This novel follows a young boy named Kalki Sami who has blue skin and believes himself to be a god. He was told by his parents that he was the avatar of the hindu god Vishnu. This story starts as Kalki is turning 10 and he is told that he must pass 3 tests to fulfill a prophecy and be accepted as a reincarnation of the god. However Kalki starts to acknowledge the suspicious aspects of his life when he and his cousin, Lakshman, realize that his parents bathe him in water that is dyed blue.
As the story progresses Kalki is made more and more aware of the lies that have been fed to him by his parents, and begins to resent his father for the abuse that he inflicts upon him and his mother. This suspicion escalates with the sudden presence of a woman named Sita who comes to stay with him from America, who teaches him to question what he has been taught about life and morality.
The story progresses with Kalki discovering himself and moving farther and farther away from his father until he eventually leaves the ashram all together and moves in with Lakshman in NYC.
I loved the first half of this book and felt as though the second half was still good but less enjoyable for me. I loved the way that this book brought in hinduism and stories that relate to Hinduism as it is something that I am not familiar with and I loved to learn more about it. I also loved the ways in which gender and sexuality are addressed in this novel as it was very inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
In all I loved the writing and the way in which this sort flowed, and would recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a good, though at times heartbreaking, story.

I will give this book another shot later when my current interesting reading list is smaller. I did not get into the narrative in the voice of ....

I’m so sad about this! After having just finished this author’s debut novel, Marriage of a Thousand Lies, I was really excited to finish this book since I’d started it a few days earlier just so I could get a little bit of the ways into it while I was listening to MOATL on audio.

So this book is separated into four sections and the first three sections of this book I was loving. I was ready to give this book like a 4 or 4.5 stars. I thought it was so magical and fantastical and I just loved so much about it—the writing, the characters, the plot, the construction, everything. But, the fourth and final section of this book felt like it wasn’t even a part of the same book. Things changed so drastically and it became something that I just wasn’t really a fan of; it was like a modern-day NYC sort-of music/band/“let’s drink all day and party all night” feel that I’m just not a fan of. Things changed at such a breakneck speed that I had whiplash and, honestly, that would have been okay if the things that were changed were just as good if not better, but they weren’t which is so upsetting.

I really really enjoyed the first three sections of this book as I said and would give those something between a 4 and 4.5 star rating, but the fourth and final section of this book would get like a 2 from me so that’s how I settled on a 3 star rating. I really wish the final part of this book could have been in the same vein as the first three parts of this book as that is where almost all of my complaints lie. I almost wish the book had ended after the third section.

Apart from that, (in the first three sections), I really liked the main character, Kalki, and the people he had around him. I think the writing was beautiful and the plot was extremely engaging as SJ Sindu has a way with her books where you just have to keep reading which I noticed with her first book too. The "world-building"/fantasy aspect was really fun to read about as well!

Overall, I know I’m going to look back at this book mostly with positivity, but, right now, I just have a sour taste in my mouth because of the last 120 pages or so.

Man needs gods and, for good or evil, procures them. We who have grown up in one of the revealed religions are used to dealing with the more predominantly spiritual aspect of divinity (which does not shelter us from very material contraindications), but there are places where the gods still walk among men through their incarnations. One of these is Kalki, a child born with blue skin like Shri Krishna, who in an ashram run by his father is worshipped as the tenth incarnation of Vishnu.
Strange events, however, punctuate Kalki's growing up, until he discovers some unpleasant truths about his past while on a devotional tour of the United States.
Blue-skinned Gods could be described as a book about sects and the cheats of religion, but written from the point of view of the one who is cheated the most: the one who is brought up to believe he is divine, and therefore unable to come to terms with his own humanity.

When a boy is born with blue skin, his family makes the most of it. Building an ashram, his family builds an entire story around Kalki - telling the masses he's the human incarnation of the Indian god Vishnu. But as Kalki comes of age, and he's given trials to prove his deity - he starts to question who he is, and what he's meant to do.

A fantastical and imaginative tale steeped with rich cultural backgrounds!

Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Press for advance access to this title!

Imagine having the weight of the world on your shoulders. Not the pressure of your job, or of your family obligations, but the weight of saving the entire world. Kalki Sami is 10-years-old and the incarnation of Vishnu, and has been raised to be the great healer of the world. But gods don't live alone -- not when they are children, at least, and Kalki Sami must answer to his father, his community, and his "brother," all of whom bring their expectations, their personal interests, and their needs to bear. He finds love with his mother, his friend, and a young woman not of his caste, yet how can a god dedicate his love to just one or to a mere few? A story of faith and doubt, of family against and among friendship, and a coming of age novel, Blue-Skinned Gods is a contemporary rendering of what it might mean to grow up as a god, confronting a world where spiritualism has replaced religion, or more startling still, where atheism has defeated the gods.

Such a fascinating and beautiful story. I finished it last night but I still don't quite know what to say about it. I really loved the middle part of the book, and I think my least favorite part was the last bit. The ending itself was strong though. Obviously I'm not very eloquent about it right now, I just thought it was great

I truly did not know what to expect from this book. And then I was sad when I got to the last page. I wanted to continue the story, keep learning and reading, understanding and knowing if Kalki finds the peace that he so richly deserves. An incredibly readable story about a childgod, faith and belief. I'm struggling to define what it reminded me of our would be akin to, but the story is unique. Definitely recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

It is such a fascinating topic as how many of the Gods that Indians pray to have blue skin. And the title really intrigued me to pick this one up. The author definitely helps in capturing the emotions of a little boy who loves to play and the responsibility he has to bear at a young age.

Blue Skinned Gods was a tale of love, struggle, family, and so much more. The story follows Kalki, a young boy who is known to be the reincarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. We follow his journey to prove himself worthy of the title.

Sindu does a great job at depicting the Hindu epics and what the stories entail, and how it related to Kalki. The hardest part of this story to digest was the pain Kalki was put through. Seeing how hard he was pushed makes it relatable to a first generation Indian-American. While I am not proving myself to be a God, it’s always a constant struggle to prove yourself worthy to people, especially your parents.

While I didn’t get a full ending on what happened to other characters, I enjoyed it nonetheless. What Kalki did at the end, which I felt struck a cord with me, was so important. We see his inner struggle and how he came to terms with who he is after being fed one thing his entire life.

For someone who dealt with so much stuff, I feel Kalki had a decent heart through it all. His story kept me enamored through it all, wishing nothing but the best for our main character. I think Sindu does a great job at telling such a unique story, one I would have never thought of before.

Thank you to NetGalley for an EBook arc, SJ Sindu, and Soho Press for a copy of this book.

Having been fascinated by Hindu Mythology for many years, I found this novel extremely readable and thoroughly enjoyable! We follow Kalki, a boy born with blue skin who is believed to be, and is raised to be, the 10th and final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

I found Kalki's character development to be well done and had a great deal of empathy with him from the start. I didn't find the twists and turns of the novel to be unexpected but this did not diminish my enjoyment of his journey.

I will highly recommend this delightfully told story!

A blue skinned boy born in Tamil Nadu, India is thought to be the 10th incarnation of Hinda god, Vishu and has abilities to heal people. From an early age, his father has groomed him to act as a god in the family's ashram, and perform healing and prayer sessions for the visitors.

We meet Kalki at age ten, a young boy who wholeheartedly believes he is the prophesized 10th avatar of Vishnu. However, when he is to complete his 3 tests, a family tragedy causes him to question his own faith in himself and his abilities. Blue Skinned Gods is a coming of age story about a young boy who grows up to learn that his life is not what he has believed it to be.
Sindu's writing in this novel is so captivating. It is easy to become invested in Kalki and his journey as the story progresses.  With a degree in Art History, Hinduism and Hindu art has always been a favorite area of study for me, so I naturally gravitated towards this novel. It is gripping, well written, and unlike anything I've read before. This is definitely a book I recommend!

Thank you to Soho Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available Nov 2nd 2021

It is impossible to think of contemporary Hinduism and not know about gurus. Yet how are gurus created? What is the faith that holds us together? S J Sindu's Blue Skinned Gods aims to examine Hinduism from the unique perspective of Kalki Sami, a 10 year old who believes he is the next incarnation of Rama. Leading a sheltered life in his ashram, Kalki's faith is tested as he starts to perform his three great trials, leading to the fulfillment of his prophecy. Straying from the watchful eye of his Ayya, Kalki begins to question his faith as he makes friends with others visiting the ashram.

Ultimately, Kalki must answer the question we all face - just what is the meaning of it all? And how do we hold onto faith when all else is doubtful? Throughout the story, Sindu questions Hinduism's limits on sexuality, gender and caste. A really interesting and addictive read!

Blue-Skinned Gods is the book that's needed in these harrowing time. Beautifully written and verging on the poetic, SJ Sindu is able to bring relative topics of the world today and paint them with a fictional brush. A book that should be mandatory to read and easy to love, Blue-Skinned Gods will leave you thinking and wanting more.

This captivating novel has many facets, crafted by a skillful creator: SJ Sindu’s imaginative spin on Hindu mythology and genetics incorporates a David and Jonathan-like friendship and a family saga of abuse into an assured and polished novel. Not every author would be so brave as to take on race, religion, sexuality, and patriarchal power as well as a transatlantic shift in setting, but the author’s voice is assured and impressive, easily navigating the journey from rural India to New York City. There are so many adept and surprising turns to Sindu’s tale that it would not be right to explain them further. Kalki Sami is aggressively marketed by his physician father Ayya as the last incarnation of Vishnu: Born blue-skinned and brought up to inhabit divinity, Kalki is like a hothouse plant suddenly thrust into bright sunlight. The consequences of this enforced destiny are manifold: Ayya is an obsessive tyrant while his mother, Amma, is a gentle spirit whose devotion to her son is the one saving grace in the boy’s life, as both suffer under Ayya’s cruel domination. The remote ashram where Kalki grows up is the scene for this unusual coming of age story - scenes of otherworldly enchantment clash with stark conflict between the adults. Notable are the characterizations of Amma, Roopa, his first love, and the enigmatic Kalyani, a thirunangai who is his confidant and a view to the outside world. These women are depicted with tenderness and delicacy; the persistent misogyny in the culture is carefully evoked throughout the narrative. If there is a flaw in this narrative, it is a lack of context for Ayya’s behavior, his selfishness and opportunism is never quite explained, but it is a minor quibble. The one enduring thread in Kalki’s life is his friendship with Lakshman, his cousin. Whatever shortcomings are present in the depiction of Ayya, a figure of constant menace, are made up for by the intelligent and affectionate treatment of their friendship. This novel transports you to unexpected places, and lingers as a vivid memory. Highly recommended. I received a pre publication digital copy from NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Powerful. Troubling. Irresistible.

This book will leave you thinking long after you turn the last page.

Kalki is an impossibly blue-skinned boy, ten years old when our story opens, and living on an ashram run by his father deep in the heart of Tamil India. This is a culture with a long history of revering and worshiping many deities (and interestingly, one that also celebrates gender fluidity in their gods with deep and native respect).

It’s not unexpected then, that the incontrovertible colour of Kalki’s skin, combined with his demonstrated ability to heal, earn him a place in his Hindu culture as a god - in fact, the seventh reincarnation of Vishnu - a deity to be revered. As befits his godly status, Kalki’s life becomes totally centered on his work, his religious education, and his steadfast devotion to the prophesies and teachings that define and limit the borders of his acceptable behaviors, encompassing his responsibilities to teach, cherish and set a godly example to the villagers that frequent (and subsidize) the ashram.

Kalki’s influence over the villagers makes it clear that what we believe, what we want to believe, and what values our culture subsidizes may be more important to our health than any medicine which is actually administered.

Is Kalki a god? A ten year old boy-god can be expected to struggle in his role, but Kalki is desperately unhappy, in many (if not most) areas of his life.

How important is faith? And trust? Although childhood-Kalki’s faith in his own godliness continues to be strong, and his motivations to heal are pure, we quickly see, as Kalki’s story unfolds, the cast of characters around him are much darker in their needs - leaving them victims to more humanly struggles with power, money, lust, deception, success, depression, fear, jealousy, alcohol and drugs.

There are no easy answers. As Kalki’s story advances in his young adulthood to include a world tour with of other cultures including visiting New York, the story reaches its climax. It’s no surprise that what is worshipped as “godhood” across a broad sweep of America, is a very complex thing. The author explores the allure of North American influences of freedom, fame, social media success, addiction, hedonism, revenge and sex on our young “god”, leaving the ultimate question raised by this book unanswered:

Just what, at the end of the day, do we worship? And how’s that working out for us?


A very big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

This book is one of the best book I’ve ever read. I’ve read it in a day.
It’s about finding yourself when everything - and everyone - you’ve ever known threatens to slip away from your fingers.
Kalki has been raised with one goal all his life: help people through blessings and miracles - and help his family profit off his power.
I loved the main character and his journey in understanding himself, the world he knows and the world he was kept away from.
The writing was so intriguing and real that I couldn’t put it down.
5/5 stars.

Y'all, this book was not for me. A coming of age story about a blue skinned boy living and healing as a god in a modern day Indian ashram. Sounded compelling, but ultimately fell short for me. It was overall well written, but there were very random and brief excerpts from the future spliced in that always gave too much away, but also didn't seem to serve the story. I would have much preferred a chapter at the end containing all of that. The whole second half felt disjointed from the first and the conclusion seemed rushed and not particularly believable. And I did not like a single supporting character throughout. There were also plot points that went nowhere or were left unresolved. Gorgeous cover, interesting subject matter, just did not enjoy it.

Thank you to S.J. Sindu, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an e-arc of this book.

From a young age Kalki has not only known he was different (his blue skin is a dead giveaway), but has also known that he is a god reborn. Growing up with his Ayya and Amma teaching him of his godhood, Kalki longs to form bonds with other children but also stays steady on the path of enlightenment that he has been placed upon. As he grows older and events around him make him question the world outside the ashram, can Kalki come to terms with who he is in light of who he was told he is?

A story of self discovery, I enjoyed reading this book and watching an unsure young man fumble his way onto the path of self discovery instead of allowing his path to be dictated to him.

What an atmospheric book! Ever since the first page this book propels you into the lives of the protagonists with a rhythm that sings of promise, lore and intrigue. Very interesting commentary.