Ten Incarnations of Rebellion

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a 320-page book by Vaishnavi Patel, who also wrote Goddess of the River. Set in an alternate 1960s timeline where India was not liberated from Great Britain, and told in first person over several years, this book uses the structure of the traditional story of the ten trials of Vishnu as a framework to recount the ten rebellious acts that our main character undertakes as a freedom fighter.

Kalki Divekar’s father was a freedom fighter and she’s bound and determined to follow in his impressive footsteps. Her first rebellious act is to hope. She breaks into an archive and retrieves the lyrics to a once-popular song which the British colonists have now banned - Vande Mataram - which is a traditional song and poem about freedom.

As the story progresses, and Kalki grows up, her acts become more dangerous. This book has lots of twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes with pacing that amps up as you read along. This book is haunting and captivating with strong characters that will have you yearning for more.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel will be available on June 3, 2025 for $29 in hardback.

5/5 Stars