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.

5⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is Vaishnavi Patel's historical fiction, an alternate history imagining where British's freedom-supressing tactics had been more successful in India. This book made me cry from the very first chapter. Themes of revolution for a better world are explored deeply along with many others but this made so much sense from the setting.

Patel did a great job on creating the process of rebellion. The factors that had hindered the original revolution were explored and it never felt like anything was out of place. Everything just felt right in place, how the people lived, the suppression and erasing access to history that erased accountability. Through the eyes of Kalki Divekar, we see the horrors committed by the British. I love how Patel didn't put all the Indian freedom fighters as heroes. She showed their wrong doings and allowed accountability. The unsettling horrors committed by the British were disturbing and disgusting, and I'm glad that was shown. The journey starts from when Kalki was nineteen but the vivid flashbacks we encounter make it seem we have been reading through her perspective for many years. The journey of strength, courage, rebellion, loss and sacrifice is explored from her perspective which made is gut-wrenching to read. The theme of revolution is very well explored. Effective revolutions demand sacrifice. Those who are fighting in that rebellion aren't just doing it for themselves, they're doing it for a greater cause. These themes arise from the idea of freedom --- to which attaining it demands a sacrifice. I was sobbing for these characters because they've been through so much. Overall, it was a rollercoaster of emotions from the sorrows, seeing Kalki adept into her life, the rebellion, the heartbreaks, the sacrifices and the freedom, was destroying me. I am grateful to have read this alternate history.

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.

I was very reluctant to read this book at first - speculative fiction about an India that did not gain independence from the British made me feel odd in some way. But I am so glad that I did read this book! There is so much research and care in this work that I would argue that it is Patel’s best work yet! I can see the growth in her writing from Kayeiki (which got a shoutout in this book!) to now.

This book touches on colonization, imperialism, the right of colonized lands to become sovereign, and the cost of independence. Because once the yoke of oppression is fully lifted, then comes the power vacuum in which a nation can either devolve or evolve into a country that protects its people. I think most Westerns know that India’s independence came about as the result of a lot of “peaceful” and “nonviolent” movements that ceased upon the creation of India and the Partition. However, what is not known to many are the freedom fighters of the 1910s and beyond, who were laying the foundation for freedom and independence at least thirty years prior to India being a sovereign nation. Therefore, this novel highlights the work of a conglomerate group of freedom fighters into a smaller unit, the Indian liberation movement.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and its message is highly relevant for today as we still address the impact colonization and willful ignorance have on our global history. I also loved the layout of this novel by allowing readers to see ten glimpses of life through the eyes of freedom fighters, all tied to various myths in Hindu mythology, going from animal to half man/half animal stories, then warriors, kings, and gods themselves. This preserves the beauty of Indian mythology and storytelling, two gifts our culture has that have enticed millennia (something the British tried to take away from us). My special thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, Ballantine books (random house publishing group), and the author for this advanced reader copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

2.5 stars.

This was incredibly hard for me to get through. I was so bored throughout the whole book. I have loved the authors previous work but this one just seemed to be written differently. It’s like it’s not even the same author wrote the book. The writing was just so clunky and didn’t have a smooth flow. Another issue was that too many concepts (classism, injustices of imperialism, war, suppression of one’s sexuality, etc) were touched upon that they didn’t each have their own time dedicated to it.

The concept of this book sounded so cool and interesting but was a let down for me


Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

3.5⭐️s rounded up. I really liked the storyline and concept of a dystopian India in the 1960s, if they had not gained their independence from the British. It had some impactful threads on fighting for freedom, taking life-threatening risks, benefits and consequences of violence vs non-violence, etc. I also really loved the friendships and loyalty the women had, and that they stood up despite so much against them. That they were selfless in fighting for each other and their people even to their own detriment, but understood the importance of *being* better than their oppressors if they wanted a better world, rather than matched retaliation and justification.

What I struggled a little with was the writing style. It was very narrative-based with arguably most of the book being Kalki’s contemplation, flashback memories and rumination. I didn’t feel invited into their struggle or fight so much as looking at it from the outside, removed from the story. It was hard to be invested in what was going on consistently outside of *wanting* to be invested because of the value of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

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 one another than facing their true oppressors.

I am typically not a fan of Science Fiction but this one was a pretty good book. I would recommend it to the anyone that doesn't really enjoy the sci-fi genre.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a novel I will think about for a long time to come. Following the main character Kalki, the reader is transported to a different timeline- 1960s British-occupied India. As the world seems to crumble around her feet, Kalki rises to start a new chapter Kingston’s independence movement with the goal of gaining self-rule.

If you are looking for a book with strong female characters, this is it. The main characters will have you rooting for their victories and amazed by their sacrifices. Despite having the weight of their country on their shoulders, Patel navigates the way through the young characters’ naïveté and idealism wonderfully.

Despite the settings and themes of this book being linked to a certain location and time-period, I guarantee you will find yourself noticing the similarities between this story and the current political climate. My only hesitation on this book comes from its character-driven narrative. I absolutely loved the focus on the people, but the novel itself had such a sweeping and intense plot line that almost seemed secondary. I would’ve liked a little more “showing, not telling,” but that really just comes down to personal preference.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is an easy 4.25/5 for me. I highly recommend picking up your copy when this book releases on June 3, 2025! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC.

This is a very powerful look at how the small sparks of rebellion can fan into flames of change. This book takes a look at a history in which India's rebellion against the British colonizers failed. Kalki, the protagonist, has grown up under the thumb of the British her entire life, but her father, one of the members of the failed rebellion, instilled in her that same knowledge that got him potentially killed. The story chronicles 10 different snapshots of Kalki's life, focusing on the different ways of rebelling. How the most important part of any rebellion is community.

The one critique I have, though, is the integration of the Dashavatara. Each chapter ends with a telling of the story of the avatar of Vishnu mentioned in the chapter title. However, I think the way they were integrated felt a little hamfisted in some instances and slightly choppy in others. I think there was a way to make them feel a little more organic to the chapter, rather than tacked on at the end.

Other than that, though, this was a difficult, but powerful read. It looks at the devastation of colonization, the power of community, and the lows and highs of rebellion.