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spaces_and_solaces's review against another edition
5.0
Alright, so I finished reading the Henna Artist late last night.
The author has painted a vivid picture of Jaipur in the 1950’s with its post- independence atmosphere, the maharajas & maharanis with their glittering life & the tale of a woman who is building the life she once only dreamed of.
Synopsis: The Henna Artist tells us the story of Lakshmi. She comes from a small village ‘Ajar’ in Uttar Pradesh, IN. She was just 17 when she ran away from her abusive husband of 2 years, literally hiding & walking for days until she reaches Delhi. Armed with the herbalist knowledge passed down to her from her mother-in-law & her talent as a henna artist, she starts working for the courtesans. When an opportunity presented itself for Lakshmi to move to Jaipur and be a Henna Artist to the elite, she grabbed it with both hands.
13 years later, Lakshmi has painstakingly built a reputation of being the most talented artist & a confidante to the wealthy. She only had one dream, to have her own home so she could call her parents & take care of them.
Lakshmi has been regularly writing to them & sending them money, but her parents have never responded. And now just when her dream home is being realized, her ex-husband comes looking for her and along with him is a 13-year-old girl, Radha. A sister Lakshmi never knew existed.
Thoughts: It is such a beautifully woven tale of sisterhood, of the trials faced by young girls and most importantly of Lakshmi’s resilience. Lakshmi clearly is the star of this book; I loved her character and being an elder sister could relate to her so many times! Radha on the other hand was a little annoying and I had to keep reminding myself that she’s just a teenager.
The writing is so poetic you are transported to Jaipur in the mid 1950’s and feel the henna on your hand. Though the pace is slow, the story is poignant & powerful.
There are other issues discussed in this book on the surface, but nothing surpasses Lakshmi’s portrait of a strong powerful woman. It’s the first part of the trilogy & I have already ordered the next one “The Secret Keepers of Jaipur.”
The author has painted a vivid picture of Jaipur in the 1950’s with its post- independence atmosphere, the maharajas & maharanis with their glittering life & the tale of a woman who is building the life she once only dreamed of.
Synopsis: The Henna Artist tells us the story of Lakshmi. She comes from a small village ‘Ajar’ in Uttar Pradesh, IN. She was just 17 when she ran away from her abusive husband of 2 years, literally hiding & walking for days until she reaches Delhi. Armed with the herbalist knowledge passed down to her from her mother-in-law & her talent as a henna artist, she starts working for the courtesans. When an opportunity presented itself for Lakshmi to move to Jaipur and be a Henna Artist to the elite, she grabbed it with both hands.
13 years later, Lakshmi has painstakingly built a reputation of being the most talented artist & a confidante to the wealthy. She only had one dream, to have her own home so she could call her parents & take care of them.
Lakshmi has been regularly writing to them & sending them money, but her parents have never responded. And now just when her dream home is being realized, her ex-husband comes looking for her and along with him is a 13-year-old girl, Radha. A sister Lakshmi never knew existed.
Thoughts: It is such a beautifully woven tale of sisterhood, of the trials faced by young girls and most importantly of Lakshmi’s resilience. Lakshmi clearly is the star of this book; I loved her character and being an elder sister could relate to her so many times! Radha on the other hand was a little annoying and I had to keep reminding myself that she’s just a teenager.
The writing is so poetic you are transported to Jaipur in the mid 1950’s and feel the henna on your hand. Though the pace is slow, the story is poignant & powerful.
There are other issues discussed in this book on the surface, but nothing surpasses Lakshmi’s portrait of a strong powerful woman. It’s the first part of the trilogy & I have already ordered the next one “The Secret Keepers of Jaipur.”
bookscamilla's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
kelo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
brynniek's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
crystal_curls_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The main character in this book is so well developed and complex. I loved hearing about her journey and rooting for her as I read through the book. The setting of the book is so vividly described, I felt like I could see and smell the city of Jaipur.
I have recommended this book to almost everyone I know.
I have recommended this book to almost everyone I know.
elarri's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.5
Sad and beautiful.
callylines's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
trickyjenn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0