Alka Joshi

Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist--and confidante--to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow--a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.

The Henna Artist

Devastating, raw, beautiful. The imagery alone had me captivated, but as the story unfolded I couldn’t put it down. A story of resilience and love in the purest form. 

Elyse Anderson

Caroline

I have always loved reading books which has an mixture of history, culture, heritage, love, lust, hardships and struggle told to us through a story of one strong character and to me The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi is surely that book this has it all. 

Set in the backdrop of post indian independence era, in the pink city of Jaipur is the story of Lakshmi Shastri the most requested Henna artist. The storyline is simple and easy to figure out but I still wanted to get through to the end, as the book apart from Lakshmi's struggle with life throws emphasis on the caste system in India )which is very much prevalent even today in certain parts of India), the usage, power and healing properties of the application of Henna and how people of those days preferred herbs and home remedies than lab produced medicines. The book also gave me a tour of the city and the lifestyle of the people of Jaipur. 

The author has dedicated this book to her mother from whose life she drew inspiration to pen this book so beautifully. The book holds a lot of strong and loveable characters for instance Malik, I liked his character and his faithfulness towards Lakshmi. Even the Parakeet (Bird) was very charming. 

Will recommend this book if you are someone who love history and getting to know the rich heritage and culture of India.

Henna Artist

The mesmerizing tale of Lakshmi’s journey held me spellbound with each unfolding chapter. The lessons vividly depict her resilience as a widow confronting challenges since her youth, set in the 80s a little while after India’s declaration of independence. The portrayal of a woman standing firm in adversity is truly inspiring, showcasing the bravery to venture beyond, embracing fresh experiences, and trying again at life. Every character imparts a lesson with their benevolent spirit and goodwill, serving as a reflection of the kind of life we should aspire to. It emphasizes the idea that, regardless of challenges, we can always exhibit kindness and extend help to others, regardless of our own limitations.

🏹

Shani

The henna artist

This is a book about women and the choices that have to be made when there aren't many options. 

Suzie

Lamia Hajani

I had high hopes for this one but it was a little meh. The time period is interesting but the story is not that amazing.

altlovesbooks

"If I had learned anything from them, it was that only a fool lives in water and remains an enemy of the crocodile."

Lakshmi and Radha are sisters, one older and a well-established henna artist in Jaipur, the other much younger and in need of a home after their parents passed away. Big city Lakshmi takes country girl Radha under her wing, but the two of them are stubborn and clash more than they act as sisters. Radha stumbles her way into rich family drama, and the two have to overcome differences in upbringing and strong personalities to make peace between them.

I had such high hopes for this book in the first half! The detail is rich, the characters interesting, and the idea of following a henna painter around the rich families of Jaipur was super intriguing. Lakshmi had built quite a following amongst the elite of Jaipur, and I was interested in reading about family drama or caste problems or something of that nature. The author delivered in spades initially!

Where it ended up losing me a bit was the focus on Radha and (**SPOILERS HERE**) (view spoiler)[getting pregnant and the emphasis on baby drama in the last half (hide spoiler)]. I thought the story of the sisters was a great one, I just wish there had been another way to insert drama between them than the way chosen by the author. I've got nothing against it, I just can't relate.

Still, the detail and writing style were both fantastic, and it was a fun read regardless.

Emily Pauls

malik is my king. very excited for the tv series of this book

Cheri McElroy

This book was a so me. A historical fiction, family drama, set in 1950s India. I learned so much about the Indian culture, and loved the characters of Lakshmi, Malik, and Radha.

The year is 1955. Cyclists, street vendors and nimble-footed pedestrians bustle about the dusty roads of Jaipur. Amidst it all, huddled inside a tonga beside her faithful helper and a litany of tiffins, is thirty-year-old Lakshmi Shastri: the henna artist working for Jaipur’s elite complete with flashbacks detailing her failed marriage, her parents and the ayurvedic teachings of her mother-in-law. 
Lakshmi plays her role as the protagonist with grace, subverting expectations at every turn, navigating the landscapes of caste, class and patriarchal standards brimming under Jaipur’s luxurious pretences. On the other end of this spectrum is Radha, impatient, hard-headed and the kind of character one can’t help but roll their eyes at.Yet despite these traits, Radha shows moments of incredible strength and maturity, making it easy to forget that she is only a thirteen-year-old girl, and that like Lakshmi, she, too, has been a victim of society, circumstances, and the consequences of Lakshmi’s own actions from thirteen years ago.

In Alka Joshi’s debut novel, The Henna Artist, India is not just a country but an emotion embodied by the people who live there. At its core, this book is a tale of both individual and collective independence in a post-colonial India stuck between the richness of its culture and the allure of foreign trends. From distinguished ladies to battered servants, to hungry entrepreneurs like Lakshmi, this story is of women who dared to dream, to survive, and reach for a future beyond the bounds of their perceived station. At times a coming-of-age story, at times family drama, much like Lakshmi’s designs, its intricacies are deftly wrapped within the folds of time, place, and a deceptively simple narrative. It is also a subtle critique of India’s ancient caste system and its intersections with latter-day capitalism; of cerebral and financial equality in a world where women cannot so much as walk the streets without a husband or chaperone in tow -- a thing that is, in many ways, not so far removed from present-day India.

Alka Joshi worked on The Henna Artist for a decade before it was picked up for publication. The heart and soul she put into this novel shows – a story of hope, ambition and healing.

Barbara Williford

I’m still reeling from this book and I’m having to pause and really reflect. I really enjoyed the historical fiction of the book. The author is very descriptive and takes you back to India in the 1930s-1950s. You get a glimpse of the caste society, the country and lay of the land, religions, traditions on discriminations. It was so well written, I could not put this book down. Warning: You may be up all hours of the night and not a productive member of society because you will be sucked into the book.

Lakshmi is portrayed as a strong woman who was married off at the age of 15 according to custom. She was paired with an abusive man both physically and mentally and was ill prepared to care for a family. Lakshmi escapes and runs away from the marriage and brings shame to her family.

For over a decade, she has built a thriving business with the elite in Jaipur as the Henna Artist. She also has a thriving business that tends to be hushed as medicine woman. Through her hard work, she tries to build a better life for herself, a Dream home for her family so that she can one day be reunited with them.

All of this unravels when her husband finds her and delivers a 13 year old sister left behind in their village who has been scorned and forced to leave. While she continues to try to build her dreams, she is thrown into a scandal that could ruin all she’s worked for, cast her from good standing with the elite to a cast off. She works through these twist and turns life throws at her to discover those her are true to her and how she needs to be true to herself. The ending will give you so many mixed emotions.

**Trigger warning: domestic abuse, sexual content, questionable medical practices including abortion.

Cindy Lieberman

17-year-old Lakshmi flees an abusive marriage and finds work as a henna artist among prostitutes, where her skill with herbal remedies helps them prevent unwanted pregnancies. Her success and beautiful henna designs get her noticed, and eventually she is working for the wealthy women of the city. One day her husband tracks her down with a bedraggled stranger in tow who turns out to be Lakshmi’s sister, 13 years old, born just after Lakshmi was forcibly wed.
Lakshmi takes her sister under her wing, instructing her about life in the big city, which enables the author to share rich descriptions of food, fabric, henna designs, polite society, and more. 
It’s also a story about the bonds of family, finding your own path, friendships, making peace with the past, and new beginnings. 
An enjoyable listen about a time (1950s) and place (India) that makes me wonder (based on contemporary books and TV programs from India) how much has really changed for many of the residents.

Suzy Dean

I thought it had a slow start and I was a bit confused for a bit, but only a bit. I was quickly tangled up in the hopes, dreams, and traumas of every character. The writing was so realistic in terms of plot and character relationships and actions. Will leave you with a feeling of hopefulness. Darkness does not come without light after it.

Archita Birla

i loved this book! it was incredibly well written, and gorgeously captivating. the storyline is complex and interesting, and pulled me in (so much so that i stayed up late reading!)

the main character, Lakshmi, is complicated and genuine and truly so real in the struggles she experiences. 

i highly, highly, recommend this book!!

Trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own... Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone from her 1950s rural village to the pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the henna artist-and confidante-most in demand to women of the upper class. Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a young girl in tow-a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman's struggle for fulfillment in society, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once fascinating, stark and cruel.

Sharon :)

Joshi writes very believable characters. 
Characters that are well rounded with faults, ambition and hope. 
I found myself gasping and getting amgry but by the end my heart sighed a breath of relief. Content and at peace. 
A must read☀️

Karen Shimek

Judy McClure

Kayla Smith

I unfortunately did not enjoy this story. This was Joshi’s debut novel and unfortunately, I feel like I could tell while I was reading. This story was all over the place. It was hard to figure out what Joshi was trying to accomplish. One minute we’re following Lakshmi and her henna business, the other minute we’re following Radha, then all of a sudden we’re following Lakshmi and her “romance” with Samir, which I would hope most women would find repugnant since Samir constantly cheats on his wife with a variety of women throughout the city. I enjoyed the beginning of this novel when we were simply following Lakshmi as she begun to work her way up the class system in India, but it just became too convoluted from there. I really think Joshi had quite a few different ideas as to what she wanted this novel to be and didn’t quite succeed at any one of them. The ending was also very jarring and though I appreciated where our characters ended up, I’m not quite sure I believed the circumstances that brought them there. Also, this novel was sold as very atmospheric but I didn’t quite get that. I would have enjoyed seeing more of India itself rather than the inside of people’s houses.

Shawna Gavas

It took me a bit to get into this one, but once I did I could not put it down!

Beautiful writing and vivid descriptions allowed me to visit a place and time I know very little about. Lakshmi's story really makes you stop and think about what the true measure of success is and how far one would go to obtain it.

Bhagya

This book brought me goosebumps. 
The writing is splendid.

The story of a woman in her early 30s who fled from her husband at an early age , and able to make a loving for herselfnall alone that she built her own house.
Not only that , a teenager sister , who like us at that age , fell for the fantasies and went too far to disown her own big sister. 
It was all real 
All tough and has touched my heart so strong. 
The circumstamces Lakshmi comes through and how well she handles them , even in the toughest times really amused me. 
The narration is magical.
It was as if i were strolling through those roads watching her. 

I think everyone should read this , of every age . Highly recommended!

Grace Emilia Machon

There was so much of this book I absolutely loved

The writing, the cultural deep dive, Malik, the pro choice, pro woman, anti patriarchy but it's still India in the 1950s 
However ilthere was still something that just didn't quite hit it for me and I think it was that it felt like a book written for white women to read. Idk.

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Independence changed everything. Independence changed nothing.

That line gave me shivers. And it was the first lines in the first chapter, after a very heartbreaking prologue about a 13 year old girl that was basically shunned by her village because of the actions of her parents and mysterious sister that apparently disappeared out of nowhere…. but she didn’t even know she had an older sister? I was so freaking upset about that, but then I think about the time period that this book takes place in, and it kind of “makes sense” but it’s still not okay, you know what I mean?

This book legit broke my heart just getting through it. I was so upset with what Lakshmi went through, not just as a child when she was left as an orphan but as an child bride with her husband. The abuse that she went through with him… I just think about how the concept of child brides aren’t illegal or enforced as illegal worldwide, and it just hurts to see an example of just how bad things can be for a girl in this situation that she doesn’t even have a choice in the matter.

So while Lakshmi’s origins weren’t good at all, I was so freaking happy to see that she was able to escape this abuse and really make a life for herself that she was happy to have, and be proud of her progress despite the hardships that she had to endure. I just really wanted everything to go well for her after everything, but of course that’s not how books work so there had to be some conflict involved.

I think that this book will really make you stop and reflect on the circumstances of your life as it stands currently, and show that there will be some times where you really have to pull everything together to take matters into your own hands, and learn how to heal from a past that was never meant to give you any form of success or love. It hurts, it will make you cry, it will make you angry, but those feelings will put things into perspective for you, and I think this will be a read that you won’t be able to stop thinking about.

Natasja

Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950’s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist —and confidante— to the wealthy women of the upper class. Lakshmi’s hard work and ambition, to achieve her independent life dreams, is tested when suddenly two people from her old life show up. One of them she never even knew existed. 

First of all, wow! This is such a beautiful story. There’s so much more to Lakshmi than her talent as a henna artist. She also knows a lot about natural remedies and use of herbs, this was really interesting to me. She is a really strong and determined person and it was inspiring to read her and Radha’s journey. 
There is also a serious side to the story that shows the position of women who live during that time in India. It’s heartbreaking to read about the things some women had to go through just because they were poor or just because they were a woman. It all made me really connect with the characters and root for them because it’s just so beautifully written. 

All the characters are listed at the start of the book, and a list of Hindi words that you’ll come across, at the end. Especially learning some new words while reading the book is something I enjoyed.

Angelique Cather

I read this book as my May read for the uncorked readers book challenge. The prompt was books set in India and I really enjoyed it. The book follows the life of Lakshmi as she grows her henna business in Jaipur and deals with the challenge of raising a sister that she did not know that she had who appears on her doorstep one day. The book is set in post-colonial India which is a time period that I have not read much about so it was interesting to read about. This book definitely made me want to read more books set in Asia and India in particular. 
Lakshmi is a fairly likeable character. She has flaws and she make mistakes but she does think that she is doing what is right for the most part. She is a woman who escaped an abusive marriage and fled to Jaipur where she created a rather successful life for herself by applying Henna to the wealthy women and giving them herbal medicine disguised as treats to help them with their maladies. I found her younger sister’s character, Radha, to be very annoying. She rarely listens to Lakshmi and is very selfish. She resents everything her sister does for the and she seems to have no remorse for her part in Lakshmi’s business eventually failing. 
The writing style of this book was really good. I was a bit worried when I saw the long list of characters at the beginning. I was worried that the book might be a little jumbled since it is a medium sized book and the list of characters was quite extensive. However this was not the case. Joshi did a good job of introducing each character of note and they were pretty easy to remember. I rarely had to look back at the list of characters.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

The Henna Artist

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