Blue Skinned Gods

by S.J. Sindu

Run Time = 11 hours and 14 minutes

From the award-winning author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies comes a brilliantly written, globe-spanning novel about identity, faith, family, and sexuality.

“It is impossible not to be hypnotized” by this Earphones Award winner (The New York Times). When Kalki is born with blue skin, his parents are convinced he is Vishnu’s incarnation — and as he ages, they test his divinity. “Expertly told by a gifted narrator… Fans of international literature will fall in love with this unique coming-of-age novel” (AudioFile).

In Tamil Nadu, India, a boy is born with blue skin. His father sets up an ashram, and the family makes a living off of the pilgrims who seek the child’s blessings and miracles, believing young Kalki to be the 10th human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

In Kalki’s 10th year, he is confronted with three trials that will test his power and prove his divine status and, his father tells him, spread his fame worldwide. While he seems to pass them, Kalki begins to question his divinity.

Over the next decade, his family unravels, and every relationship he relied on — father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin — starts falling apart.

Traveling from India to the underground rock scene of New York City, Blue-Skinned Gods explores ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, and spans continents and faiths, in an expansive and heartfelt look at the need for belief in our globally interconnected world.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Queer, Magical Realism, India, LGBT, Literary Fiction

Paperback

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

SJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora author of two novels, Marriage of a Thousand Lies and Blue-Skinned Gods, as well as the hybrid fiction and nonfiction chapbook I Once Met You But You Were Dead. A 2013 Lambda Literary Fellow, Sindu holds a PhD in English from Florida State University, and teaches at the University of Toronto.

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 5 out of 5]

SJ Sindu has written another brilliant novel in Blue Skinned Gods. This time, she tells the story of boy with blue skin who is trying to be the god everyone tells him he is. This is consummate storytelling and Kalki Sami, the boy and man and would be god at the center of this novel is beautifully written. As he tries to make sense of a world that has been carefully constructed around him, he begins to reach for the man he might become. His journey is both heart breaking and exhilarating. Here is a novel about the bonds between brothers, a deceptive tyrant and son, a mother who doesn’t know how to save herself or her child, a boy and how he yearns for his young loves, and so much more. The richness of this story will take hold of you and never let go.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating novel set in Tamil Nadu, India, about a boy born with blue skin whose parents raise him to believe that he is a God. The book starts by following Kalki in his youth as he uses his powers to heal people and confronts three trials to prove himself as the tenth human incarnation of Vishnu. However, as Kalki grows older, he begins to question the rigid religious life his father created for him, with severe consequences both for Kalki and for those he loves.

I found the first part of this novel a riveting exploration of the impact of psychological manipulation, both from parent to child as well as from broader swaths of society too. SJ Sindu does an excellent job of embodying Kalki’s perspective, both his innocence as well as his growth in perspective as he gains bits of exposure into worlds outside of his own. Kalki’s father aptly represented patriarchal control and domination. Sindu weaves in commentaries about sexual fluidity, casteism, and colorism throughout the book in meaningful ways that did not feel overbearing.

I feel like the latter third of the book or so felt rushed. While I considered the book’s first half or two thirds more richly textured, this last section came across as underdeveloped to me. While I suppose this vibe may match the chaotic energy of the New York City setting, I found Kalki’s characterization suddenly shallower and more predictable as well as the intricacies of his relationships less immersive. Though this latter portion of Blue-Skinned Gods stripped some of its magic for me, I still appreciate Sindu’s efforts in crafting a unique and enthralling story.

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5* of five

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: A child is fed a diet of lies by his parents and all the adults around him. They seek many things from their lies, and he seeks only his truth.

Come for the writing, stay for the story...the sentences are lovely things, shining and glowing with the light of inspiration. The story's the one we all need to hear at this juncture, the one about the abuse of religion in service of religiosity and greed. The cost to this genuinely beautiful soul, Kalki, is so huge...the relationships he can not save are all built on the sand of lies.

What makes this story so extraordinarily resonant is that we're all surrounded by lies all day every day. Yes, it's true, Kalki's lies are costly to those he's lying to...not being a god and still trying to heal people is wrong...but he told the truth he had been sold all his life by the liars he was raised by and among. Kalki, unlike all the rest of us, has the weight of the literal world on him, has expectations of miracles mounded on him. That's his excuse for buying into the lies he's surrounded by. What's yours? What's mine?

The questions that this brutally honest look in the mirror of a story raises are urgently in need of everyone's answers, delivered with the honesty and the anger that Kalki uses as he does the absolutely unthinkable, the unbelievably god-like thing and takes control of his life: He forgives.

Being able to forgive is, I honestly believe, the single most important quality in a healthy person's happiness. I see it in stark relief as this novel winds its coils around my heart. Kalki, wronged on every level, betrayed and abandoned on every side, used and abused and ripped off...he forgives. And that is the most beautiful thing available for a mortal to do, to give. Come and be healed: Read BLUE-SKINNED GODS.

[Jenny Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly original book about belief, family, and deceit.

[K.J. Charles]

Enthralling story of a blue-skinned boy touted by his father as the tenth incarnation of Vishnu. It is not a spoiler, given the blurb, to say this is not the case.

This is a fabulous read, about Kalki's life, and the impact of his father's lies on him and the people around him. Terrifically vivid setting on the ashram in rural Tamil Nadu, attemded equally by the desperate local poor and spoiled Westerners in search of enlightenment, and overall a really compelling story about family and faith and why people are so desperate to believe. Plus a really tender and human look at friendships and sexuality and gender. Cracking book, highly recommended.

[Lupita Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally always find it incredibly cheesy when people say they were "mesmerized" by a book. Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with being mesmerized but I guess I want to know exactly what you mean by that. I share that to eat my own words and say that I was completely MESMERIZED by this novel from the very beginning. I'm sure your next question is the same one I'd ask - WHY?

BLUE SKINNED GODS opens with a woman being hit by a car and Kalki Sami, a boy born with blue skin who is believed to be the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, being told by his Father Ayya that he can save her. And so opens the story of Kalki Sami and the ashram his Father has built around his power to heal and the power of religious divinity.

Exploring questions of queer identity among the difficulties of finding yourself outside of what those around you wish you to be, it is so striking interesting to have this book center on a child God. I found myself connecting to the way in which Kalki Sami comes to terms with the realities of religion. The purpose, faith, and hope that it can hold for some while the ways in which it can ultimately end and fail others. There is so much more this book contains but I won't get into much more because I'm afraid to give spoilers.

Lastly, I don't normally like to compare books but I'm going to eat my words again and suggest that the second half of the novel reminded me of A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan with its Rock Star/New York vibes (you'll have to read it to see what I mean).

I read this book months ago and I still can't stop thinking about it so if you read it (I hope you will), please circle back and let me know! This is definitely a novel that needs to be discussed.

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue-Skinned Gods is a mesmerizing story about faith, family, identity, and sexuality. It broke my heart in a million pieces and glued all those pieces back together afterwards to make my heart even bigger.

Having faith, in yourself, in a god, in something. Faith should make you stronger, give happiness, should be forgiving, should be accepting. Instead, there have been so many wrongdoings in various religions, and unfortunately, little has changed. What if you’re ten years old and have been told all your life that you’re the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu? Because you have blue skin. And what if you find cracks in your divinity? What if you might be a fraud? Who are you holding on to? Your family? The people who believe in you? Yourself?

From the first page, I was immersed in this story. I smiled at Kalki and Lakshman as kids; their brotherhood was so tender and loving. I cried when I read about Julian and his crystals. I loved how the author portrayed women: Roopa, the girl Kalki healed, Kalyani, a trans girl, and Amma, his mom. I liked how sexuality and gender were fluid in the last part of the story.

The story is divided into four books. The pacing in the first three books is slow and thoughtful. I love fast-paced books, but stories like Blue-Skinned Gods deserve a slower pace to really understand what it’s all about. In this case, to get under Kalki’s skin, to understand his doubts while he kept his facade up. The pacing in the last book suddenly felt rushed. It’s a beautiful story, but it could have been even better if the author added a hundred pages or so to explore Kalki’s life in New York more. To show his doubts, his fears while living a western life, and letting go of his old life as a god. But although I found the pacing a little off in the last book, some chapters still made me cry, and I highly recommend this story.

I received an ARC from Legend Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you pick up a book and it ends up being so much more than you’d thought it would be. That’s what happened with Blue-Skinned Gods.

I thought I would be reading about a little Tamil boy with blue skin who has been told his entire life that he is the reincarnation of the Hindu god, Vishnu. It was that, but also so much more. It was most definitely one of the smartest and most unique books I’ve ever read.

Yes, Kalki has been raised to believe he is a god, as he was born with blue skin, but as you read this story, you soon realise that although his blue skin is real, the godly part might not be true, but a way for his father to control him and turn Kalki’s blue skin to his advantage.

More than anything, Blue-Skinned Gods is an exploration of identity, gender, sexuality and faith. It is a book about finding and becoming yourself. I fell in love with SJ Sindu’s writing style, and immediately went to buy their other book, Marriage of a Thousand Lies! (4.5)

[Alexis Hall]

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

An intriguing coming-of-age story about a young Indian boy, raised to believe he is an incarnation of Vishnu because of his blue skin. Of course he, um, isn’t: Kalki does have blue skin but his family see him as an opportunity. Having established an ashram in Tamil Nadu, Kalki’s father begins the business of establishing Kalki as a miracle healer, delivering false hope to the poor and desperate in the local community, as well as credulous westerners seeking spiritual enlightenment in India.

Blue Skinned Gods is almost a story in two parts: Kalki’s early life in Tamil Nadu, where at the age of ten he is expected to perform three miracles in order to establish godhood, and his adventures in New York in his early-twenties where he is attempting to establish a new life in the wake of discoveries about his own identity.

Mostly this is a story about faith—our need to believe, often in the fate of irrefutable evidence in the contrary—and exploitation, but these themes are effortlessly entwined with various explorations of identity too, especially in New York, and with Kalki’s own queerness being almost the only aspect of selfhood that has not be constructed for him by others. In some ways, New York felt a little less vividly painted than Kalki’s childhood in Tamil, and I missed the intensity of the contained world and the tightly focused character portraits of Kalki’s family. I

It was kind of hard not be unpleasantly fascinated by … like how you could bring yourself to do that to a child. Like, raise them with such a limited understanding of the world that you can essentially brainwash them into believing they’re a god who can heal people. It was just such a sustained and calculated act of almost unimaginable cruelty to me, and it’s genuinely heart-breaking watching this 10-year-old kid struggle with the burden of believing he can do the impossible, especially when the world keeps offering him evidence he can’t. It quickly becomes clear that Kalki’s mother is as trapped as Kalki is—and not just by their specific set of circumstances, but socially and psychologically—but, oh my God, his dad? There is ultimately a reckoning with him but I found myself feeling there was almost another story here, I mean alongside his irredeemably terrible and abusive-on-every level behaviour. We learn he as a doctor in America when Kalki was born, which is to say, a rational and educated man, already possessed of the … not the power exactly but the technical capacity to heal (some) people. I kept asking myself why … what … what was the reality of his life, as an immigrant doctor in the USA, that he would make such a deliberate decision to abandon science for faith, helping people for exploiting them.

In any case, this is a book that is very much inviting questions–about faith and doubt, hope and identity, the nature of family and the connections between people. It is quite a harrowing read in many respects, but Kalki’s journey towards understanding both who he is and his place in the world is utterly absorbing. The sort of story that stays with you beyond the reading of it.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

S.J. Sindu's Blue-Skinned Gods is a story about the lengths we will go to believe in something and the trauma this causes.

Kalki is a young boy with blue skin who is the final reincarnation of Krishna. He guides and heals the villagers in Tamil Nadu that visit his ashram and ask for his help. And he does all this at the guidance and behest of his father, who encourages him to embrace his godliness and disciplines him whenever he doubts his own powers. Isolated in his ashram, Kalki's only community are his mother, his cousin and best friend, and Roopa, a girl who comes to be healed and stays on as a servant. As each of these relationships is shattered, Kalki is forced to reckon with his own powers and religious convictions just as he himself is coming to terms with the ways in which people use other people for personal gain and for something to believe in.

Blue-Skinned Gods is a beautifully written tale that sheds light on the ways in which religious upbringings can leave deep-rooted traumas on us as we grow up. And this book challenges the ways in which contemporary society has become so thirsty for something to believe in in an increasingly dark and frightening world. S.J. Sindu is a brilliant voice writing on an interested and novel concept. Don't miss out on this book.

[Michelle Curie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novel with rich ideas about family, belief and identity that felt important, but wasn't always engaging to read.

Blue-Skinned Gods is the story of young Kalki, who was born with blue skin. In India, where his father sets up an ashram, he is celebrated as a young god and the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. When he's made to face three trials to prove his divinity, he's starting to question his identity and his world becomes irrevocably changed.

This felt like one of those novels where ideas felt prioritised over the narrative. It's a question for the gods (ha!) whether his is good or bad, but I personally lacked engagement with the characters and their journeys. The protagonist Kalki remained passive and pensive for most of the story, and while it makes sense within his story arc, it just wasn't particularly fun for me to read. He ended up feeling like a rather bleak character.

This had some problems with pacing, too. The first part of the novel, which explores Kalki's childhood, felt a bit like a coming-of-age story of sorts. There's innocence and growth that turn into curiosity and questioning and SJ Sindu used the opportunity to incorporate details about Hindu beliefs and as well as make cultural comments about sexual and gender fluidity. The second part significantly picks up in pace as Kalki goes to New York City and while this added the energy to the story that I personally felt a lack of, it also became almost rushed and not exciting enough to feel like a joy-read, but not deep enough to feel like an educational read, either.

I think this had worthy intentions, but the execution just wasn't for me. The most interesting parts were the pondering on religion, as Kalki tries to understand why people so desperately want to believe. I just wished these concepts would have been woven into a more balanced and differently worked out narrative.

[Aamna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bold story delving into faith, racial, sexual, gender and class identities.

🌟🌟🌟🌟.2/5
At the outskirts of Tamil Nadu, a boy born with blue skin is perceived as God, Vishnu’s tenth and final incarnation. Under his father’s watchful eyes, devotees of various backgrounds visit the ashram to seek healing. Known for his ability to cure people of their misery, Kalki becomes famous but, as time passes, he starts questioning his godliness.

Blue-Skinned Gods brushes over sensitive topics set in contemporary times. I was instantly drawn towards it when I went through the plot. Sindu has beautifully penned Kaliki’s thoughts while being confined in the ashram to swiftly absorbing knowledge of the external world.

The story moves back and forth from his past in Tamil Nadu to present-day New York. It’s rich in culture, beliefs, mythology, complex family and friendships, human identities and everything that we question about ourselves and society.

Truly one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year and would recommend with my whole heart even if you’re not familiar with Indian mythology.

I received an e-copy via @netgalley @soho_press

[Vijaya Bodach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a tender story of a boy's awakening to the fact that he's not a god. His childhood is shaped by this lie. I loved the setting of the ashram in Tamil Nadu, the family relationships, his faith and innocence. My heart ached for the losses he endured. And even though the final part felt rushed (actually it matches the pace of his life in NYC) we trust that he will find his way in this world because he has sought and accepted truth. Thanks to publisher for a DRC.

[Peyton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Sindu’s debut novel Marriage of a Thousand Lies and I expected to enjoy Blue Skinned Gods just as much. This story is centered on a boy named Kalki who lives in an ashram in modern day Tamil Nadu. Kalki has blue skin, which many believe to be a sign that he is divine/an avatar and can heal the sick. Blue Skinned Gods was unfortunately a huge letdown, for several reasons. Right off the bat, I noticed that Sindu assumes that the reader is unfamiliar with Indian history and cultures, and she frequently provides unnecessary explanations of basic historical and culture facts. This rubbed me the wrong way. I also noticed several confusing spelling and grammar errors throughout the book that should have been corrected by an editor.

Moreover, the core concept of Blue Skinned Gods is gimmicky and relies on a lot of stereotypes and lazy characterization. Blue Skinned Gods could have been a moving and thought-provoking story about a young man extricating himself from a cult and learning to think for himself and face the world, but Sindu does not approach the topic with tact or realism. Kalki also eventually finds out that he is a transracial adoptee. Apparently, his biological parents were ‘inbreeding’ (the author’s phrasing, not mine) white people from Kentucky/West Virginia who carried a recessive gene that causes blue-ish skin. His adoptive Indian parents chose him because they saw him as an opportunity to make money. This realization is purely a plot device to explain Kalki's blue skin and is not explored meaningfully. I finished Blue Skinned Gods feeling disappointed because Kalki is exploited and betrayed by so many people and the story offers very little hope of redemption for most of its characters. While Sindu writes beautifully in many places like she did in Marriage of a Thousand Lies, Blue Skinned Gods was a bland and cringeworthy reading experience overall and I would not recommend it to anyone.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Kalki is touted by his father as a faith healer, and the boy's father creates a whole business around this by setting up an ashram with classes and faith healing sessions with the "god".
Kalki truly believes he is an avatar of Vishnu, and is immersed unquestioningly in the highly constrained life his father has built for him. A life where his father decides what Kalki does, who he spends time with and how much of the world outside of the ashram Kalki can know.
This was so good! Kalki's approach to life is deeply affected by his mendacious, manipulative father, and how child Kalki goes from uncomplicated acceptance of his godly role to deeply confused and angry adult is really compelling reading. S.J. Sindu covers a number of topics through Kalki's journey, including mental health, queerness, abuse, faith and so many people's noncritical approach to religion and their need to believe, the hatred and exclusion baked into religion, sexuality, and friendship.

[Emily Davies (libraryofcalliope) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to read Sindu's new book as I loved her previous novel and I really enjoyed the cameo of the protagonist of Marriage of a Thousand Lies in this book. I thought it was a fun and subtle nod. This book in general I felt was a mixed bag. The way Sindu incorporated and used Hindu mythology was brilliant but it was so good that the depiction of modern New York felt shallow and simplistic in comparison.

The story follows a blue-skinned boy in India whose father has convinced him that he is the tenth avatar of the god Vishnu. The boy is groomed from an early age to be the star of his father's ashram, 'healing' people and leading prayer sessions for the visitors. The boy believes in his divinity wholeheartedly until tragedy and conflict cause him to question what he knows and whether those around him are really acting in his best interest.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book but as I said I found the second half wanting. Instead of the slow conscientious way she told the first part of the story, the sections in America just felt disjointed and jarringly rushed. While I understand that she was trying to demonstrate how he can be exploited in the West too, the character was made to deal with things far too quickly with a lot less of the introspection he had shown before. It just felt out of character compared to the story I had been enjoying.

I really like the way Sindu writes, just this was a very uneven book.

[Yasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I picked up this book based on the blurb on the inside cover I thought it was going to be a completely different book about a baby born in India with blue skin. The baby in this book is actually born in America, but it is blue. The tone of the book is very engaging and that alone should have given it five stars. But, when I took a break from the book I started to think about the characters and the story and that's when the stars fell. I couldn't understand how if Kalki's birth mother, being white, who lives in "red neck U.S." would willingly give her baby up to a brown doctor. That's all he is. He is "a doctor", no idea of what, but he's conveniently strolling around the mother-baby unit? I think the beginning of the story is meant to be late 90s or early 2000s but somehow "red neck U.S." bats no eyelids about a white woman surrendering her "white" baby to brown parents and no official intermediary gets involved and somehow no media. Well it's fiction we can ignore some aspects of reality. But not sure when this is supposed to change back, if it does because the Indian parents get other adults involved in a highly implausible charade. In the first six months of Kalki's life his Indian parents concoct a very odd story in which he is the next avatar of the God Vishnu/Krishna. They manage to persuade his aunt and uncle to go along with this story and eventually bribe enough people around them to go along with it too. The thing is though that none of the characters in this book are particularly engaging. Without question all the adults are assholes, even Kalki's cousin when he's an adult is an asshole. They all exploit Kalki for their own gain and give him nothing in return. In fact he must become so traumatised by his experiences that he hallucinates Ram and Krishna communicating with him, but no one ever suggests therapy. But everyone seems to come and go out of nowhere with no motivation. There is no depth to any of the characters so I find myself not feeling anything for them when they leave or die. The idea of the premise of the book is a fascinating one and could have been a very brilliant book. But none of it made any sense. Kalki's Indian family wanted to trick people around them to thinking he was a god, but they were bribing everyone and somehow adding to the ashram. White people and rich Indians were sending money and yet none of them ever questioned what was going on? A reporter, from who knows where and for what media, appears out of thin air to vaguely question the family and then leaves for a month. This why initially I thought it was set further into the past because what "reporter" shows up asks banal questions and then returns a month later to ask banal questions that somehow is translated into Tamil in a local newspaper? The story of a reincarnated god would have made the news instantly and it would have gone everywhere. Admittedly news was not as instantaneous in the late 90s-early 00s, like now, but it would have certainly travelled beyond their community and people would have been suspicious. As it is for white people when they're in an "exotic" country they ask questions and they get in the way. They aren't like Sita who appears, does nothing but have sex with the father, threatens the child with revealing everything and then disappears again. And they're not all like Brad who does drugs and nothing else. They get in the way because they want to be "white saviors" that's what they do, not look away. It seems to me that all the women of this story all seem to be similar and that is they all gravitate to the "mother" role, even the little girls and odd to say, Han. But that doesn't mean they're maternal, it just means they will slightly comfort Kalki and either disappear, die or something where they have no distinctive character. Priya was like Sita, but for the mother and like Meena and like Sunita and Lucky and even like his birth mother, Lizzy. They all managed to stand aside in the shadows and barely do anything. Then there are the men around Kalki. Also who were they? Conveniently his birth father is dead and his Indian father is...unsure who he is. He was a doctor, he had some money to initially bribe the community hence no one batted and eye when Kalki rolls into the village at least twice. Helpfully no one was greedy and wanted more money or become meddlesome. The village boys appear in the story to make Kalki doubt himself at ten years old and then they conveniently disappear into the shadows. The uncle, again it is unknown who or what he did, nor how he ever agreed to the bizarre idea. The only time he stands out of the shadow is in America with photos of his wife around and that made poor Kalki sad because pictures of a dead wife visibly is a sad thing and drinking whiskey out of a cup...I would have found it more upsetting if there were no photos of her, I mean when someone is dead you can have their photos out and yes it's sad but it's nice there are memories and not all have to be bad. All that did was to again foster the cousin to be upset with Kalki, not any of the parents, but his cousin...because even though he knew it was a lie Kalki was somehow at fault even though Kalki didn't know he was living a lie. I did also get confused by the shifting future tenses. At some point Kalki is in Toronto as a poor lecturer (of what a mystery and how he got there) and then the few months past-future tense when he's in America. He's a social media star and again no news of any kind are interested in him not even social media news. No interviews, nothing of that kind. He was free to walk around with the odd stare and maybe one "can I touch you?" I'd say all in all this reader was as baffled as Kalki, but unlike Kalki I did want to find out why. He only asks his Indian father, as he is torturing him, why about his mother and Roopa, not why did you create this monstrous world for me? More to the point, how did you find the time and the money? Okay the ashram got donations but no donation is ever that fast and then the money went towards the bribes? The horses? Which were barely looked after by anyone. No one asked any questions and no one was prying--all very convenient and very easy, not very believable in my opinion.

[Chiara Liberio · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy is born with blue skin. He is believed to have healing powers and be an incarnation of the Hindu divinity Vishnu. His father opens an ashram that gains a reputation and is well attended by pilgrims. We are in Tamil Nadu, in India, and people have a great need to believe and hold on to something. Furthermore, due to his popularity, when Kalki is old enough his father will take him on tour in America. But how is this possible in the 21-century? This was an intriguing coming-of-age story on an original topic exploring identity, family, class and the need for spirituality.

Kalki’s childhood, his healings, and the way some people die because of their faith and the way he is treated as a divinity of our times is really surreal. While the overall trajectory is predictable, it is still interesting to see lies, secrets and mysteries unravel, and how someone who has been brought up as Kalki fares on underground rock scene in America. The novel also explores other issues and question traditional values which, when transposed in today’s America, sound unjust and anachronistic, such as paternal authoritarianism and class/caste division. Other foci are what is meant by family and concepts related to the need to believe, such as faith and idolatry: will people go on believing even when divinity is disproved?

The writing style is not as captivating as it could have been given the topic but this is entirely my personal taste, The advantage is that it is simple and accessible. Still an interesting, worthwhile read.

My thanls to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exhange for a review copy

[Priya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 *

This book has been on my list for a long time because of the theme of child Gods that it deals with. It starts off really well and in fact, the first part of the story actually is very engrossing. However, it goes downhill after that, in the sense that the promise of the beginning is not met.

When we meet Kalki, who is the narrator of the story, he is on the cusp of his tenth birthday, eager and nervous to prove himself to be the tenth Avatar of Vishnu who will save the world. That is who he has been introduced to the world as since he was a baby born with blue skin. His life has been limited to the ashram, seeing and meeting and blessing those who come seeking him and basically obeying everything his father tells him to do. His father, who has convinced him, the rest of his family and the village they live in in Tamil Nadu that Kalki is indeed a God. He is now in the process of spreading Kalki's fame to the wider world and he revels in the power and prestige accorded to him as the father of such a child.

As he grows up, Kalki's blind faith in who he is supposed to be and in his father's words is shaken and questions start to emerge in his mind. He also wants the normal everyday things he isn't allowed like play, friends and later, love. He starts to wonder if the people who believe in him should really do so and feels uncomfortable about the control his father exerts.

Kalki as a character and others in his family too - his mother, father, uncle, aunt, cousin and their relationships are pretty authentic and the Tamil words used in the book made it more relatable. The confusion of the child and the conflict he feels are very real and make you feel sad and angry about his situation.

The dual timeline in the beginning hinted at certain paths the story would take but then it starts to meander and never goes in that direction. The end seemed to be very abrupt in a way with many questions left unanswered.

However, it does raise questions about this phenomenon of children being revered as Gods and the kind of lives they lead and how it is possible to convince so many people of their ability to heal and do miracles. It portrays the need humans have to place their faith in something, a need that is sometimes met in unusual ways.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of this novel, which takes place on an ashram in India, is more interesting, but the second part feels rushed, and the plot feels forced and manipulated.

There is much to love with this novel but I struggled with it. [Warning: may be spoilers!]

The assumption is made that either the blue skinned boy is a god or he is not — is there no middle ground? Where one can be a servant of spirit, a vessel or intermediary? The binary choice here seemed forced.

Besides the rushed pace in the second half, the editing seemed a little uneven. The basic background to the "Kumari virgin" character was explained not once, not twice, but three times. Even so the background was not completely accurate (the practice does not simply occur in "a village in Nepal" but is much more widespread than that in cities and towns — in fact there may be several in a single city).

This novel also raises the issue —what makes a book quality as being LGBTQ+? The author on this book page suggests reasons it does qualify, but I am not shelving it with that label.

I've rounded down to 3 stars, because my interest waned in the last section of the book.

[Meena · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. It's been a while since i've been unable to put a book down like this one, I literally read it for HOURS non-stop today which is very unlike me because i get distracted so easily haha. Also YAY for Eelam Tamil (and gender queer!!) writers? I can't believe how i'm spoilt for choice by books like this recently <3

Overall I really liked this book S. J. Sindu's writing style makes really vivid imagery, the ashram that Kalki grew up in felt so real to me. I could picture the oxbow pond and the coconut groves so clearly that I could almost feel the water and the roots under my feet. It was a slow burn at first, setting up all the ins and outs of Kalki's godliness and some of the core relationships between him and his parents, his cousin Lakshman and Roopa a sickly girl brought to the ashram for Kalki to heal as part of his trial as a living god.

But when I tell you from part 2 onwards i was CLUTCHING MY PEARLS, audibly gasping for the whole staffroom to hear and vibrating from the tension of it all! Truely, so much of the stuff that unfolded were not that unbelievable, but from Kalki's viewpoint?? God it was catastrophic. Some really excellent commentary on Hinduism and beliefs, the caste system (and don't think i didn't see that nod to gandhi and his perverse religious fanaticism either!!!) Good stuff.

I loved Kalki and his emotions, barely kept at bay, bubbling just under the surface of his blue skin. When i started the book i was thinking 'man this kid really has no personality' and as the book kept going i realised, of course he doesn't, he has no sense of self. He's lonely and confused and has no idea who he is or what he's feeling. He's never been allowed to be a person, and to see him move through life, and find himself in a world that can't help but make a sensation out of him was really fascinating.

I also loved the gentle queerness of the whole book, the early hints and later full on representations of a multitude of different kinds of love. It was so lovely to see Kalki enveloped in all the love his new community had for him.

some minor spoilers are incoming now:

I liked pretty much the whole book, and was so thrilled to see Lakshman again in the future – though a part of me feels a little uneasy about the relationship between Kalki and the blue skinned gods in the final part of the book. I get that just because he's left the ashram he can't just shed his blue skin and god persona but part of me felt icky about Lakshman, the same Lakshman who smirks at the idea of Kalki being tauted as a god by his Ayya, using him for similar money making purposes?

I was granted some solace by the small snippets from older Kalki's life as an academic away from his life as a living god so there's that but yeah – i felt like i needed some more resolution in the end. I couldn't reconcile his forgiveness of Ayya without feeling he was truely free from a life of exploitation?

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were so many things I was expecting to happen that just didn’t. And like nothing close did at all lol the whole build up was kinda for nothing. There was also basically no character development for the main character? But the first 3/4 were soooo good and then it kinda just did nothing with all that. The end was SO TRASH. Like I wanted so much more from this and I feel like she could’ve done so much more. But I’m still giving it 3 stars because the first 3/4 had me obsessed with the book like I literally couldn’t put it down and then the end just disappointed the sh!t out of me and made no sense but k, it still had me addicted and I guess she didn't want be predictable or something. I feel like I have so many unanswered questions , my mind is just messed up from this book rn
Edit I changed my rating to 2 stars after reflecting lol I think it would’ve had to be double the length to actually make sense and clarify everything but I guess it was just easy to read and yeah that’s it

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't really see the point of this book it tried to tackle faith, misogyny and other themes but it just fell flat. The narrator was one dimensional and the relationships were not very believable. The transition from ashram straight to rock band in nyc was underdeveloped and unbelievable as well. Then the ending...just meh.

[Samhita* · Rating 2 out of 5]

loved the beginning but quite frankly hated the ending. felt disrespectful and especially the last bit was so out of place

[InfiniteStew · Rating 1 out of 5]

My mood after finishing this book: ????

I am simply confusion. I feel like I have just crawled out of a car crash and now staring at the burning wreckage trying to make sense of it all… I neither understand the point of this book nor the intended target audience.

Originally, I thought this was a book about a boy who was raised to believe he is a god within an Indian cult. Who later escapes his abusive life to discover himself after his entire belief system was turned on its head. While the first part certainly happens (the cult-like nature of his is demonstrated VERY CLEARLY within the first three parts of the book), part 4 just… uh… I can’t really find the words to even describe the whirlwind of events that made up the calamity that was Part 4.

This is where I feel like I am just confused by the book? Kalki never really escapes his fate of being exploited by all the people around him. In Part 4 he finally escapes Ayya and reunites with Lakshman. Only to now be blatantly exploited by Lakshman who wants to use Kalki as a mascot for his really cringe rock band. Healing from Kalki’s abusive cult family, or being forced into a god-like role? Never once discussed. At all. Never once is therapy brought up, Lakshman never sits Kalki down and has a meaningful conversation about abusive or Kalki’s feelings. Literally nothing.

In fact, Lakshman was so blasé about the cult thing, that I often found myself flicking back to previous sections just to remind myself I am still reading the same book. One can argue that the book is about how some people never escape cycles of abuse. But the ending was far too abrupt and incomplete to even support that theory. Which bring me to:

The ending was literally ???? Within the last 20 pages of the book:
1) Kalki decides murder for Ayya was the only option (who can blame em?)
2) Then, during the execution of this murder plot, Kalki decides: actually nah, and Ayya is just randomly forgiven without doing anything to earn his redemption.
3) Then the book end. Like a door being slammed on your face.

I just… confused. The ending left me with no catharsis or any resolution of any kind. Kalki kind of tried to confront Lakshman about his shitty behaviour only to be blatantly brushed aside…? Kalki never decides to go to therapy, address his creepy Ram/Krishna hallucinations with someone, join a support group or go no-contact with Lakshman etc. Err…Frustration!

Most of the characters are one dimensional and none of their motives are really explained. Ayya is just a literal monster. The man managed to somehow complete med school, but then just decides he wanted to spend all his time creating an elaborate cult and bribe everyone… because why? Is being a cult leader really that lucrative? I really want to more about his cartoon villain origins.

Roopa spends her screen time as being the McGuffin for Kalki’s trial as a sick patient, then being sexually objectified by Kalki or abused by Ayya. Sita literally appears to be the evil mistress in the plot (and for some reason thought Ayya was hot??? -barf-). She vanishes just as quickly as she arrives in the most asshole fashion ever. (Also, the significance of naming her something as important as Sita is totally lost on me? Just why?).

The book tried(?) to explore family by juxtapositioning Amma (adopted parent) with Lizzy (biological parent) (?) Which is mind boggling after the reveal that Kalki was basically adopted from the U.S for cult reasons and Amma was cool with the whole cult charade with Ayya. Also, Lizzy was blatantly only interested in Kalki when she thought he was rich. Which is also like ???? Honestly the whole family exploration thing was just ??? Since Lakshman is a piece of shit as well. So, I am just floundering here.

The exploration of gender identity and sexuality is also shallow, with many missed opportunities. The novel could have easily used Kalyani and Han to explore the nuances of gender Identity is expression in different countries or how it affects your place in society or something. Instead, it just feels somewhat generic, especially if you’re already familiar with Indian social structures and the thriunangai.

All this, basically culminated into a very confusing and forgettable book. A confused 1 star.

(Also seriously, Hairy Krishna? Yes, yes, I know it’s a reference to the Hare Krishna Mantra. But c’mon, is Lakshman literally 5? A post-punk band thought hairy Krishana were riveting lyrics??? Cringe)

[Lauryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The exploration of personal identity is one of my favorite themes to read about in fiction (especially where and how it intersects with memory). Because of that, the description for S.J. Sindu’s upcoming Blue-Skinned Gods caught my interest. While coming to terms with who we are and how we define ourselves is a part of growing up, not everyone is raised to believe they’re a god. Exploring not only personal identity but the impact faith, truth, and forgiveness have on how we shape our understanding of ourselves, Blue-Skinned Gods isn’t afraid to go to uncomfortable and raw places.

Kalki has been raised to believe that he is a god – the tenth incarnation of Vishnu to be exact. His skin is blue and he has the power to heal local villagers who seek him out at the ashram where his family lives. His Ayya guides his spiritual and educational studies, preparing him for the trials to come that will prove his divinity. But Kalki’s younger cousin, Lakshman, begins planting seeds of doubt in Kalki’s mind. At first able to dismiss them as the result of Lakshman’s jealousy over his own status, the trials test Kalki’s faith in himself and his abilities more than they prove to him that he is a god. As Kalki grows and learns more about the world beyond the ashram his questions about Ayya’s rules, plans, and motivations multiply until they force Kalki to confront some painful truths.

For the rest of my review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-17R

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed the beginning of the story. It painted a vivid picture of Kalki's life at the ashram, his sense of wonder and duty while facing abuse and manipulation by his father. I also liked how he developed as a character, finding out more about himself and his "godhood". It was interesting and heartbreakting at the same time.

However, as soon as the story moves to New York, it seemed very rushed to me. This might be evocative of Kalki's own experience, the rush of the city and the many new impressions. But with this the story also lost its magic and emotional draw for me. This was a shame, because I feel like, it could have been truly great with a couple more chapters focusing on that last part og Kalki's story.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would be interested in reading more from the author.

[Faith Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

(CW; child abuse, spousal abuse, drug abuse, religious abuse, suicide, homophobia/transphobia).
I literally plowed through this entire story in two days, I could not stand to put it down. I can't personally think of a lot of valuable thoughts to put to words in regards to this books, as I'm very not well-versed in the culture for which this book revolves. I'll keep my review short. But, this was incredibly enlightening, to say the least.
If you've read books set in India before, you'll probably be familiar with some of the concepts you see in this book, but for me, pretty much all of this was incredibly shocking. This was my first novel I've ever read taking place in India, won't be the last obviously. Although this stems a bit out of ownvoices I still consider it to be extremely valuable towards ownvoices stories in terms of the culture and lore showcased in this book.
This is definitely my favorite book that I've read this year, please read this if you have not. I ESPECIALLY loved the land acknowledgement at the back of the book, describing which historical Indigenous lands the book was written in, I've never seen that before but I'm loving this if it becomes a regular thing.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro FM for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow this was such an incredible story. Told in a sort of dual timeline, I really loved this one!

Rep: Bisexual cis male MC with a genetic condition, Indian cishet male side character, polyamorous nonbinary side character, trans male side character (has cancer), side WLW couple, various Indian, Indian-American and white side characters.

CW: Child abuse, suicide, emotional abuse, death of parents, domestic abuse, physical abuse, grief, cancer, death, self-harm, infidelity, transphobia/transmisia, mental illness (depression, side character), toxic relationship (familial, MC to side character), classism (based in India's caste system), violence, blood, religious bigotry, gaslighting, alcohol consumption, injury/injury detail, attempted murder (using allergies against a person), animal death, chronic illness. Moderate: Cursing, car accident, cultural appropriation, drug use, sexism, misogyny, attempted child molestation, sexual violence, sexual content, terminal illness, chronic illness, stalking, abandonment, vomit.

[Federica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and engaging. The story is beautiful, reading about young Kalki broke my heart in a thousand pieces several times. The first books are more slow paced, they're set in India, so it felt to me that it was just right. The last book is set in New York and the pace is accelerated, just as it should be.
There are a lot of interesting topics: what is faith? And how does it affect our life? There are also some thought provoking notions about exploitation of "god children" in certain cultures and in depth thoughts about family and family relations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.