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.

This was probably one of my favorite ARCs of 2025 so far, and it was so unexpected in the best way.

For those (like me) who best know Vaishnavi Patel from her Indian myth retellings, this may feel like a huge departure stylistically, and yet I almost feel like it outshines her prior work. Set in an alternate version of 1960s India where the country remained under colonial rule, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion asks a series of "what ifs." What if the British had crushed the Indian independence movements of the early 20th century? What if rebellion, so often depicted as a man's job, was spearheaded by young women? Through asking these questions, we not only get a super gripping anti-colonial narrative (I see you, R. F. Kuang blurb!!) but a launchpoint to discuss contemporary issues AND another amazing Vaishnavi Patel book. Honestly, her writing is just...chef's kiss.

One of the standouts to me is main character Kalki Divekar. I love how complex she is, from her relationship with her family to her becoming invested in her local Indian Liberation Movement chapter. Her character growth is super realistic for it being over 10 years, and I felt her friendships were similarly fleshed out. Seeing the main trio grow apart was heartbreaking, and really showed the sacrifices made by those fighting for freedom. I think Patel also balances big picture things like politics of the movement with the individual lives of the members. Though each year of Kalki's life is a single chapter, everything felt so cohesive.

I can tell how much care and love went into this book. From the bibliography at the back to the structuring of 10 chapters into 10 years and 10 Avatars of Vishnu, this is incredibly well crafted. The one thing I will say is that I found it difficult to get into initially because this is a really intelligent book. Like, way smarter than me. And because I didn't know a ton about Indian history, I found myself having to google things to separate Patel's alternative history from actual history and to figure out where the two differed. I learned a ton of things and I was transported, which are two of the most important parts of historical fiction to me. But I can also see a little more explanation being needed to fully "get" everything - the forward is helpful, but I would've also liked a bit more in the author's note, imo. (I had to knock a star off, I'm sorry!)

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House - Ballantine, and Vaishnavi Patel for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I have never read a book quite like this. This was a unique story of an alternate reality where India did not gain independence from British rule in 1947. I enjoyed seeing the growth of Kalki as she learned to become a leader and from her many mistakes. This was beautifully written and a story I think many could benefit from reading. The pacing was a little off at times, but. overall I enjoyed reading this.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion tells the story of a fictional rebellion against British occupation of India in the 1960s centered around the character of Kalki. Fans of Vaishnavi Patel's earlier works may find her name sounds similar to the protagonist of her first novel Kaikeyi.

Though the novel is historical fiction Patel weaves in stories from Indian mythology. I often found I could not see the connection with the story so they seemed out of place. They brought down the pacing of the story.

The story of rebellion is told over many years as Kalki slowly builds her group of rebels. Though early acts seem minor things soon escalate into high stakes. Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a quick read without unnecessary fluff and will appeal to fantasy fans who grew up on stories of rebellion.

I was hooked for the last few chapters as things started coming together. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and will hopefully inspire readers to learn more about this period of history.

The protagonist, Kalki named after the prophesied 10th avatar of Vishnu (the Protector in the Hindu Trinity) is reimagined as a woman drawn into a powerful and dangerous liberation movement.

What sets this story apart is its setting: an alternate version of 1960s India where British colonial rule still persists. The author does a tremendous job of exploring themes like colonialism, revolution, and rebellion through a realistic as well as mythological lens. This blend of speculative fiction, history, and myth is the book’s greatest strength, its unique perspective is its true USP.

Thank you to Random House and Ballantine Books for the gifted copy.

This is a historical fiction set in an alternate world where India is still under British control. It follows Kalki throughout her life and how she fights for the freedom and helps liberate her people. I feel like the themes and subject of the book are very important. However, I don't think this books was for me. As I read, it felt very flat and the pacing was to sow for me. I think the writing style of the book made it hard for me to push through it.
If you like a historical fiction book that features a stark tone that allows the reader to ponder about the characters struggles, internal and external, with heavy themes of sacrifice and resistance, then this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for an eARC for my honest review.

Patel is a gorgeous writer! Her new book is set in an alternate-1960’s India that has not yet gained independence from Britain. The setting is rich, layered, and feels like a main character in its own right. The book follows the daughter of a missing revolutionary as she and her friends start a revolution of their own. I loved the book's structure: it is split into ten chapters, each mirroring the ten avatars of Vishnu. I think this book will be a bit polarizing as it is less about individual characters and more about about the building blocks of revolution. I loved it!

There are lots of reasons to like this alternate history novel about the Indian rebellion and their achievement of independence from the British. The book is set in the 1960s and as the author explains in the author’s note at the end of the book, India actually gained independence in the 1940s. The main characters are some very clever and dedicated women which also makes the historical fiction unique. The book progresses through the incarnations presented as stages that the main character, Kalki goes through in her emotional and leadership growth. Not only is the history interesting, but the themes of friendship, oppression and strong female leaders make this book creative and well worth reading. The author’s research is impressive.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

I’ve been a fan of Vaishnavi Patel’s work since reading Kaikeyi, and Ten Incarnations of Rebellion absolutely delivers on the powerful, thought-provoking storytelling I’ve come to expect from her. This novel blends alternate history with Hindu mythology in such a bold and imaginative way.

Patel doesn’t shy away from showing the brutal impacts of colonialism or the difficult moral choices that come with fighting injustice. The story is full of tension, love, sacrifice, and the constant push to reimagine a better world. I especially loved how the bits of mythology at the end of each chapter tied into Kalki’s journey—those moments really deepened the emotional weight of the story.

This book is a beautiful, layered reminder that we can’t simply return to the past—we have to break systems of oppression and build something new in their place.

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the eARC!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Set in an alternate history version of India where they did not become independent from British rule in 1947. Kalki Divekar is living in Mumbai where the oppressive British still control by oppression and violence. Many people in her life have been lost from the hunt for rebels and young men are taken by the military. Kalki and her friends decide to take on jobs within the government to try to destroy the enemy from within.

I really enjoyed this book. Vaishnavi Patel is a great author. Right now stories about rebellion and fighting oppression feel more relevant than ever. Kalki is strong, smart and determined. The book did start a little slow but quickly I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen. There were a few choices having to deal with a particular character that I didn't love but won't spoil that in my review. Overall this is a very impactful book about doing the right thing in what feels like impossible circumstances. I will be highly recommending it to my fellow book lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was different from Patel’s previous work! I enjoyed the pivot into speculative fiction from more traditional fantasy, although enjoyed the sojourns into legends we got to see in this narrative. I found the cast of characters very compelling & in particular seeing a group of women cast as the revolutionaries was fantastic. There were moments that I was so worried for them I just couldn’t put my kindle down! This cements Patel as an always buy author for me.

In an alternate history version of India, they are still under British rule in the 1960s. Kalki Divekar has grown up in Kingston (built on the ashes of Bombay), under oppression and with now hope of change as many rebels, including her father, were banished years ago. As she grows up she realizes freedom is something you sometimes have to take into your own hands. She and a group of friends decide to begin a new independence movement using their jobs with the British colonists to help undermine their regime. As the movement grows, and more and more difficult decisions must be made, Kalki has to decide if it’s more important to be a hero or a survivor!

I will admit to knowing very little of the true events surrounding India’s independence. I have read a few other fiction stories that happen around that time in the area, but that’s about it. That being said, it did drag and was a bit drawn out for me. I’m not sure if it was just my experience around reading it (I read a large chunk at one time on a long plane flight) or just the story itself. I think as a whole it was a good story, and I liked some of the growth and discoveries about freedom/independence that were discussed towards the end, but it sometimes felt difficult to get there. I think this book has a place on the shelf, I’m just not sure if I was the right audience to appreciate it.

If you enjoy alternate history, or freedom fighting stories with twists, espionage, close calls, touch choices, and sacrifices, give this one a try. It was published today, so you can get it at your favorite book buying location!
Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.
#NetGalley #TenIncarnationsOfRebellion

Happy Pub Day to this subversive work of alternate history. It's no secret that I ADORED Kaikeyi, but I was lukewarm on Goddess of River. So I was hesitant about Vaishnavi Patel's departure from wronged women of Hindu mythology all the way to alternate colonial history of India. Not gonna lie, I was disappointed that even with the title of the book and the chapters, this book, in fact IS NOT connected to the mythology of Vishnu avatars, one of my favorite parts of Hindu mythology. The connection is largely metaphorical references and the very loose connection that the protagonist is named Kalki, the purported Vishnu avatar yet to come at the end of the current Kali Yuga. Given the author's previous works, I don't think it was too presumptuous to expect a cool fantastical take on it. So I definitely grumbled and slogged through the first half or so, as the story does the tedious work of creating an alternate version of 1960s Bombay where the British never left and used colonial oppression tactics they used elsewhere to solidify their control of a "modernizing" India and Indians. Eventually I realized it's a coming of age story of sorts, with Kalki as the face of a nation that finds the spark of rebellion in the ashes of failed movements (and dusty bookstore and archives, heck yeah), until it grows into a proper revolution, primarily led by women. Paraphrasing the author's note, it is about all the "selfish and selfless" choices required on the journey to galvanizing and freeing a nation, one that can be easily turned on itself as a tactic of long term colonizers. Kalki and her friends and compatriots are an incredibly intersectional group of revolutionaries, the kind that a more contemporary Indian can find accessible and relatable. They're working women, queer folx, Dalits, democratizing/sympathetic Brits, and those who kept the flame of all revolutions past alive in priceless ephemera. That said, I wish the setting wasn't the 1960s but a more contemporary timeframe that could provide a much needed perspective on where India is right now. A lot of this reminded me of the early 2000s Bollywood film, Rang De Basanti, that was a cultural reset for many Indian youth about reclaiming the spirit of Indian freedom fighters to hold corrupt leaders accountable. A film that would never pass the censors in the current political climate in India. And yet, I got extremely emotional when Kalki and her friends suffer the devastating consequences of revolutionary action, much like the characters of the movie, which was super formative for me. The Indian Independence struggle is one in living memory, so you would be hard pressed to find someone whose grandparents were part of that struggle who WOULDN'T get emotional. Patriotic songs of independence will never not make me cry, and even with all my nitpicks about the book, I absolutely sobbed when a particularly favorite one is used in a galvanizing moment towards the end. Personally, it made me even more emotional because in this alternate history, queer people are front and center, as they have been in every revolution everywhere. It made me realize how much of our queer history was also something we lost to colonialism, even the visibility of queerness in the actual history of Indian Independence. Was this a particularly daring take on colonialism and sectarianism in India? Not really. But was this a reminder that the struggle for liberation has to be intersectional and is never over? Absolutely. So thankful to Netgalley for the free ebook! Can't wait to see what Vaishnavi does next!

This book is absolutely amazing. The plot and pacing are really well-written. The characters in this book are realistic and three dimensional. This book has a very realistic portrayal of rebellion—the sacrifices it takes and the way it is executed. The structure of the book is really interesting and really elevates the plot. This book is an engaging read and I highly recommend it.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel is a beautifully written and emotionally powerful story that completely pulled me in. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page. I honestly didn’t want it to end.

3.5/5 stars

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is an ambitious, thought-provoking novel set in a fictional India that never gained independence from Imperial Britain. At its center is Kalki, a young woman who takes up her father’s legacy to lead a rebel movement in a country still under colonial rule. She fights for a freedom she’s never known, unaware of the true cost such a fight demands.

Like Patel’s debut Kaikeyi, this story is rich with emotional depth and political urgency, but Ten Incarnations takes on even bigger questions: Can a revolution succeed without violence? What is the real cost of freedom? Who pays that price? The novel doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it leans into the complexity—showing how those who begin the fight often don’t live to see its results, and how the very connections we try to protect can also become our greatest motivations.

Patel explores themes of sacrifice, justice, colonialism, caste, gender, and class with nuance, often forcing the reader to sit with discomfort. The book’s greatest strength lies in its willingness to wrestle with these moral gray areas. As Kalki begins to question whether her complete devotion to the cause is sustainable, we’re reminded that revolutions aren’t only fueled by ideology, but by people—and the bonds they form along the way.

That said, I did find myself wanting more from the world-building and secondary characters. The setting—an alternate imperial India—is fascinating, but it never quite comes alive in the way it could have. Some character arcs also felt a bit underdeveloped, which made it harder to fully invest in the emotional stakes.

Still, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a bold, timely story that raises powerful questions about justice, legacy, and resistance. It doesn’t flinch away from the cost of change, and it lingers long after the final page. It's not a perfect book, but it’s an important one—and one I’m glad I read.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is quite a difficult book to review. Sometimes alternate history is confusing if you know the actual history. Imagine India in 1960, still a colony of Britain , with the religious divisions and caste system still intact and Britain being terrible overlords.
It will take some strong women to keep the spark of rebellion alive.
Kalki has grown up without her father as he was part of an earlier rebellion. when she finds out he is still alive and expects her to carry on as a rebel, it changes her life.
She is quite a complex character, and as we follow her and her two fellow rebels, we see what it takes.
The structure of the book is quite interesting as each section is a year and an incarnation that has a story myth told as a metaphor for what is happening in Kalki's life. I found it quite interesting.
There are many moral issues that. come up when one is fighting a rebellion, and Kalki must deal with them within herself. Sacrifices must be made and many around her do exactly that.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. These are my honest opinions.