Vaishnavi Patel

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Vaishnavi Patel
Born1995/1996(age 29–30)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Alma mater Yale Law School
Occupation(s)Novelist and lawyer
Years active2022–present
Notable work
Website vaishnavipatel.com

Vaishnavi Patel (born 1995or1996 [1] ) is an American novelist and lawyer. She is best known for her fantasy novel Kaikeyi (2022) [2]

Contents

Writing career

In 2022, Patel's debut novel Kaikeyi, an adult fantasy reimagining of the life of Kaikeyi from the Hindu epic Ramayana, was published by Redhook. [3] Kaikeyi was met with positive reviews, including praise for its depictions of justice [4] and its faithfulness to the source text. [2] It was nominated for both the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy [5] and Debut novel, [6] and the 2023 Ignyte Award for Best Novel: Adult. [7] It reached number 14 on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction. [8]

Patel's second novel for adults, Goddess of the River , was released by Orbit Books in 2024. [9] The novel, described as a feminist retelling of the story of the goddess Ganga, [10] was nominated for the 2025 Audie Award for Fantasy. [11] In 2025, Patel released her third novel, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion, through Ballantine Books. The book, set in an alternative version of India still colonised by the United Kingdom, was described as "an epic and frighteningly plausible work of historical fiction" in a Kirkus Starred Review. [12]

Patel's fourth novel, We Dance Upon Demons, described as a "fantasy spin" on the reproductive rights movement, is set to be released by Saga Press in May 2026. [13]

Patel is also a lawyer, having graduated from Yale Law School and taken the bar exam in 2022. [4] [1] In 2023, she worked as a law clerk in the District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston. [1] She works as a lawyer focusing on constitutional law and civil rights. [14]

Personal life

Patel was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. [15] Patel married in 2022. [1]

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Becker, Chris (May 23, 2024). "A Young Houston Author Brings a Feminist Perspective to Ancient Hindu Myths in 'Goddess of the River'". Houston CityBook. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "From 'Kaikeyi' to Cartography, Audiobooks That Make You Question What You Know (Published 2022)". April 21, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ Shaffi, Sarah (March 24, 2023). "Two sides to a story: why feminist retellings are filling our bookshelves". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Review | 'Kaikeyi' gives 'The Ramayana's' villainous stepmother a closer look". The Washington Post. April 26, 2022. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Fantasy!". Goodreads. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Debut Novel!". Goodreads. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  7. ↑ "2023 RESULTS - The Ignyte Awards". October 21, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Hardcover Fiction Books - Best Sellers". The New York Times . May 15, 2022. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel – The British Fantasy Society" . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  10. ↑ "'Goddess of the River' by Vaishnavi Patel tells Ganga's story through feminist lens". The Tribune. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  11. ↑ locusmag (March 5, 2025). "2025 Audie Award Winners". Locus Online. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  12. ↑ TEN INCARNATIONS OF REBELLION | Kirkus Reviews.
  13. ↑ "'We Dance Upon Demons' Author Hopes 'Readers Will Join the Fight' For Reproductive Justice — See the Cover! (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  14. ↑ Eskew, Kristi (May 28, 2025). "Vaishnavi Patel on Myths, Social Justice, and Writing". Bookstr. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  15. ↑ Katyayani, Mohini X. (April 22, 2022). "Meet Vaishnavi Patel, Author Of The Hindu Epic Retelling Kaikeyi!". Off Colour. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel – The British Fantasy Society" . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ TEN INCARNATIONS OF REBELLION | Kirkus Reviews.
  18. ↑ "'We Dance Upon Demons' Author Hopes 'Readers Will Join the Fight' For Reproductive Justice — See the Cover! (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
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