Debut author Vaishnavi Patel joins Aislinn in the FCB studio to celebrate her captivating new novel, Goddess of the River! ICYMI - Goddess of the River will be The Muses Book Club's July Pick at Friendly City Books!

-

Vaishnavi Patel is a lawyer focusing on constitutional law and civil rights. She likes to write at the intersection of Indian myth, feminism, and anti-colonialism. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Kaikeyi. Vaishnavi grew up in and around Chicago, and in her spare time, enjoys activities that are almost stereotypically Midwestern: knitting, ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, and making hotdish. Her latest novel Goddess of the River is available in stores now!

-

Goddess of the River will be The Muses Book Club July Pick! We will be discussing Goddess of the River on July 23rd at 7pm at Friendly City Books.

The Muses Book Club is a collaboration between Friendly City Books and The Columbus Lowndes Public Library that celebrates mythology, fantasy, and stories about mythic women. If you're in the Columbus area, join us!

-

About Goddess of the River (bookshop.org)(libro.fm):

A powerful reimagining of the story of Ganga, goddess of the river, and her doomed mortal son, from Vaishnavi Patel, author of the instant New York Times bestseller Kaikeyi.

A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world.

Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse.

Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind.

Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war.

As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son.

-

For a video version of this interview, check out the Friendly City Books Youtube!

-

Thank you for supporting Friendly City Books by listening to our podcast. Shop with us in store and online at friendlycitybooks.com/shop or through bookshop.org and libro.fm.

-

Find us on social media -

Facebook: facebook.com/friendlycitybooks

Instagram: @friendlycitybooks

Tiktok: @friendlycitybooks

Youtube: @friendlycitybooks2586

-

Host: Aislinn Kopp

Guest Author: Vaishnavi Patel

Music: Rear Projection by Hartle Road

Production Assistance: Neon Newt Media LLC

Friendly City Books Inc.

Friendlycitybooks.com