I loved Kaikeyi and jumped at the chance to read another book by this author. Not gonna lie, this took me a bit to get into. But once I did, I was hooked. Its such a unique story and stucture. Its definitely a brain on book. The setting was rich and vibrant. This book makes me wanna pick up the last Patel book that I haven't read yet.

I will say this is not my favorite work by Patel (Kaikeyi was just SOOO good!), but I do think it is a creative expanse on her writing. Another thing impacting my rating is the fact that I forced myself to finish it when I wasn't in the mood to read it. Sometimes you just have to admit when you should've DNF'ed!

I picked this up because I really liked Kaikeyi and wanted to read more by this author. Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is an alternate history of India fighting for freedom from British rule. I know virtually nothing about Indian history, so I don't think I got the full impact of the book. (The author is aware that many readers may not be familiar with history and provides a good reading list/bibliography.) This book centers the story around women and their efforts in the Indian Liberation Movement, and that is a refreshing perspective. The relationships between the characters are believable and realistic. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but the pacing sometimes seemed a little off and some of the plot "twists" were a bit predictable.

I somehow missed that this book was an alternate history until the end - so I may have been a little confused about some of the dates and references, but finding it out made it even more interesting. The premise is that the British Occupation of India lasts longer and is more cruel than in reality. The book focuses on 3 young Indian women growing up and trying to succeed during this time, both within the British rules for their lives, and fighting it as part of the Indian Resistance. Their relationships are interesting, with each other and others, and the plot is fascinating. This is a smart book and also entertaining. Although it is an alternate history, there is a lot of truth and history in it, and some good lessons for the present.

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ ten incarnations of rebellion.


ੈ♡˳ final rating: 4.75/5

in an alternate version of occupied india, a group of young women turn the tide of history to save their land. with a sprinkle of hindu mythology, kalki’s life is told with incredible grace; this is the story of how women led the charge against the british occupation in their struggle for freedom.
honestly, i don’t even know how to express my deep love for this beautiful book. i am a changed woman; my heart has evolved because of it. vaishnavi has such an incredible way of expressing emotion—spoiler alert: there is quite a lot of it—and it genuinely moved me to tears on more than one occasion 🥺. she is a master in storytelling, with her amazing voice and stunning prose. what a work of art this piece is, and how lucky i am to have read it cover to cover. not to mention all the characters 🙏🏼 each and every single one of them was fleshed out so beautifully, so deeply, that it literally felt like i was in the book itself, interacting with them, feeling their joy and love and sadness and pain and awe as much as my own. wow, am i in awe even now. no book has made me feel like this in such a long time <3 i will forever be thinking of kalki and fauzia and the rest. 🫶🏼

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a fascinating look at an alternative history for India- one in which the British might have used tactics learned after their defeat in true Indian history. The story focuses on Kalki, who is the heroine and leader of the Indian Liberation Movement in her city. She recruits her friends to join her and this is the story of what might have happened. Although fictional, there are of course threads of truth about British colonialism in this story. There is also great LGBTQ representation, which was unexpected but appreciated!

I found this story very emotional and difficult at times, but overall very thought-provoking. I haven't had the chance to read this author's other books yet, but I look forward to doing so!

This book made me cry and I loved it.

They way Patel navigates rebellion is truly awe inspiring. I loved the MC and ever character in this book. It's a story I won't soon forget.

not my favorite but interesting concept! gorgeous writing and layered characters, i just didn't get attached to the story and think the timeline didn't do it any favors

Kalki did not plan to be a revolutionary. She lived her life missing her father, who had gone missing years ago. She had her friends, Fauzia and Yashu.

As the British rule over Kingston, her home, became unbearable, Kalki led every growing rebellions against the British. The story details ten vignettes of rebellion and how Kalki's leadership amassed the people and fighting back against the injustices against the British.

I thought the book started off a bit slowly, but it quickly picked up the pace and sucked me into the story and their lives. By the time it was over, I was wishing I could read more.

I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I already knew I was going to love this book based on the previous books Vaishnavi released but wow did this book grip me in a way I had not expected.

Aside from the great writing, the organization of the book was *mwah* chef's kiss 🤌. With the main character being named Kalki which is also the final avatar of Vishnu had me waiting to see how she would be the final reckoning for independence in this fictional version of a colonized India in the 1960s.

We had representation of lgbtq+, castes, and religions throughout the entire story making it easy to find all the characters lovable (other than the british obviously).

And the plot twists! The first one I kind of predicted but then forgot about so when it happened, it still made my jaw drop. And the second one, I had an inkling but couldn't quite put my finger on and when the reveal happened I was flabbergasted to say the least.

The timeliness of this book while all the current events of the world are taking place has not been lost on me and it really can be anybody with a determination and dream to change history.

I absolutely loved this novel! This might be my favorite historical fiction novel EVER. This book poses the interesting question of what would happen if the British never left India, and Gandhi's nonviolent revolution failed? I loved the concept from the moment I heard it, and the execution was incredible. From the beginning, the reader is drawn to the main character, Kalki. She is a very compelling and strong female lead, mirroring many of my favorite FMCs in popular 2000s dystopian fiction. While Kalki is strong-willed and an obvious choice for a leader of the revolution, she also has flaws in her thinking. These are not highlighted directly in the text, but rather shown by her less wealthy friend, Yashu. Yashu is from India's lowest caste, the Dalits, and she provides a grounding context to the story that many leaders during the actual Indian freedom movement failed to consider. Vaishnavi Patel begs the question of what would happen if a free India looked like a united India, rather than the divided and fractured one that came post-Gandhi's revolution? What would happen if Hindus and Muslims continued to live side-by-side, if people from all castes would listen to each other's varying pathways to freedom? A story of collaboration over competition, TEN INCARNATIONS OF REBELLION is one that's sure to stick with me for a long time after turning the last page.

I have read and loved this author's fantasy novels. I so wanted to love this one, but I just could not get into the story. I tried multiple times and in multiple formats and didn't find myself wanting to pick it up, so I am moving on. I will still read whatever she comes up with next.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel we follow Kalki in an alternate India that is still under British rule. The story tells of Kalki and her friends who form a secret independence group as they try to destroy the empire from the inside out.

With themes of rebellion and strength, Kalki and her friends are well developed characters. We also see where the singular fight for survival and rebellion can come at the expense of relationships.

Thank you so much to the author, Random House, and Netgalley for a copy of the digital ARC!

In today's politically charged climate, books that dare to speak about the atrocities of the world are crucial to have on bookshelves. The genre doesn't matter, and what's important is having those words highlight a message that would purposefully be suppressed by a government entity. Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a gut-wrenching, slow but action-packed, narrative that reimagines a pivotal period in India's history that asks this question: "What if the colonists won?"

Set during the 1960s, the story follows Kalki, a young Indian woman living in a country where the British fully took over India. In ten years of her adult life, Kalki experiences challenges, grief, and brief moments of joy as the leader of the Indian Liberation Movement faction in Kingston (fictionalized Mumbai), a rebel group that seeks to overthrow the British's tyranny.

Taking a break from my usual fantasy reads with this novel was a welcome relief. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a female protagonist who embodied feminine rage while still having her moments of vulnerability. The various relationships she had with friends, family, and rebel allies humanized her to a point where I kept hoping that she wouldn't meet a tragic fate by the end of the story. And the plot's slow-burn pacing is a perfect representation of what real-life rebellions are like -- there are successes and failures, but there is also hope for things to get better.

There were times when I wished that the book was a lot longer than it was. I think that the page count could've easily been doubled to further drive the emotional impacts that a few scenes sorely needed. Nonetheless, I still highly recommend reading this book if you want to try diving into alternative history as a subgenre of historical fiction books and still want the tiniest bit of a romance (in this case, a sapphic one), to root for.

“Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a love letter to those who fought and an exhortation to keep fighting.” 🇮🇳💌

a special thank you to Net Galley, Random House & Ballantine for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

🔍 publication date: june 3rd, 2025
review: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (06/07/25)

if i could, i would give this 6 stars. despite being so close to reality, it read like a dystopian novel about oppressive & authoritative government (truly terrifying to admit.)

i absolutely loved how indian history & mythology are woven throughout the book, it helped to pick up the plot during slower parts! each of the stories are simple to grasp, the segues were clear but didn’t make it less well-woven.

there is more focus on hinduism as the FMC was raised as such but references are taught as stories rather than fact. thus, preventing it from being presented as the “true” perspective, in addition to the other religions beliefs represented. i also enjoyed the lgbtq+ representation as a fellow queer indian girl. the strong women friendships & relationships were another highlight of the book.

kalki is great narrator with her
dauntlessness, passion and devotion to independence. even her flaws served as more points of discussion & nuance, it’s just so beautifully written through and through.

the book also balances out different positions on the Indian Independence Movement, especially for people labelled as lower caste, often lost perspective in history. it also incorporates international history like south africa gaining freedom & the vietnam war.

the book’s discussion of various approaches to revolutionizing & change is ever important now!!! (especially thinking about to a certain apartheid...) i can’t wait to dive into the “further reading” section!

This was an interesting take on an alternative history of India, if they were still under British colonial rule, and follows Kalki and her friends as they plan a rebellion against the oppressive empire by trying to take it down from the inside in order to obtain freedom.

I liked Kalki in this story and felt like she was portrayed as a strong, smart, female lead. The plot was clever with important themes and world building very descriptive. It did seem to be lull at times, and I feel like some of the plot could have been expounded on better, but overall, it was a good read.

Ambitious, intense, and full of fire. Patel’s exploration of identity and resistance across timelines and lives was daring and original. Some threads were complex to track, but the overall impact was powerful. A layered, literary triumph.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion was an INCREDIBLE read!! I also read along with the audio, which was very well done. I loved the incorporation of Hindu gods with the storyline. It was a hopeful story of fighting against imperialism. The characters were fleshed out

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The description of this novel intrigued me as it was based on the idea that the British didn't leave India and Bombay, at one time a center for Indian independence, still is ruled by the British and a city named Kingston is built on the ruins of Bombay. That's where we find Kalki, a young woman trying to figure out what she will do with her life - school, marriage. She has lost her father, a rebel against the British, and young men, including her friends and family, are drafted to fight wars that they don't agree with and probably will never return from. That's when Kalki decides she'll start a rebellion to overthrow the British, a dangerous proposition. But, Kalki is determined and single focused yet it's then when Kalki learns what friendship truly means along with the cost, and the true meaning of freedom. I enjoyed the idea of this speculative story along with structuring Kalki's story with the Dashavatara and the ten avatars of Vishnu. I had to do a bit of research regarding what really happened in Bombay/India at that time and the Dashavatara to help my understanding but it was another aspect I enjoyed in this novel.

I think this wasn't for me- I tried to pick it up multiple times but could not finish it. So at last I decided to dnf