Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel is an ambitious, speculative fiction novel about a re-imagined history of India in the 1960s. Patel tells an alternate timeline story about an India which did not become an independent country in 1947 and remained a colony of England.

The story is told through the perspective of Kalki, a young nineteen-year-old woman living in Kingston. The city is built on the destroyed land of Bombay. There are ten chapters which reflect the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Each chapter describes a year in Kalki’s life as she organizes a resistance against the British and works towards her people’s independence. Her inspiration is her father, an original member of the liberation movement, and her comrades are women within Kingston seeking the same freedoms as Kalki. What starts out as a non-violent, strategic movement created to give a voice to Indians ends up with twists and turns the reader will not see coming.

The emotions throughout this novel are strong—the women in this story define what it means to fear, to fight, and to hope…all while empowering themselves to seek out the true meaning of loyalty, friendship, and freedom.

The pacing of the story grips the reader while the vividness of the writing drops the reader right into the streets of Kingston, walking alongside Kalki. Patel once again proves her ability to interweave past and present with cultural references, and creates a masterpiece which will leave readers reflecting on the current state of the world and the everlasting impact of colonialism.

The book describes an alternate history where India is still under British rule and Mumbai is Kingston. I like that at its heart it explores rebellion and the different forms it can take, some more subtle than others, but all with the urgent need to stand for freedom and equality. I was immersed in Kalki's pursuit of her ideals and the lengths she explored to achieve them. I also enjoyed how the author weaved in Hindu mythology—the ten incarnations of Vishnu—into each chapter. It's a great read.

4.5 stars

I was given an advanced reader copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review, thank you.

A poignant and emotional imagining of a parallel Indian society where the 1960s were still under colonial British rule. This feminist revolution story takes real life occasions of rebellion and weaves them into an imagined past that takes place not long ago.

The main character, Kalki, and her friends are very well developed and display great strength through the many ups and downs in the years they live through their uprising in the re-imagined India.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a thought-provoking and immersive exploration of power, identity, and resistance. The author’s unique narrative structure and rich character development create a gripping read. Highly recommended for those who enjoy deep, philosophical stories with emotional depth!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a 320-page book by Vaishnavi Patel, who also wrote Goddess of the River. Set in an alternate 1960s timeline where India was not liberated from Great Britain, and told in first person over several years, this book uses the structure of the traditional story of the ten trials of Vishnu as a framework to recount the ten rebellious acts that our main character undertakes as a freedom fighter.

Kalki Divekar’s father was a freedom fighter and she’s bound and determined to follow in his impressive footsteps. Her first rebellious act is to hope. She breaks into an archive and retrieves the lyrics to a once-popular song which the British colonists have now banned - Vande Mataram - which is a traditional song and poem about freedom.

As the story progresses, and Kalki grows up, her acts become more dangerous. This book has lots of twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes with pacing that amps up as you read along. This book is haunting and captivating with strong characters that will have you yearning for more.

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I'm a big fan of Vaishnavi Patel's “Kaikeyi," and"Ten Incarnations of Rebellion" is a worthy follow-up. In it, Patel imagines that India did not become independent of England in 1947. Britain used the country's many internal struggles against and kept its grip on the subcontinent. That's a tight and unwavering grip, banning all languages but English, all traditional dress, music, and dance, restricting all Indians to certain parts of the city where Kalki and her family live. Kalki's father has already disappeared, either dead or vanished for his role in a burgeoning revolutionary movement.

Buy the time Kalki finishes junior college, the movement is gathering strength. She starts with small acts and realizes that other young women are flocking to her, wanting to take part. She becomes the leader of a women's group of resisters, which includes Muslims and Dalits as well. But in the way of revolution, violence finds its way into their movement. How will they handle the increasing requirements to rid India of the British?

This book is good. Even though it is set in an alternative universe, the story is completely believable and the way Kalki and her team manifest their revolutionary acts is in character.

"Ten Incarnations of Rebellion" shines in characterization and relationships. It's a fascinating take on alternative history.

I received a DRC of this book from NetGalley and Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is set in a world in which India did not win its independence from Britain in 1947. Commencing in the 1960’s, we follow Kalki, as she follows in her father’s footsteps as the new leader of the Indian Liberation Movement. Her father disappeared at the height of his resistance years prior, leaving Kalki only with his tips and tricks of insurrection.

Each chapter follows a path in Kalki’s journey, alluding to the ten incarnations of Vishnu. I loved the richness of being immersed in the bits and pieces of her culture that she would not allow the British to strip from her.

Kalki is the complicated female main character that we’ve been begging for. She is too quick to anger, and makes mistakes, but her passion is palpable through the pages. Her and her comrades have to ask each other difficult questions, and figure out what lengths they are willing to go to in order to achieve true freedom. Can revolution truly be achieved without violence, and can they make the decision for those around them without it weighing on their soul?

I’m about to say something that I you will rarely hear from me. I feel this book could have been longer. I came to love Kalki and the women in her life, and think the heavy themes could have been explored even more from their perspective. But with that said, you can tell Patel put her heart and soul into this story and it pays off.

A big thank you to Random House publishing Group - Ballantine Books and Netgalley for a copy of this e ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Vaishnavi Patel is one of my instant buy authors and for good reason.

Her debut Kaikeyi was a work of art that tackled the history of Hindu’s complicated relationship with religion, culture and womanhood. Goddess of the River built upon that framework and tackled the spiritual and ethical discussions of divine intervention and the limitations of the human condition. But Ten Incarnations of Rebellion blows them both out of the water with the sheer weight of history and cost of freedom that this book unpacks.

Patel unflinching looks at the impact of casteism, classism, Islamophobia, lateral violence, and political dissent all while active threat of colonial rule. Ten Incarnations doesn’t pull any punches, showing you the desperate fight for survival and liberation, and the human cost of war. You leave the book hopeful but also all too aware that freedom doesn’t come cheap.

It’s clear that this book is a labour of love and for that reason, I give it 10/5 stars.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion throws you into an alternate 1960s India….
one where British rule never ended. Kalki Divekar has spent her life under imperial control, but the memory of her father’s failed rebellion pushes her to take up the fight for freedom. Alongside a group of women, she builds a movement from the ground up, knowing full well that revolution comes with a price.

This book doesn’t hold back. It’s all about resistance, sacrifice, and the messy, complicated choices that come with fighting for something bigger than yourself. Patel weaves in Hindu mythology, tying Kalki’s journey to the ten incarnations of Vishnu, and the world feels unsettlingly real…. Almost like history could have easily gone this way. Kalki is such a compelling lead, not just thrown into the fight but actively choosing it, and the supporting characters add even more layers to the story.

In saying that…. I really did wish for the story to slow down in some parts, as it did feel a little rushed at times
Having more time with the characters and the world-building, just to get to know them better, build more of an attachment. The mythology tie-ins were cool, but they sometimes interrupted the flow of the story. Still, this was a gripping, thought-provoking read! If you’re into alternate history, revolution stories, or badass women fighting for freedom, this one’s worth picking up.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

In an alternate timeline, the British still rule India. Native Indians, however, fight back against their oppressors. Kalki is one such rebel.

The story of Kalki goes from a young woman who follows the rules to a confident woman who’s not afraid to fight for what’s right. She finds her voice throughout the story and has no problem making sure the British hear it by any means necessary. Despite everything, she is an unstoppable force.

Patel’s story goes deeper than Kalki’s fight to free hee county. We also see her friendship with Fauzia grow into a deeper connection. Both women know their relationship is an act of rebellion in and of itself. They risk all, however, for a better future for themselves and their country.

Patel’s story is a detailed deep dive into an alternate timeline. It shows how one person can buck the system both individually and as a whole. Kalki inhabits a world where hee very existence and love are threats to her oppressors. She could hide, but she chooses to live instead.

<b>TL;DR:</b> A truly unique work based on an alternate history world where India did not become independent from colonial British rule in 1947. Perfect for historical fiction enthusiasts, but take care if you're not familiar with India's history, there's not much context given here and history has literally been rewritten.


The year is 1962, and our protagonist, Kalki Divekar lives in a version of Mumbai that is oppressed, violent, and ruled by British propaganda—an alternate timeline that was just a higher degree of violence away. The world feels so terrifyingly plausible, that at times you forget that you're not reading true "historical" fiction. This novel focuses on Kalki and her fight for freedom in this world, interspersed with retellings of the stories of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Vaishnavi Patel does not shy away from asking difficult moral questions about violence, sacrifice, imperialism, and classism in this one, and maintains a balance between the story of the characters, the myths, and social ideological discussions.

I've grown up learning as much as I can about Indian mythology and freedom fighters, through my education, stories told to me, and my own interests. This book is a shining example of the author's deep respect and fascination for the same. I think I find this novel to be extremely emotionally compelling because of that deep connection to these aspects. That said, I have thoughts.

<b>The good:</b>
I loved, loved Kalki's character. An intelligent, nuanced, headstrong female character who yearns for freedom, and builds a liberation movement is a literal breath of fresh air in a genre where protagonists are typically thrust into the forefront of rebellions rather than leading them willingly. Patel also captures India's diversity in this book (an amazingly difficult task to do), while keeping the focus only on a city, and it shows that she's tweaking the history of a whole subcontinent. There are plot points and representations that I think border on wish fulfillment—advancement for historically oppressed groups faces a lot more resistance than the way it happens here, but at least Patel makes a point to discuss every such decision explicitly (if a little less subtly). I genuinely like how the plot unfolds, a top-tier grassroots rebellion narrative that connects the politics of an entire nation.

<b>The bad:</b>
The main place where this book suffers is that Patel's writing does not match the standard of her idea in places. The writing is powerful in places, but painfully simplistic in places, which makes the flow inconsistent. Several times, Kalki goes through some traumatic experience and sits down with a friend or something and goes like, hey, let's recount a myth to ourselves, in a monologue, to calm ourselves....as real people do. That's a stylistic choice, but my immersion took major hits here. This book also needed to be much longer, perhaps double the length. Kalki's and the rebels' backgrounds needed more expansion, and the historical events were too fast-paced and packed with details to be completely immersive.

<b>The ugly:</b>
I must say I am super miffed about 1) a certain predictable plot point that a novel focusing on rebellion tends to have happening in this one and 2) a certain character's irredeemable actions which the narrative tries to redeem in a way?! Nuance was lost on me here.

Overall, this is the kind of book that fiction is made for, and I'm so glad I got to read it. Would it have been a much better read for me if it were longer and more polished? Absolutely. 3.75 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book changed everything for me. This was exactly what I needed right now. I am ordering a physical copy right now, and this has become my number one read of the year. It was such an emotional journey. Patel writes in such a way that it was so easy for me to live this story through the main character’s eyes and feel everything that happens to her.

At a time where there is a constant fight for freedom, this book is broken into ten chapters of ten perfectly written stories that make up a ten year fight for India’s independence from Britain which was very much a real fight in history.

The story is all told from the perspective of Kalki. She goes through rebellion, relationships, heartbreaks, grief, violence, hard learned lessons, and moral inspirations to fight for her and her family and friends’ native lands and the freedom of religion and expression in their own homeland.

This book had hope and light in a time of absolute bleakness - something I think we are all struggling with right now. It is an absolute inspiration. I walked away changed on a cellular level after reading this. I will be making ALL of my friends read it. It is a masterclass in historical, speculative fiction.

I may have more to say later, but this was incredible. Thank you so so much Random House, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for this ARC. Thank you Vaishnavi Patel for this incredible gift of a story.

thank you to Vaishnavi Patel and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for my review!

Reading Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel was an absolutely unforgettable experience. From the very first page, I was captivated by the rich, alternate-history setting of 1960s India still under British rule. Kalki Divekar’s story is both deeply personal and undeniably epic, as her quiet acts of rebellion grow into something much larger and more powerful. The parallels to the Dashavatara—the ten avatars of Vishnu—added a profound layer of symbolism and depth that made me reflect on each moment of her journey.

The relationships in the book stood out to me the most. Kalki’s bond with cautious Yashu and visionary Fauzia created a beautiful, layered dynamic that highlighted the importance of friendship and solidarity in the face of overwhelming oppression. Patel’s writing is nothing short of stunning, blending poetic prose with razor-sharp tension as the stakes rise higher with each chapter. The balance between the intimate moments of Kalki’s life and the broader political struggle was masterfully handled, leaving me both emotionally moved and intellectually stirred.

This novel is a triumph—a bold, thought-provoking exploration of freedom, resilience, and self-determination. Vaishnavi Patel has crafted a world and a heroine that will stay with me for a long time. I can’t recommend Ten Incarnations of Rebellion enough, and I wholeheartedly give it a glowing 5 stars for its depth, creativity, and heart.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a speculative fiction book that explores an alternate timeline where India did not gain their independence, and Kalki, the protagonist, fights for the freedoms of her people by setting up a clandestine chapter of the Indian Liberation Movement in her hometown of Kingston (aka Mumbai). The world building in this book was so well done that, on occasion, I’d forgot it was speculative fiction; when the book would deliberately contradict facts I knew to be true (like references to Ghandi and his life), I was momentarily confused before I’d remember I was reading an alternate reality. It would pull me momentarily out of the book but I think it’s a credit to the writer for being able to build this world so believably that a reader could forget it is not a historical fiction.

The story explores ten years of Kalki’s life and how her work establishing a full on rebellion grew from a small inkling of a hope to the climactic conclusion (which I won’t spoil for the reader but there were twists I didn’t see coming and parts that made me cry and feel every emotion of fear and rage and sadness right along with Kalki). I really appreciated the nuance with which Vaishnavi Patel approached the themes and the complexity of the relationships across caste, race, and religious lines. Kalki was not the all good heroine of the story, she made mistakes she regretted bitterly and she had to swallow her pride on occasion. Further, the British weren’t always the monsters they were painted to be either. It was very well done. Do the ends justify the means?

The only bits that detracted from the story line were the themes of sexuality. Even in the alternate reality it felt far fetched, and its inclusion did not seem to add anything foundational to the story. I found it hard to believe there be one homosexual relationship between a devout Muslim and a Hindu but two identical relationships where the couples find each other and are open and trusting enough to reveal their sexuality was more than I could believe (when in this time and place in history speculative or otherwise, telling the wrong people about one’s sexuality might have led to a death sentence). I am not saying no such people and relationships existed, but I think for personal safety reasons, it would be so far under wraps it wouldn’t be a topic of discussion. It wasn’t just the colonizers who would have punished them harshly for their attractions in this case.

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I always wondered what the world would be like if things had been different especially with wars and history. Vaishnavi Patel does this with Ten Incarnations of Rebellion, the story is set in a fictional India in which Britain still reigned. They hold the city of Kingston in which the main character Kalki Divekar lives. She wants her people to be free of colonization and also struggles with the death of her father who was involved with rebels. She begins her own rebellion, infiltrates the government, and begins to take them down from this inside. Their task is
not without its difficulties though. Can they end the colonization? Or will her efforts lead her to the same fate as her father? I loved the Hindu mythology that was included and the growth of the characters! I enjoyed the depth and realistic depictions in this book! I also enjoyed that the events took place overtime showcasing how long change can take! Interesting and complex, highly recommend!

One of the standout aspects of "Ten Incarnations of Rebellion" is its incredible range and diversity. Patel draws inspiration from various cultures, mythologies, and historical periods, creating a rich tapestry of stories that reflect the complexity and multiplicity of human experience.


The themes of rebellion and resistance are woven throughout the collection, but Patel approaches these ideas from multiple angles, exploring the nuances and complexities of defiance, dissent, and transformation.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

I thought the premise of this book was super interesting! I loved the format where each chapter represented one of Vishnu's avatar and related mythology. Patel did a great job in showcasing the power of community and organizing in a rebellion and how there are many forms of resistance. I loved how the rebellion was led mainly by female characters. I really appreciated Patel's discussion of caste and religion in this book and how historically (and even currently) many oppresor caste and upper-class Indians played an active role in the oppression of marginalized Indians and sided with the British imperial forces. Overall, I think Patel did a terrific job in conceptualizing what an alternate India could have looked like and highlighted the horrors of British colonialsm in sub-continent.

There were some aspects of the book that I found a bit confusing - specifically the massive time jumps in a chapter. If you miss a sentence or two, you skip forward several years of Kalki's life. Also, I wasn't the biggest fan of a specific event that happened to a character during the end. I understand why the author included it and the social commentary it alludes to, especially in current day India. But it left me feeling unsettled and bitter..perhaps that was the point.

I love Patel’s previous book, so I was thrilled when I received the digital arc for this new book. I was drawn into this story right from the beginning and it never let up. There were some parts that could’ve been left out to move the story along, but all in all I really enjoyed it. It’s a beautiful book and will connect with so many people. Thank you NetGalley, Vaishnavi Patel and Ballantine Books for this beautiful digital arc.

A wonderfully-told, rich story that takes readers on emotional rollercoasters - this book is an absolute winner! Perfect for lovers of fantasy and revolution!

Set in a fictional India that never secured independence from Imperial Britain, this story follows Kalki, a young woman who rises to lead a rebel group. Driven by the memory of her father, she fights to bring to life a vision of freedom she has never known—freedom whose cost she cannot yet fully grasp.At its heart, this is a story about revolution. And while that’s a theme that feels ever-present in today’s fiction, this book stands out for the way it tackles the nuances of rebellion and resistance. And also grapples with a familiar yet poignant question: can revolution succeed without violence?The exploration of revolution in this book is sharp and unflinching. Effective revolutions demand sacrifice—an idea that weighs heavily throughout the story. Kalki and her comrades aren’t fighting for personal glory or gain; they’re fighting for something far bigger than themselves. But that fight comes with costs, and the book doesn’t shy away from examining those sacrifices—what they mean, what they take, and how they transform those who make them. Freedom is beautiful and necessary, but the book doesn’t let you forget: attaining it often demands a brutal price.That said, while I loved the book’s ambition and its exploration of these weighty themes, I found myself wanting a bit more depth in some areas. The characters, while compelling, could have used more time and space to breathe, and I think the story could have benefited from a deeper dive into the world-building. It’s such an intriguing setting—a fictional India trapped under Imperial rule—but I wish we’d been given more insight into its intricacies. Overall, though, this is a powerful and timely read. It’s a story that will make you think about the cost of revolution, the price of freedom, and what it means to fight for a better world.