of the mythology was a bit less predictable. The LGBT+ inclusion was an interesting choice, and I don't really know if it added anything to the story.

I'm also still unsure of the premise of pushing the Indian independence 20 years later? I read the author's note about writing a more militarized British Raj, but if this was set during the actual independence movement, I feel like it could have been even better? I had a hard time really connecting with any of the characters, and they felt a little bit like token characters (Muslim, Dalit, Uncle, Rapey British Villain)

A definite pro for this story was the inclusion of the religious strife between Hindus and Muslims as well as the plight of the low castes within India, this was probably the first time I've seen that in a novel like this. I felt this inclusion was really important as the story of Indian independence contains a lot more than just freedom from colonialism. Thumbs Up for that!

Kalki Divekar is the strong protagonist in this detailed alternative retelling of India under British rule in the 1960s. Each chapter highlights what Kalki has learned and how she has subsequently grown to lead amongst both personal and political turmoil. The subterfuge involved in the resistance made the last 30% of the book incredibly compelling as it took some time for me to truly become invested in each of the characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Another beautifully written novel by Vaishnavi Patel, who I am convinced doesn't know any way to write prose other than lovely. This was an interesting premise--ten chapters, ten moments, ten avatars, nearly ten years, jumping through an alternate history with emotional layers. Narratively, this was definitely very ambitious and for the most part, I would call it a success. I think it could have been longer, actually, and explored the relationship between Kalki and the other characters with more depth. What we got was very emotional and complex, tackling very challenging issues of queerness, identity, oppression, caste, and religion. The pacing was really slow but interesting, following the evolution of ideas and characters throughout such a long time period.

However, I did struggle with some of historical context. Some of that was that this is an alternate history, and deals with events that didn't happen. But my own lack of knowledge of the details of what DID happen hindered my understanding of some of the twists from reality, I'm afraid. I wish I were better educated on the real history to enjoy the ripples of how it was handled here.

𝐓𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

From the New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi comes an epic and daring novel that imagines an alternate version of India that was never liberated from the British, and a young woman who will change the tides of history.

Set in a fictional India that never secured its independence from Imperial Britain, this story follows Kalki, a young woman who becomes the leader of a rebel group. In the memory of her father, she tries to bring to life a freedom she has neither seen nor knows the cost of.

This novel is written as a ignominy of subjugation and the angst of familial bonds, both found and inherited, in a time of change. It is a stunning read about the realities of fighting for freedom. While this is not the past or reality, the speculative fiction of this book does take a twist on the realities of what could have been with not stress on the supposed 'heroes' who covered their tracks with the good they did and buried their sins and mistakes deeper in that frame. The factors that had hindered in the original revolution were explored and it never felt like anything was out of place. Everything just felt right in place, how the people lived, the suppression and erasing access to history that erased accountability.

It also shows the real sacrifice, struggles, and rifts in revolutionary movements. There are many arguments within the resistance about which actions are appropriate, especially when it comes to violence. Vaishnavi Patel takes liberty to explore all these aspects deeply with meaning and heartbreak.

Patel did an amazing job with this book. I truly do not have enough words to talk about it. I believe more books should be written with this style of speculation and theme because of the current political climate.

The sacrifices and impossible choices that resistance entails, as well as never knowing who to trust and sometimes being forced to trust unlikely people all strike true chords in our own reality. As an Indian, this hit harder that what I expected it to. I cried reading this book. Knowing that this was not a far reality was a dangerous thought.

I'm usually not a speculative literary fiction reader but this book will and always remain close to my heart. I don't think I can ever get over this piece of fiction.

While I found this to be an interesting premise, the writing was basic. The storytelling was forced. It definitely lacked flow and context. But thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was interesting, and while I do enjoy an alternate history, this was a tricky one for me. I unfortunately don't know enough about the true history to know what was alternative about it. I recognize that that is my fault and I will do some reading based on the author's list of resources. However, aside from that, the story was also a bit disjointed for me. I appreciate what she was doing, by incorporating the stories and mythologies she was told as a child and how they related to what she went through as a young woman, but sometimes the stories seemed obstructive to the story. Additionally, the pacing was crazy. The story seems to go very quickly from one event to the next but I'm supposed to believe ten years have passed? This did not work for me. The passage of time did not make sense.

I do appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC and give my honest opinion.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of imagining that the British Raj did not cease in 1947.

Unfortunately I found the writing rather flat and it struck first thing. It was most pronounced during the first 25% of the book. But it remains till the end.

The reveals were surprising as the plotting was intricate and carefully laid out. But I thought the simplistic writing style clouded the overall reading experience. I didn't become immersed or held by the story. In addition, the characters seem to be caricatures or tropes.

I appreciated that each chapter included some telling of India fable or mythology. After a while, though, their introduction or placement felt forced or predictable.

The Author's Note was the most compelling section. The author writes:

Every change to the timeline, every act of brutality, every traitor and martyr, every despicable person's good deed, and every good person's despicable deed, is inspired by real-life events that took place either in India or elsewhere. To explain every real-world parallel would take almost as much space as the book itself, and so I have included a long list of further reading that I found helpful in my research process.... I do not endorse the viewpoint of every source, but they all have something interesting and productive to say about colonialism, rebellion, and oppression. While the events of the book are fictional, the actions of the British are not. From India to Ireland and everywhere in between, they have left a trail of genocide, famine, engineered sectarian violence, cultural repression, and theft....

this is an alternative history novel that explores an india that was never liberated from the british. our main character, kalki divekar, has grown up in kingston, a city the british built on the ashes of bombay. she lost her father years ago to the rebellion, and her peers are being drafted left and right. when tragedy strikes close to home, kalki and her friends begin playing a dangerous game by working for the government while preparing to destroy the empire from the inside.

i loved kaikeyi, so i was looking forward to this book! i loved seeing kalki’s journey from a teen hurting from losing her father to the rebellion to an adult then founding a new rebellion. of course, she couldn’t do this alone, so her best friend and their (fake) husbands were there throughout this journey. overall, this was an incredible book. i’d highly recommend this to historical fiction readers.

My thanks to Netgalley, Vaishnavi Patel, and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for the eARC.
This book proved to be an incredibly thought-provoking and educational experience, shedding light on a subject I previously knew very little about. I was particularly impressed by the clever structure, which presented ten different alternative scenarios and their outcomes across ten chapters. The narrative is heartbreaking and profoundly relevant, making it a truly impactful read for any time, but especially for our current climate.

Thank you Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a thoughtful and ambitious book that explores the many faces of resistance throughout history. It’s clear the author put a lot of care into crafting each story, and the themes feel timely and important. While it didn’t always hold my attention, I can still appreciate the depth and intention behind it—and I think it will resonate more deeply with the right reader.

Thank you again for the ARC!

A fun read, thought provoking look at colonialism and the effects of a person finding their group. Patel chose India but this could be the story of a lot of peoples.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a powerful and well-paced story from Vaishnavi Patel. Once I started, I could not put this heartbreaking and clever book down. Kalki is the daughter of a freedom fighter, who now resides in Kingston. Kingston is an alternate 1960s version of India where the British reign and cloying oppression haunts the streets. Ten Incarnations of Rebellion follows Kalki through a decade of her life. When Kalki decides to try and make a difference, she recruits her friends Fauzia and Yashu. Yet the stakes are life or death and one mistake ends it all. Can the women make a difference in the fight for freedom?

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is an incredibly compelling read. It is clearly well-researched and written with a deep understanding of India. While some of the source material was new to me, readers will not have a difficult time following this alternate version of India that Kalki traverses. Patel weaves a story that is full of heart, rage, sadness, grief, and depicts the unending desire for freedom. I loved Kalki’s friendship and relationship with Yashu and Fauzia. Readers seeking a book that will make them think and feel deeply should read this book. Kalki’s grueling fight for freedom feels more relevant than ever and I would highly encourage you to pick up this book!

Thank you to Vaishnavi Patel, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

This is such a thought-provoking read. Set in an alternate timeline where India hadnt won its independence from Britain, this book follows the start of an independence movement. There were some sections that held my interest better than others, but I very much enjoyed the book and absolutely recommend it.

An alternate history where British colonization in India never ended, and the Empire successfully crushed India’s fight for independence, is a chilling thought, but one that makes for an impressive and timely story.
This book delivers an acute message for anyone living under oppression or questioning what rebellion really means. The rulers twist the truth with propaganda, rewriting history in their favor. But despite years of humiliation and suppression under British rule, unrest begins to simmer in the hearts of India’s people, especially in the cities.
Kalki and her friends finally feel the overwhelming fire of frustration and rage at the injustices done to her people, roiling and igniting the spirit and passion of rebellion. Oh, I can feel it, can’t you? Her journey from quiet fury to active rebellion feels so real, so familiar, and absolutely relevant today.
Woven into her story are rich, lyrical threads of Indian mythology. Tales of gods and goddesses, Vishnu, Krishna, Varaha, Kali, Narasimha, bring cultural depth and pride into the mix, anchoring the struggle in something much older and greater than empire.
A creative, thought-provoking take on colonization, identity, and the fight to reclaim your voice.

This story had a lot of promise and was really enjoyable despite its flaws.

The novel follows Kalki Divekar, a young woman in 1910s India, who leads a rebellion against the British as told through ten vignettes representing the different incarnations of the god Vishnu. This is a revisionist telling of India’s independence movement that explores the cost of freedom against all odds.

This premise of the story hooked me - especially considering the political climate in the US currently. Kalki is a really sympathetic and compelling character, and represents how the cost of rebellions falls so heavily on young people and women. She is possibly one of my favorite characters in the books I’ve read of late.

Where the story struggles is consistency. The supporting characters often do not have consistency in their actions, and will flipflop on themselves within each chapter. It was really destabilizing to the reading experience and pulled me out of enjoying the story.

The pacing was also slightly off within the chapters which detracted from the overall story telling. It made it hard to follow at some times but I think there are still a lot of great redeeming points in the book that make it worth reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-ARC in exchange for this review

This was such a powerful book that packed a strong message in a succinct way. I liked the structure that the author used to tell this story of rebellion, hope and revolution. I liked the main character and how we saw her grow up from young and headstrong 18 year old to a powerful and thoughtful leader of a rebellion. While this is set in an alternate reality it felt so realistic and I think the author did a great job incorporating all the atrocities that the British empire committed worldwide into this alternate timeline. I liked the authors note at the end that mentioned how she tied in actual history into the book. An overall riveting read about the patience and long term struggle of revolution.

I received an eARC thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books. All opinions are my own.

Vaishnavi Patel's Ten Incarnations Of Rebellion is a breathtaking journey through history, masterfully woven with vibrant storytelling and unforgettable characters. This novel doesn't just recount events—it breathes life into them, immersing readers in richly detailed settings and emotional narratives that linger long after the final page.

Patel's characters are the heart of the tale, crafted with depth and authenticity. Each one resonates with genuine emotion, their struggles and triumphs echoing the universal human experience. The historical backdrop is meticulously researched, blending fact and fiction seamlessly to create a narrative that is both educational and profoundly moving.

The pacing is impeccable, with every chapter adding layers to the complex tapestry of rebellion and resilience. Patel's prose is lyrical yet accessible, drawing readers into the soul of the story effortlessly.

The book is really really good. The author does such a great job at capturing the plight of justice and people suffering. Of those who are silenced. This book (first of all talk about girl power) is really deep and keeps you wanting more. She even tackled the prejudice against other Indians based on money and caste. Life is complicated. Justice is complicated. Independence is complicated. It’s both heartbreaking and gut-renching. Really great book. The only reason why I will not give it a 4/5 is because of a relationship between two of the characters but other than that 3.5/5 star read. I loved it

I have so many thoughts and feelings regarding this book. I found the plot, how the story was written, complex and intertwined. I really needed to sit and gather my thoughts. Plus, the number of impactful and emotional events and situations happening that affected all the characters and the differences of how they responded, was really a lot to think about.
Kalki was a hard character to get to know, she really seemed detached and really tried to separate herself in situations, others you really see her discovering new things about herself and her friends since there are several jumps in the future and really see her in these different aspects as tension builds.
All of these characters have been through a lot and so heart breaking, this story was really character driven, feeling slow at times and really taking its time to build. Overall, I liked this book, it was very political, with strong messages and a slow, tense build up.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

Imagine that India never became independent from Great Britain - and that in the 1960s they are still part of the British Empire. Our protagonist, Kalki, has lost much to the Empire, and is tired of the deference she must show to the odious colonizers who speak ill of her people.

Kalki hatches a plan to pretend to work for the Empire, while secretly working to destroy it from within. This is an incredibly dangerous plan, but Kalki knows that things will never change unless people have the courage to resist.

This story resonated with me so much - there is a long game that Kalki is playing here, with a lot at stake and I felt like the tension never let up. This is a wonderful journey to follow, and the engrossing prose and the well crafted characters only added to my enjoyment of the story.