Vaishnavi Patel always does such an incredible job of creating detailed and vivid worlds for her characters and this novel is a perfect example of that. The alternate history that Kalki and her companions live in during a still British-controlled India is so well-written that it really did feel like reading a historical account. Kalki’s growth both as a person and also as a leader of the liberation movement of the course of the book is so realistic and moving. There’s no sugarcoating the dangers and trials that come with a movement like this. Though it is a work of fiction set in a timeline that never existed, I could really feel her motivations and conflicting emotions through the book.

There are some nuanced and complicated reflections on the ideas of morality and the cost to advance a movement. Some plot points didn’t go exactly the way that I hoped, but I anticipate that I’ll be mulling over some of the nuances for a long time to come. The overall message about the lasting impact of colonization and oppression will also stick with me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5/5 stars

My heart goes out to Fauzia, trapped in the purgatory of 'more than friends but less than lovers.'


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An excellent book for fans of historical fiction. The characters are deeply compelling, though I did find myself wanting to dive deeper into the experiences of Yashu as they related to caste. Though this story carried a deeply feminist bend, the discussion of gender dynamics as they impacted the storyline felt a bit lacking as well. Kalki's progression as a character sings to the heart of those who struggle for freedom--how must we go about it, how are we distinct from the strategies of our oppressors, and what does it mean to live a life outside of fighting the good fight?

Thanks to NetGalley and the published for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a very interesting alternate version if India was not able to remove itself from British rule. The author put A LOT into this version. Multiple times the idea was brought up that even if the British are defeated it doesn’t mean India will magically turn into a haven for everyone. While the British caused most of the issues there are other issues to take their place such as religious differences, the caste system and other political issues. Having all of this play out is extremely important so this doesn’t come off as a simple fix. All of these issues are very complex and come through to the reader.

I loved the idea of an alternate history India which didn’t get liberated in 1947, instead becoming an even more oppressed place, with most of the freedom fighters dead and the people living their lives drowning in British propaganda. It’s the kind of speculative fiction that I would have loved to read but never found before.

The writing is as always lovely, but the narrative is a bit slow paced despite the themes of rebellion against the British. However, because it covers a decade of development of our main character Kalki, the events of her life can feel like they are happening at warp speed. The dashavatara stories told at the end of each chapter also didn’t feel very relevant every time. Much of the progress of the Indian Liberation movement is told in snippets instead of us experiencing it ourselves. And while it feels like I’m talking only about the aspects of books which aren’t very good, I actually enjoyed this very much.

The intimate portrayal of the friendship between Kalki, Fauzia and Yashu; the grief laden bond that Kalki shares with her aai; the determination of Kalki to safeguard the people of her city while enacting small acts of rebellion; the conviction of Yashu that freedom doesn’t mean just liberation from the British but also the liberation of the oppressed classes from the caste system; the idea of a movement built entirely by young women because all the men have gone to war - all these elements in the book make for great compelling reading, leaving a mark on me as a reader.

Overall, this is a book I’m glad has been written. A different kind of rebellion rooted in the betterment and safety of the lives of the people, while questioning the meaning and necessity of sacrifice leaves us quite a bit to think about. The audiobook narration by Mayuri Bhandari was perfect and I absolutely loved her rendition of Vande Mataram in between. Can’t wait to see what Vaishnavi writes next coz I don’t think I’ll ever miss any book of hers.

I feel that this book had potential and it initially drew me in, but overall I struggled to continue to keep interest in it.

This book was absolutely stunning. I am not a historical fiction girly but this hooked me in and didn’t let go. I haven’t cried for a book is so long, it was nice.
The story is set in an alternate timeline where India is still under British colonial rule and the steps our main character Kalki takes to get out of that rule. Of course Kalki did not start a revolution, people had already tried before her, but she continued the path to freedom and this story tells it all.
One thing I love most about this is that even though this is fictional, there is no falsehoods. The people of India were tortured, raped, killed, forced to live without their language and traditions. The book isn’t afraid to show the ugly truth.
We follow Kalki’s life from a child to a woman and how she has to sacrifice her personal pleasures to see the freedom of her people. It feels raw and real, it really had me invested.
I loved the writing as well, it was beautiful and easy to read.
I hope anyone who decided to pick this up enjoys it as much as I have.

Bold, lyrical, and fiercely feminist. This isn’t a quiet rebellion—it’s myth, memory, and fire in every chapter. The prose is so lush it borders on poetry. You don’t just read this, you wade through it. If you like layered, unflinching stories, this one demands your full attention.
“What is a goddess if not a woman who refused to die quietly?”

This book takes place in an alternative history were India is still under British colonial rule in the 1960s. Very different from the author's two prior works, and while it was well done, just not my vibe. Most importantly, I did not feel I know enough about India, both before and after it was under British Rule, to really know what was imaginative versus what was based in fact. This just led me to not feel very connected to the book. Because of this, I just felt like I wasn't the right reader for this book.

There is so much to this book that I don’t even where to start. It’s a beautifully crafted reimagining of the struggle for independence in India in a reimagined Bombay called Kingston. The story follows Kalki, a strong-willed and brave young woman determined to take on the mantle of her father’s work to push for Indian independence. There’s so much complicated morality, trying to determine the “acceptable” costs of war, and balancing desires and love with the longing and commitment to independence. An absolutely necessary read in the context of the world today, especially to better understand the tensions of various political movements and concurrent priorities that end up clashing together.

Thoughts

I have read a few books about the Partition but none about the British colonization of India, and while the author says this is not a historical novel, I did have me googling things and learning more.

It was a heartbreaking book. Reading it is difficult at times because there is just so much heartache. However, that is understandable living in an occupied country.

From the beginning I was hooked because as you may know if you have read her other books, her writing is phenomenal. It is just a breeze to read. And the storytelling was amazing.

There was one character that did not make sense and I feel like was put in to only serve one purpose but it didn't even make sense then. I just wish she was more flushed out and had more of a storyline in it.

But overall I think it was terrific and definitely worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this eARC.

While this story is more fantasy and not based on historical fact, it reads as historical fiction, which I generally love. I found the story itself interesting, but the book was very hard for me to get through and felt very dense in places. The character development I felt was lacking. There were several times I was confused about what was happening or who we were supposed to be rooting for. It just didn't grab me the way it could have.

A quiet, simmering fire of a novel. Like rebellion, it burns hotter the longer it smolders. This is structured through pivotal moments in Kalki's life, mirroring one of the Hindu stories told in each. This speculative alternate history explores what it means to fight, to lose, to lead, to sacrifice, and most importantly, to endure. It asks the question: What is rebellion? A speech? Violence? A quiet, invisible act of kindness? I cried multiple times, not just from tragedy but from the sheer emotional resonance.

Kalki is a protagonist I felt in my bones. She’s not always lovable. She’s angry, passionate, flawed, and deeply human. Watching her grapple with the weight of oppression and the burden of resistance felt both heartbreaking and empowering. The way the Hindu lessons are threaded throughout the chapters is so effective. They shape how Kalki sees the world.

The alternate version of India (still under British rule) is textured and believable. It’s clearly well-researched, and Patel doesn’t pull her punches when writing about colonial violence, systemic division, and the everyday desperation of survival. But the heart of the novel is in the community: mutual aid, friendships, chosen family, and women leading a movement not for glory, but for each other.

There’s a side character’s redemption arc I wasn’t thrilled by. It felt a little too convenient for how much harm they’d done, but I understand what the author was reaching for. The message is clear: rebellion changes people, and change is the greatest act of rebellion. I didn’t love the execution, but it was peripheral enough that I could let it slide.

This isn’t a loud novel. It’s not bombastic. But it lingers. The pacing felt perfect, measured, and deliberate, and I was fully immersed, hanging onto every word. And the author’s note? Don’t skip it. It reframes everything and is worth reading to get the full picture.

If you liked Babel, if Andor is currently kicking around your brain, or if you’re just in the mood to remember that stories can be a kind of revolution, this is one for you. Not as sweeping or stylized as Babel, maybe, but just as urgent. Just as necessary. Highly recommend.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Pretty intense book that was nicely written though I didn't quite get the mythology connection as much even though I could see where it was going. Wish it was written in a different context as I probably would have loved it more.
4 stars

As with all of Vaishnavi Patel's books, this was a delight to read from start to finish. It was something of a departure from her previous more fantasy-based works, but just as compellingly and beautifully written.

Everything about this book was just so cleverly constructed and wonderfully written. I loved how each chapter ended with a different story that someone shared, and how they all tied back into the theme of that chapter and the book as a whole. I found that the progression of the story was handled incredibly smoothly, and I don't think I've ever seen repeated timeskips done as well as they were in this. Everything flowed brilliantly, the pacing was excellent, and even at the points where I thought I knew what was coming next, the journey there was never quite what I was expecting.

The alternate history in which the book was set felt very real and grounded from the outset. Even without the extensive reference list at the back of the book, it would have been clear to me just how thoroughly researched and well thought out this book was. Part of what stood out about the premise of this alternate India was just how plausible its existence seemed to be. It was easy to believe that, as the book proposed, the British Empire could have suppressed India's freedom movement and the resulting India would be one very much like the one of which you read here.

All of the characters - every single one of them - were amazing. Each of their roles in the plot became crystal clear as the story progressed, and they all felt significant not just as individuals and as characters but as deliberate plot devices and as part of a resistance movement. There was such a wide array of approaches to fighting for freedom and resisting British rule, explored through the different characters and their attitudes towards the liberation movement. It was particularly interesting to see where characters' perspectives changed, and why - or to be left to speculate.

That the focus of the story was on a resistance movement led by women - all of the men being at war or already dead - made for compelling reading, especially where they clashed and contrasted with other chapters of the Indian Liberation Movement, and where they didn't. Seeing their movement expand and change and unfold as the years passed was what cemented in my mind that the almost episodic narrative of the book was the perfect way to have written this. It worked so well I couldn't imagine it being any other way.

In short, this book is splendid in every way, and my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner. It is so incredibly rich in just plain quality storytelling, and I know that when I reread it (which I most certainly will) I will notice a hundred other brilliantly intelligent instances of foreshadowing and evidence of a tightly woven plot that I could not possibly fully appreciate from only one read through. Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a masterpiece of storytelling, and I already can't wait to read it again.

eARC Review: Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel

This was a fantastic reimagining of Bombay/Mumbai in the 1960s through the questions of “what if the British never left? What if the Indian independence movement never succeeded?” Patel doesn’t sugar coat anything in this novel leaving the reader with a heavy sense of injustice and rage for the characters all the while GUTTED when events play out before the character’s eyes. 🤯

The story follows Kalki through ten years of brutal British occupation and colonization of Kingston, this world’s Mumbai. From a young girl just starting her adult life to a broken but still fighting woman, Kalki is put through everything in this tale that barely hits 300 pages. I won’t say much because the story itself deserves to be read without any indication from me about the plot other than I loved it and inwardly wept for the characters. 😭

As someone who studied literature during a movement for independence, I loved how Patel showcases how powerful it can be to the oppressed and how forcibly divorcing them from it doesn’t make them anymore compliable than it does stoke the fire for rage. 🔥

Again, go into this knowing it’s an alternate reality that deals with heavy topics like racial superiority, colonialism, segregation by caste and religion, and violence. Should you know about the Indian independence movement before reading this? I would say no, but the context of the story will be all the more gut wrenching and powerful if you did a quick read into it before diving into this. Patel also provides fantastic works of literature and scholarship into this period of history if you wish to continue reading more on it after finishing the book. 🇮🇳

HUGE thank you goes out to Del Rey and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest (and late 😅) review; and to Patel for again BLOWING my mind with your fictional work. ❤️

Publication date: June 3!!

Overall: 5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC Copy!

I really enjoy a fantastical historical fiction, and this was such an interesting alternative work that is set in India who is under British rule. This story spans over many years following the FMC while they are living under the rule of colonization, and all the struggles that they face under the evil and heartless rule of the monarchy. The worldbuilding was absolutely beautify and the writing was both lyrical and impactful. If you enjoy a heavily political fantasy world then you will really enjoy this book.

This book blew my mind. It follows one soul reborn across ten wildly different lives… each time finding themselves at the heart of a rebellion. Sometimes they’re a student, sometimes a soldier, even once a prince. The worlds change (think empires, AI dystopias, magical cults), but that same spark of resistance always returns.

The writing is beautifully poetic but sharp and every incarnation explores different kinds of resistance: personal, political, spiritual. Some stories hit harder than others (I’m still reeling from the one set in the glass god-city), but they all tie together by the end in a way that’s devastating and brilliant.

It’s definitely not a light read. It jumps around a lot, and some timelines can be confusing but it’s so worth it. Feels like Cloud Atlas meets The Broken Earth with a dash of Time War energy. Big ideas, big emotions, and a soul you can’t help but root for.

Highly recommend if you like rebellious epics with heart.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion - Vaishnavi Patel

I slept on Patel’s Kaikeyi for far too long and when I finally read it, I deeply regretted not reading it sooner. The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is moreso a historical fiction read vs. historical fantasy but each chapter ends with each of the incarnations of Vishnu, providing the reader doses of Indian mythology along the way.. Set in an alternate version in which India does not successfully gain independence from British colonialism in the 1940s, we see our main character Kalki as she struggles with a desire to join the fight for freedom while also keeping her friends and family protected from the violent ruling of the British government.

The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a beautifully written, well researched story of colonialism and Indian independence. Similar to the female empowerment fueled historical fiction of Kate Quinn, we see Kalki and her friends establish multiple cells of an insurgent movement, run by women, throughout the city. We also see glimpses of a sapphic love story and sexual awakening, a rare occurrence for 1960s India.

I really enjoyed this story and appreciate the author’s note which provides further reading recommendations about the true events that led to Indian independence in 1947. The author notes that she has worked years to perfect this story, immersing herself in research and reading while honoring her grandparents who lived and breathed through the fight for Indian independence from British rule, and it shows.

The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is out now! Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for my copy; all opinions are my own.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is an alternate history wherein India did not gain independence in 1947 and remained under British colonial rule. It follows a young woman, Kalki, and her journey towards freedom.

I love Vaishnavi Patel’s writing. It is smart and deeply emotional. One of my favorite things she does is ask hard questions about right and wrong and lets you sit with it. I came to love Kalki and her friends and the story left me both devastated and hopeful.

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Well, what a fucking disappointment! This is the first time I have finished reading anything by Patel, and her writing style was the major thing that kept me reading. Patel has a way of portraying emotion and character motivations that intrigues me enough to check out her backlist. My favorite character(s) was/were Yashu and sometimes Fauzia. Kaalki is the protagonist and the least interesting out of the three. This entire novel takes place over 9 or 10 years in Kaalki's life as she leads a rebellion-turned-revolution. As the reader, we were given a preface to inform us how Patel decided to create an alternate history novel asking how would India gain independence from the British if their presence was more violent and had another revolution decades after the first attempt. I am not familiar with India's independence movement, but the book kept referencing to real-life independence movements across the world in the 1960s.

This is where my problems start: the novel prides itself with their use of nonviolent protests and look down on the necessity of violent protests and actions, which confuses me immensely when other independence movements, that the book referenced, moved forward when violence was enacted against their colonizers. While I liked Patel's writing style, I felt as though she was telling the reader what these characters saw and felt instead of just showing us. I was told certain events happened and wished the story was told in multiple POVs. I would have loved to read this story in Yashu and/or Fauzia's POV instead of Kaalki or as an addition. Kaalki was passionate for India's independence but not knowledgable enough to understand how a rebellion turns into a revolution. Thankfully, she had other people around her, but I was not a fan of the constant messaging of non-violence over violence.

The pacing was quite slow and the general structure was quite repetitive. I like the inclusion of each avatar of Vishnu explained, but none of those inclusions were seemless and instead were shoe-horned towards the end of each chapter. Patel could have made summarized epigraphs in the beginning of each chapter or spread them out in different parts in each chapter. Overall, this story would have been really good, but the thematic work and messaging brought my rating down. Also, very wild to me that a character who attempted to rape someone got a redemption at the end.