Thanks first and foremost to NetGalley and Kathleen at Penguin Random for pre-approving me to read and review this eARC.

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion's publication date is next week, and I'm thrilled to share my perspective on this novel, as I have read and thoroughly enjoyed other works of Patel's.

This novel is an alternative version of historical events wherein India does not gain independence until the 1960s, and much of the history we know today about that era in Indian history is erased and/or re-written. Patel asked what might have happened if India had remained under British rule for a couple extra decades - how may that have shaped the India we know today, and the India of yesteryear. Patel explores themes of family, grief, revenge, justice, revolution, love, queerness, gender ideals and roles, and much more in Ten Incarnations. These themes are explored in depth, often from varied perspectives. This worked incredibly well, as did the unexpected folks along the way whose minds were shifted by Kalki and her crew, or by the way they saw the British treating Indians on a daily basis. 

While none of the reveals were surprising for me, this could be a really fun engagement for many readers, as the bread crumbs Patel leaves aren't overly obvious, I don't think. (I blame having a spicy brain with pattern recognition always on 1000)

There wasn't quite as much depth to some of the characters as I'd have liked, particularly given this novel is primarily character-driven. I didn't feel as connected to the characters, their aims, their dreams, their arcs, as I'd have liked to have been, but not every novel is a perfect fit for every reader. 

Nonetheless, this novel is a solid imagining and revisiting of historical events that took place, revolution and rebellion, and themes of resistance and oppression, including in some ways that continue to impact India and the rest of the subcontinent. 

The lower ranking doesn't reflect the impact that this novel has and can have, but simply how well it worked for me. This novel is slower-paced than I prefer, and is a bit more politically dense than I'd prefer, lowering the intrigue factor for me significantly. Regardless, I'll continue to read from Patel, and look forward to hearing how others feel about this novel!