Ten Incarnations of Rebellion explores an alternate reality where history diverts in the 1910s and the British Empire kept India firmly in its clutches despite what in our history was a successful Indian Independence Movement. The novel follows a new generation of revolutionaries grappling with what it means to fight for independence. Vaishnavi Patel touches on the complexities of freedom movements, in a saga spanning a decade of the protagonist's life with each chapter chronicling a year with a theme taken from classic Hindu stories. Overall, this was a thought-provoking read that provided one angle of understanding the triumphs and pitfalls of the Independence Movement of our history. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Ever read a book that carves out your heart, filets it, and you say thank you while you're sobbing your eyes out? This is that book. Exquisite storytelling, reminds me of how I felt reading The Poppy War.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House publishing for sending me an eARC of this story in exchange for my honest review.

RATING: 2.75/5 stars

I really loved Kaikeyi and enjoyed Goddess of the River, so I had some pretty high expectations for this book but unfortunately Ten Incarnations of Rebellion didn't quite hit the mark for me. Vaishnavi Patel's writing is lush and compelling, she definitely has mastery over what draws readers into the story and how to weave together emotions to make readers have empathy for her characters and their struggles. I enjoyed Kalki, but instantly fell in love with Fauzia and Yasha; their stories added rich religious and caste diversity to the subcultures that exist within India, and I feel like their struggles added a multifaceted quality to the story that piqued my interest each time more of their story appeared. Frankly, Fauzia and Yasha are the primary reasons this book rates above a 3 star for me, because the other elements of the book were simply lacking.

The anti-violence revolution rhetoric makes sense in the midst of the 21st century, but feels completely out of place in the era of the Vietnam War,the Cuban resistance, the Burkina Faso coup, and so many other revolutionary struggles of this era. It feels like the author is trying to tell people in the 21st century not to resort to violence, and i hear the kernel of Angela Davis' modern times require an adaptation of strategies for revolution, but for a book that is a HISTORICAL fiction set in the 1960s, it simply makes no sense in the grand context of world events. And even for the 21st century, an anti-violence ideal adheres to strongly to exactly what the ruling class desires; they want a revolution to be slow, they want a revolution to take 7 years, all so that they can adapt quickly and easily to topple any dissent among the people they subjugate.

And to that point, the revolution, as an entity, is so flat; every facet and update about Kalki's rebellion is told (as opposed to shown) to readers. We are told "we're making great strides, we've expanded growth!" without any substantial scenes showing the growth or development of the revolution. And with most of these statements coming from Fauzia and Yasha, it becomes hard to see Kalki as the great main character revolutionary that she is meant to be. Patel tried far hard to make this story a character-centric tale revolving around Kalki's life but the plot is torn too heavily between political machinations and Kalki's emotional strife that even though the writing is compelling, it feels like you're gobbling it up and never feeling full.

And to top it all off, the ending/conclusion of the revolution felt completely misguided; Patel fails to dismantle the oppressive structures of the government, choosing instead to instill a replacement figurehead as a means of "freeing" the people. This lack of critical analysis on anarchist governmental structures and Leftist political thought was done so poorly that it had me constantly second guessing whether the author truly had read Franz Fanon or simply added to the bibliography for show.

Finally, so many of the "shocking" plot reveals were completely predictable, not in the way that the story followed notes of any previous story I've written, but in the way that the author's plot armor/set up for these reveals would drastically show the hand behind the curtain pulling the puppet strings. Every single reveal that happens in this story, I feel I foresaw from the 40% mark, if not early, which really removed any level of suspense or strong emotional attachment to the events of Kalki's life.

All in all, I do enjoy Vaishnavi Patel's writing style, and I do think there are small elements of this story that kept me reading until the end, but unfortunately the overall effect of the story did not land well in the slightest.

To me this was an emotional, inspiring, devastating, yet hopeful depiction of a story about oppression, liberation, freedom, friendship, love and sacrifice. This story follows the 11 year evolution of Kalki as she journeys to free her city of Kingston (Bombay) from British oppression. This is an alternate timeline of Indian liberation set in the 1960s. This moved me to tears many, many times. In sadness and hopefulness and just the beauty of finding love and friendship and family and place in worlds that seek to eliminate joy. I loved seeing strong, powerful, opinionated women lead a people to freedom. I thoroughly enjoyed how different the women's plans to seek liberation was compared to the men's in the story. This feels unfortunately timely with everything going on in the world, but it gave me hope. It will leave you thinking about the costs of freedom and whether the journey and sacrifices are worth the risk of a better world. My opinion tends to lean towards Kalki, even though I wish I was a Fauzia.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley again for the chance to read this beautiful story early.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Another beautiful story by Vaishnavi. I loved the Hindu stories weaved into the storyline. This was such a moving read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I will say, it did start out a bit not slow, but matter of fact in a way that made it initially difficult to invest in the characters. However, as the story progressed, the characters grew in depth and the fight and revolution of the ILM became more concrete! I also found it refreshing that Patel did not make the British into a "morally gray" entity as most books attempt to give some humanity to the enemy. In this case, it was extremely clear that the British could not be considered anything other than colonizers.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion follows Kalki in ten moments from her life as she becomes part of the rebellion in an alternate 1960s India that was never liberated from the British.

I really enjoyed the connections between the characters, especially with Kalki, Yashu, and Fauzia. Their friendships drove the book forward and the dynamics, even with the other characters made it a compelling read. I think the story would have been better if it had been longer or split up into more books as a few of the moments felt a bit rushed and once the ghosts appeared at the end, I found it difficult to understand

But, in the end I really enjoyed this book and think it would appeal to others who enjoy alternate history and secret rebellions.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley again for the chance to read this early.

This was such a inspiring, emotional read about freedom, justice, sacrifice, friendship and the cross to love. This is my first read by the author and I’m lost for words. I was sucked in from the first chapter.

At 19 years old Kalki knows she’s destined to fight for the freedom of her Indian people against the British, as her father once did. The story takes us through years of Kalki’s life until she’s 28 and tells the story of the brutal conditions her people lived, the prejudice they were subject to, and ruled over by the British.

This story is emotional, and thought provoking. It questions what to would endure and sacrifice to be treated as an equal and with respect. To be free. Her friendships and the ups and downs through them were a favorite of mine in the story. Tested but standing strong because they all had a common goal.


Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this early.

Fans of Patel's writing style will be pleased; it carries, feeling a bit more polished. The concept and structure of the story (ten incarnations, ten moments, ten avatars---alternative history founded in the real history) was really cool and really well-done.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

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Note---When the cover is small (thumbnail sized), the beautiful art looks like a donut and the title isn't legible. I'm not sure where the book is in terms of production, but something to consider. The cover of Kaikeyi was so beautiful and recognizable.

Alternative history at it's finest. Makes you think and feel icky

Kalki Divekar grows up a daughter of Kingston—a city the British built on the ashes of Bombay. The older generation, including her father, have been lost to the brutal hunt for rebels. Young men are drafted to fight wars they will never return from. And the people of her city are more interested in fighting each other than facing their true oppressors.

When tragedy strikes close to home, Kalki and her group of friends begin to play a dangerous game, obtaining jobs working for the British while secretly planning to destroy the empire from the inside out. They found Kingston's new independence movement, knowing one wrong move means certain death. Facing threats from all quarters, Kalki must decide whether it’s more important to be a hero or to survive.

Told as ten moments from Kalki’s life that mirror the Dashavatara, the ten avatars of Vishnu, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a sweeping, deeply felt speculative novel of empowerment, friendship, self-determination, and the true meaning of freedom.

Ten incarnations of rebellion is a historical reimagining of Indian Independence period, with the idea that its 1960s and the British have not yet left the Indian shores.
The concept is good, and the idea that with an unsuspecting all female crew the heroine leads the liberation movement in Bombay is definitely a good one, but somehow I didn't like this one as much as it wanted to, there was something missing.
The topic too broad to be covered in one standalone book in my opinion.

I really enjoyed Patel's "Kaikeyi" so I was thrilled (and thankful!) for the opportunity to read her next book early! "The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion" follows Kalki Divekar as she develops into a revolutionary and frees Kingston (an alternative-history version of Mumbai) from British colonial rule in the 1960s. Like "Kaikeyi," the novel centers on complex and powerful women and their relationships - Kalki is full of contradictions and complexity, as are her best friends Fauzia and Yashu. I found the story of female revolutionaries refreshing. At first, I wasn't sure why Patel needed to create an alternative history to frame this story, but I think it perhaps gave her more room to play with themes of sexuality and what a women-led movement could have looked like. Overall, I enjoyed this story very much. I think it would make a great book club book - there are a lot of themes to explore and things to talk about. As revolutionaries, the women must make incredibly harrowing choices and mistakes along the way, so there is a LOT to discuss.

The only part that really didn't land with me was towards the end of the book when a couple of ghosts reappear to Kalki as her conscience during key moments. It was the only element of 'magic realism' in the book and it felt forced/out of place to me (and I usually LOVE magic realism!). I just felt like Kalki could have just owned her personal growth in those moments without the use of ghosts. She'd been through so much by then that it would have made more sense to me if she stayed her hand and displayed more patience just because, you know... she'd grown as a person over the seven years the book spans. No ghosts needed.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a compelling, page-turning alternate history that follows a female-led revolutionary movement from its earliest days through the overthrow of British rule in India. The plot is fast-moving and engaging, and I really appreciated the moral nuance the book gets into with each character, fully embracing the complicated mess that is trying to build a better world on imperfect foundations. I would have preferred that the story spent more time in scene rather than in summary, and we receive a lot of information in flashback, which left me feeling a little detached from the present action, which is why I chose four stars. Still, I read this book in less than 48 hours, so I would definitely recommend.

incredibly moving. a powerful little book – TONS to say about it, which makes it immensely valuable.

beautiful, compelling and very fleshed out characters, they carried the story when the prose and very straightforward storytelling failed it at times. i loved the narrative conduction though, and while i would have liked it to go in different directions here and there, it all made sense and is never unrealistic or cowardly. it's in fact a very brave book, and it's strength truly lies in the depth of its thoughtfulness behind the simple prose.

i can see this being studied or becoming a classic, it even has those odd flaws that classics always have: they just make you want to talk about the book more.

vaishnavi patel you have my sword forever! highly rec this, thank you netgalley and publisher for the honor 👏

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the ARC. I have loved Vaishnavi Patels other books so I was so excited to read this one.

This takes place pre-independence India from the British empire. A young Kalki begins to start a liberation movement from the British, taking after her father who had been captured by the British for past rebellion. This book involves women, friends, from different castes and religions joining together to create this movement. The path to freedom unfortunately came with consequences and huge bumps in the path. Patel did a wonderful job showing the good, bad and ugly about the movement.

I did get a bit confused in some parts, it was hard to tell which was going back to the past and what was present but that might be a me problem.

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.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy. I enjoyed this very personal novel. The idea of reimagining history and setting the novel in an India that never separated from British rule was surprising. The characters were sympathetic and believable. I am impressed by the author’s passion and unique voice.

Stunning storytelling, tender depictions of love and friendship, and a thrilling tale of rebellion and freedom-fighting -- Ten Incarnations of Rebellion has it all and more. I truly cannot gush enough about how wonderful this book is. I adored almost every character in this story, and each was as individually complex as the next. A driving force of this story was the question of how much freedom is worth, and what you're willing to give up to finally achieve it. It's thought-provoking and powerful, and I was driven to both laughter and to tears more than once. There isn't really anything I could criticize; it's simply an amazing story.

I feel so, so blessed to have received an ARC of Ten Incarnations of Rebellion and experience early what I believe will be an instant success. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group!

I was honored to receive Ten Incarnations of Rebellion as a digital advance.

It was outside the realm of my usual books, and I'm so glad I was able to read it.

It gives us an alternative to history, and it also was a fascinating look into a unique subject.

This book is special, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#RandomHousePublishing #VaishnaviPatel #TenIncarnationsofRebellion #NetGalley

An excellent alternative history exploring if Indian had not been able to break free of British colonial rule, and the renewed struggle in the 1960s by a group of young women to help undertake revolution in Kingston/ Bombay (now Mumbai). Well written and full of emotion, it explores women from different religions and castes that band together to create a network inside their isolated city and drive the British out. The main character Kalki, has to struggle with the efficacy of more violent methods and the demands from other rebel groups outside the city, as well as as her role working for the British government in order to make a living and gain information. The book seemed well researched and thoughtful, and was poignantly written.