This was ambitious in a way that covered up any missteps. I have not read anything like this before and while I think there were some holes in the plot in terms of character development I was so enthralled that I just kept going. Brilliant and beautifully paced!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Boks for an advanced copy of Ten Incarnations of Rebellion. This was my first novel by Vaishnavi Patel, and I enjoyed the idea of an alternate version of India during the 1960's. I love a novel with powerful and smart women who challenge their oppressors and finds ways to bring about independence and freedom.

This was a fascinating read. While I know very little about India’s freedom it was a unique perspective to learn about through. I loved Kalki as a character and her progression throughout all that occurred. This is a sad book however with so much loss and sacrifice. In the end you are left with some hope. The writing is beautiful and I liked the idea of the different stories being the incarnations of rebellion. Overall I enjoyed.

This is one of those books whose idea I think outstrips the execution.

The ideas are absolutely crucial for understanding the stresses and anguish of colonialism and its fallout, as it impacts the evolution of history. At heart, it looks at India's independence, and the terrible cost, the focus being on the twentieth century--a blip in India's long, fascinating history.

A strong aspect of the book is the way the author works in regional mythology, which renders emotional texture to the layers of the historical record. However, the characters tended toward the standard, and the writing, though passionate, often read as a first draft, with a lot more summation than is effective.

Still, it's very much worth adding to other books by Indian writers who write about Indian history and experience for those who read in English

I loved the idea of this book, it uses the alternate India perfectly to tell the story and had that element that I was looking for. I was engaged with the plot of the book and was everything that I wanted and enjoyed. Vaishnavi Patel wrote this well and was able to use the historical element in a unique way and was invested in what was going on.

I cried.

There was an element of "telling not showing" to the prose, but it worked for me because it felt like -storytelling-, like I was sitting in front of Vaishnavi Patel while she wove this epic. We're told the story of Kalki's life and how it parallels the Dashavatara, the ten incarnations of Vishnu. The main character is even named after the prophesied tenth incarnation; Kalki is meant to usher in the purest age of goodness, which in this story is Indian independence from British rule.

In this alternate history, India is still suffering under British imperialism in the 1960s. Young men have been drafted into a war against China, and with them gone and older generations worn down, the resistance is mostly led by young women. Kalki and her friends and conspirators have different backgrounds and perspectives, and although there is love and a shared dream between them, they also make mistakes. Rebellion is messy. It's tragic. And many do not live to see their dream realized. Even if independence is attempted through non-violence, blood is always spilled.

Mild spoiler: there is no sapphic happily ever after here, but another queer couple does survive.

Ten Incantations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel is a reimagining historical fiction of what it would be like if India was never liberated from England.

I will admit that while I am a huge fan of Indian history & storytelling and have a deep appreciation for this novel as a whole - I did have a hard time staying focused and at times I felt like I was losing interest. There are a lot of heavy themes surrounding justice, colonialism, violence, etc and sometimes I felt like I was on the outside looking in versus being completely immersed with the characters and the story.

With that being said I think lovers of historical fiction would really enjoy this, especially those who love learning about Indian. There’s a good group of characters but I never truly felt emotionally connected to them on a deep level, but perhaps someone else will read this and feel otherwise!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for suggesting & preapproving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback! I would love to read more from the author.

3.5 stars

2.5 stars, rounded up. This book shoves a huge amount of content in a short span of time, and I do think that's ultimately to its detriment. The book blurb says this is ten moments from Kalki's life but the focus isn't narrowly on specific moments but rather covers ten years of her work as a freedom fighter. Because of this, there are large chunks of the book that are summarizing events rather than showing you them in detail. This is really not my preferred way to hear a story because I feel very separate from the characters and so ultimately, the book does not hit as hard as it could have for me. I will say that I really enjoyed the fact that there were so many characters here and we hear a lot of different opinions about what the revolution should look like and the path of rebellion is not laid out clearly and cleanly.

Small acts of resistance spark a wave of rebellion that incites change within a nation of people oppressed under the rule of colonizers in Vaishnavi Patel’s Ten Incarnations of Rebellion.
Within the British-built and -ruled city of Kingston that arose from upon the destroyed back of Bombay, Kalki Divekar has quietly harbored the rebellious views instilled in her by her father, who has been lost to her in former raids to quell rebels from causing trouble. In her adulthood, Kalki picks up the torch of inciting small acts of resistance by posting the lyrics to banned music, which reminded her of her father, while also offering something for the people of her city to unite over. In collaboration with her friends over several years, she works to usher in a new generation of rebellion and change through a chapter of the Indian Liberation Movement to try to repel the British by using women’s jobs within the regime to quietly and slowly undermine the British’s efforts through disruption and providing aid to those who need it. Treading carefully in relationships to determine who to ally with and trust, navigating dangerous situations to maximize survival for the future of India she envisions, and taking charge to lead rapidly evolving plans amid tumultuous and emotionally charged events, Kalki’s decisions will greatly impact the direction that the city, and the country, takes moving forward.
Set in an alternate version of India in the 1960s, a creeping struggle toward freedom and independence from oppressive, colonized control is portrayed well through the many seemingly small acts of resistance that build up and lead toward a growing rebellion that rises to the surface such that the oppressors can no longer ignore it as the effectiveness eventually makes way for the country’s renewal and rebuilding. The narrative tackles heavy topics, including harassment, assault, violence, and betrayal, without shying away from the harsh realities that accompany dealing with them, often centered around a form of loss and sacrifice. With traitors, collaborators, and an anonymous British insider among those assisting Kalki and her team, the supposedly surprising reveal of the source of intel and the traitor in their midst was presented with plenty of foreshadowing along the way that made it quite clear who those individuals were, leaving that point of suspense a bit dull in comparison with the rest of the political intrigue laced throughout the struggles endured. The story itself is sweeping, taking place over a decade and split into chapters in Kalki’s life, either through current actions and experiences or through memories or lessons remembered, which mirror the mythology associated with the ten avatars of Vishnu and is explained in enough detail and context for those who may not be overly familiar with it.
Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for sending me the ARC

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion, a historical fiction novel by Vaishnavi Patel, presents an alternate history where British colonial tactics were more successful in India.

Inspired by Patel’s previous works, which reimagined well-known Indian mythology, I was initially misled by the title and expected a book similar to her previous works. However, the book skillfully weaves together history and mythology. While it required some effort to resist the urge to seek out the historical facts about India’s struggle for independence, which we are familiar with from our childhood, Patel subtly incorporates markers, events, and symbols that hold deep significance for us.

The opening chapters are engaging, though I found myself needing some extra motivation to finish the book. Patel does a remarkable job weaving complex themes, such as classism, the injustices of imperialism, war, and the repression of sexuality, into the narrative, all within the context of pre-independence India. While the book’s concept is certainly captivating, I found myself at times grappling with its dense layers.

Though I didn’t connect with it quite as deeply as I did with Patel’s previous works, I still admire her boldness in exploring a different genre. Ultimately, I would rate it a solid 3.5 out of 5, acknowledging the ambition and complexity behind this thought-provoking novel.

A beautiful, though at times heartbreaking story. I loved seeing Kalki grow as both a person and a revolutionary through these chapters. From the smallest seeming methods of fighting back up to much bigger undertakings

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion follows the life of Kalki Divekar, a young woman growing up in an alternate version of India that is under British rule. Her father, a member of the ILM (a liberation organization), had ingrained in Kalki a sense of independence and freedom before he went missing. This novel details out key moments in her life from school days to adulthood as Kalki navigates the liberation movement and her role in rebellion.

Though I don't regularly read novels with these themes, I found myself intrigued by the story; in particular how realistic the feelings and actions Kalki took were. Some parts were difficult to read (in that the topics were sensitive) but that made the plot even more powerful and meaningful. I liked the format of the story as well: 10 chapters, 10 key moments, 10 lessons. It brought the reader into the novel more.

I also felt a few of the minor plotlines were a little bit dragged out (at least for me), mostly because I wanted to see the actions and decisions made by and for the movement. However, many of those minor plotlines also gave insight into the characters and helped the reader to understand why certain decisions were ultimately made.

The author has clearly educated herself greatly on the colonialism and anti-colonialism movements throughout modern history. This "what-if" novel is a culmination of that research and I think it should be recommended to many readers who want to understand more about the trials that a conquered nation would have gone through, with a fictional twist.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy of this book! It is very different than my normal Historical Fiction picks. I did love the fiction of India and independence from the British. I loved this book and it was very sad about the rebellion and times that the characters Kalki's were rebelling and revolting against the grain. The fight for freedom of violence and non-violence actions based upon Indian beliefs and past. The narrative text of this novel (Kalki) really worked and helped me connect and relate to her as a resistance. I would highly recommend this book to those who love Historical fiction works. This was a powerful story and helped me empathize and have compassion with those that have suffered in the independence of India.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Ballatine, and NetGalley for this ARC and recommendation!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is a moving story of exploitation and abuse by the British in India. Colonialism at its worst but a memorable story.

Been a fan since Kaikeyi and will always be a fan of anything Vaishnavi Patel writes. She truly does get better and better with each work she puts out. Her stories are always so interesting to read and very easy to follow even if you do not have much knowledge beforehand about the subject her book is based on. This one took me longer to get through than her previous works but it is no fault of her own, I just could not get into the story that much.

Great book with a very interesting detail and description. I enjoyed the magic system and how the characters were

Thank you to netgalley and the Random House Publishing Group for this eARC!

I found this book to be highly relevant to our society today, especially as we are still navigating the ignorance when it comes to international history, and how that impacts our response to revolution, colonialism, etc. At the very core, this book analyzes the cost of independence: is it worth the amount of pain, suffering, and at the end of it all, what is left? More fascinating, it focuses on India's independence, and moreover those who fought for independence starting in the 1910s. I also liked the detail of intertwining mythology from the region.

However, I did find the writing to be awkward and choppy often. If you despise the concept of "telling, not showing," you will also find that a problem in this book. Personally, I also found the characters to be nothing new. Overall, the real value of this book comes from its plot and themes.

this book is very close to my heart. my family lived through the partition. so of course I was looking forward to this, and it was even better than I thought. I'm really grateful to NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5/5 stars

This was such a compelling book and I read it all in one sitting. It's been a while since I've done that, which really speaks to how much I enjoyed this book. I loved pretty much everything about it: focusing on a female-led resistance/rebellion group with an emphasis on mutual aid, interweaving of Hindu mythology that mirrors the protagonist's current struggles, and the close bonds and sisterhood between the characters. It's a powerful, impactful read, and I highly recommend it.

The reason I rated it 4.5 stars is due to the frequent time jumps within each chapter. The narrative often went back and forth between the present day and the narrator's memories; often, it was difficult to tell that the current paragraph I was reading wasn't in the present day until I read a few sentences and realized that we'd jumped back a decade. I found it to be a bit jarring and confusing at times, and wish that this would have been a bit more distinctive.

Vaishnavi Patel's work never fails to amaze me. As someone who grew up learning about the myth Ten Incarnations is based on, including the ages of time and the ten avatars of Vishnu, I adored watching Patel translate this into a narrative while also relating it to the British colonization of India. I do want to point out that while this book's pacing was slow, it didn't focus on the elements I wanted it to focus on. As well, the alternate universe drew me out of the narrative at times (especially in the beginning) when the characters would recite India's national song (Vande Mataram) in seemingly random situations, it felt super jarring to read, but I guess that's just because I was brought up in India and raised to treat the national song as the American pledge of allegiance. As well, I understand why the narrative choice of rumination/interiority was a key choice for Patel, but it did take me out of the urgency/depth of the story often. However, I do understand Patel's intent with the choices she made, and I really appreciate the effort she took to translate a rebellion movement into an alternate history setting; when looking back on the novel, it truly is a haunting portrait of the impacts of colonization on India, and that is a topic I am really grateful to see covered by a skilled author such as Patel.