We Dance Upon Demons

I read and enjoyed Vaishnavi Patel’s first two novels, and I’ve been excited for her latest release, We Dance Upon Demons. This is a bit of a departure from her earlier works, most notably because it’s contemporary fantasy as opposed to historical fantasy. It’s also very heavily focused on current issues regarding abortion rights and women’s healthcare access, both under attack by right-wing politicians.

Nisha works at a reproductive healthcare clinic in Chicago, where she escorts patients safely into the building while anti-abortion protesters antagonize and threaten outside. But then Nisha starts having some bizarre experiences… and it seems that she’s inexplicably seeing literal demons all around her. How can Nisha battle the demons and the antis while keeping her patients safe?

What I Liked:

• Abortion rights. This book firmly stands on the side of pro-choice, pro-women’s healthcare, pro-access to life-saving care. Nisha doesn’t just work at a reproductive healthcare clinic; she spends most of her free time researching current policies regarding abortion access and thinking of ways to help anyone who needs access to judgment-free reproductive healthcare. This is one of the most politically charged novels I’ve ever read, and while it can feel a bit overwhelming at times, I appreciate the commitment to this very important current issue.
• Depression representation. Nisha is depressed, and we get to see how this impacts her every day. From needing to force herself out of bed to remembering to take care of herself, the effects depression has on her are palpable. I’ve seen how depression affects people close to me in real life, and the representation in this novel felt honest and raw.
• Demons! I’m all about demons lately, whether in a paranormal romance or in a horror novel. Here, the demons inhabit both ends of the good-evil spectrum. What can Nisha do to control them and the havoc they can wreak?
• Indian mythology. Tying in with the author’s earlier novels, We Dance Upon Demons does weave in plenty of Indian culture and mythology. Nisha’s mother immigrated to Chicago from India, and Indian music, dance, and culture play a major role throughout this novel, including with the demons themselves.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

• Felt a little disjointed. I’ll admit, the beginning read kind of awkwardly for me, and I had a hard time getting sucked into the story initially. I liked the different themes, and I appreciated (and agreed with!) the overall message, but something about the book just wasn’t as cohesive as I’d hoped.

Final Thoughts

We Dance Upon Demons is a very timely novel for anyone who cares about reproductive rights and the current political landscape in the United States. While I struggled with some aspects of the storytelling, I enjoyed getting such a close look at abortion access and dealing with hypocritical “antis.” I also liked seeing Indian culture and the way demons played into such an otherwise realistic story. This is quite different from Vaishnavi Patel’s first two books, but I enjoyed it! I look forward to more from her, and plan to read her previous book, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion, soon as well.

Special thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy We Dance Upon Demons here – it’s available as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel
Audience	Adult
Genre	Fantasy
Setting	Chicago
Number of Pages	304
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	May 12, 2026
Publisher	Saga Press

Official Summary

From the New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi, a galvanizing stand-alone contemporary fantasy following a burnt-out reproductive health care worker as she fights back against escalating attacks on her clinic and the malevolent forces in hot pursuit of her newly acquired power.

As a reproductive health care worker in Chicago, Nisha is barely staying afloat in the ocean of abortion bans, screaming protestors, and her own all-consuming depression.

When she escapes to the Indian art exhibit at her favorite museum for a brief respite, Nisha suddenly finds herself bleeding, disoriented, and collapsed on the ground. The last thing she remembers is the statue that beckoned her to touch it. In the days that follow, Nisha feels a strange power coursing within her, one that attracts a host of dangerous and enigmatic characters who covet it for themselves.

Facing threats both otherworldly and distinctly human, Nisha must navigate uncertain alliances to piece together the centuries-old mystery of her odd and terrifying abilities. And as danger closes in on her loved ones, community, and the clinic she’s determined to protect, Nisha must make a choice about the life she wants—and fight all the demons standing in her way to get it.