Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

28 reviews

citruslimon's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was very heartfelt and also informative. i really enjoyed this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Abandonment, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Medical content, Vomit, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Self harm, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, Body horror, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

lilaceous's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

characters - ⭐️

plot - ⭐️

engaging to read - ⭐️

would recommend - .5⭐️

would read again - 

i devoured this novel because of how lush its imagery is. the characters are complicated and imperfect, and very well written in my opinion. although the plot is a bit melodramatic, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. if anything, the exaggerated drama made it more fun to read.

has some pretty heavy themes and plot points, so i would check the content warnings before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Sexual assault

rai's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Historic novel that went a different direction than I expected. Reads the World challenge book set in India post-independance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Miscarriage, Violence, and Sexual assault

krystagarbarino's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

meag_mcg's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Abandonment, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy

Scenes of discrimination based on caste and sex

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, and Classism

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Violence, Xenophobia, Bullying, and Cursing

Minor: Ableism, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Islamophobia, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

sarahmarie094's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Classism

sarahaf712's review against another edition

slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Colonisation, Racism, and Racial slurs

Content warnings: victim blaming; sex work

kristincdugas's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.25

I was absolutely enthralled by this book! The way the author was able to make every setting we encountered come so alive with tiny details interwoven into meaningful and plot-progressing story telling was truly impressive. I am definitely a fan of historical fiction and this book did not disappoint! I felt transported and immersed in the goals of the characters and the complex world in which they lived from the first chapter.

The emotional stakes in this book is really what made it stand out. There was something so inherently personal about each of the character's journeys, whether we saw them grow for a short time, their presence minimal to the actual plot, or we followed them closely, each and every character in this book felt real and vivid. I especially loved Malik and Kanta, both of them were able to add so much insight to Lakshmi as a character and they each had their own real development as a character.

Lakshmi and Radha's relationship stole the show for me. Of course it was the driving force of the plot and of much of Lakshmi's character development but it also felt like the kind of relationship we rarely see portrayed in literature that is so important to show and appreciate. Siblings of all kinds have important roles in each other's lives but the way Alka Joshi was able to bring so much life and stakes to this relationship made me truly fall in love with this book. The intricacies of being a sibling are so varied and change and grow over time and it was so beautiful to see this portrayed and witness the ways these two characters pushed each other to grow as people.

Also just a quick bit on Alka Joshi's fabulous voice in this novel. I am not one for harping on voice and syntax and prose but WOW did this book's flow absolutely blow me away. I can say that from the initial pages I was immediately drawn into the way Alka Joshi wrote and the voice of this novel and that feeling only grew over time. While the themes are immensely emotional and at times heavy the voice brings you through with a beautiful pace that is simply unmatched.

Below spoilers for character development not plot

The theme of this book was something so near and dear to my heart and something that I think is so important for everyone to really consider at some point in their lives: perceived "success" against your happiness. I absolutely loved this theme and the journey it took Lakshmi on through the novel. It was execute so well and with such heart!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault