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house_of_hannah's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is June's choice for the local book club I'm in. I was quite interested in it based on the description, but wow is this book slow paced. Not a lot happens until the climax of the story, and even that is pretty short lived.
I was alright with this at first though. I found the first third of the book to be fascinating as I learned about henna, the caste system of India, and their everyday lives. I rather liked the main character, Lakshmi, so it was interesting to see how she survived after running away as a teenager.
However, her 13 year old sister, Radha, changed a lot on how I feel about this book. At first she was a very sympathetic character. She had lost her parents, discovered her long-lost sister, and had nothing to her name. She quickly starts acting like a spoiled brat though, and no matter what Lakshmi sacrifices it isn't good enough for her. I was so annoyed at how this selfish child, who wanted to act like an adult, was causing so many problems that I just couldn't enjoy the book anymore.
The writing style is very descriptive and vibrant. This was ok for the first half of the book, but by the end I was a bit bored, and found myself skimming over the excessive descriptions.
I was alright with this at first though. I found the first third of the book to be fascinating as I learned about henna, the caste system of India, and their everyday lives. I rather liked the main character, Lakshmi, so it was interesting to see how she survived after running away as a teenager.
However, her 13 year old sister, Radha, changed a lot on how I feel about this book. At first she was a very sympathetic character. She had lost her parents, discovered her long-lost sister, and had nothing to her name. She quickly starts acting like a spoiled brat though, and no matter what Lakshmi sacrifices it isn't good enough for her. I was so annoyed at how this selfish child, who wanted to act like an adult, was causing so many problems that I just couldn't enjoy the book anymore.
The writing style is very descriptive and vibrant. This was ok for the first half of the book, but by the end I was a bit bored, and found myself skimming over the excessive descriptions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Infertility, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Sexual assault
talkbookswithangela's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Vomit, Death of parent, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse
electricjuicebox's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? No
3.75
I enjoyed this story a lot and was surprised to read that this is Alka Joshi's debut novel. The storylines of all the characters were woven neatly into the plot, and I appreciate that it balanced hope and the possibility of a happy ending with obstacles and pitfalls that felt realistic for the setting and characters without overdoing it.
While the audiobook didn't provide a glossary of terms used throughout (I understand the hard copy includes this), it did help me understand the pronunciation of names and places which was nice.
The novel is set in India in the 1950s, which for me offered a glimpse into the recent past and also into a different culture. The book deals with themes of gender, labour and class as the female protagonists navigate the complicated hierarchy of Jaipur society and strive for independence despite their disadvantages as working class women.
While the audiobook didn't provide a glossary of terms used throughout (I understand the hard copy includes this), it did help me understand the pronunciation of names and places which was nice.
The novel is set in India in the 1950s, which for me offered a glimpse into the recent past and also into a different culture. The book deals with themes of gender, labour and class as the female protagonists navigate the complicated hierarchy of Jaipur society and strive for independence despite their disadvantages as working class women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
aseel_reads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-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
3.0
3.75
i really enjoyed the writing and atmosphere, Jaipur was described so vividly!! i liked the array of characters we had. the plot was quite evenly paced, but some things were a bit hard to believe, so it didn't get four stars
i really enjoyed the writing and atmosphere, Jaipur was described so vividly!! i liked the array of characters we had. the plot was quite evenly paced, but some things were a bit hard to believe, so it didn't get four stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Medical content
hannahr's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Blood, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
the_literarylinguist's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Miscarriage, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
barefootamy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
I don't understand the use of Western herbalism in this story when folkloric Indian herbalism would have been traditional to the area and culture.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book was a whirlwind of emotions and events. I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook and after the first few chapters, I was interested to learn more.
The main cast of characters is dynamic. Lakshmi's character is probably the most dynamic in both self-discovery and personal growth as well as her relationships with the other characters. The ladies she worked for are all pretty flat, but their relationships with Lakshmi were one of the most interesting parts of the story for me. Lakshmi's use of herbal medicine and henna to heal these women was amazing.
Lakshmi's story was really engaging, as well. She runs away from her husband and family to start a safer, more independent life for herself, begins her own henna business, and creates a name for herself through her powerful medicinal herbs.After all of this, her husband seeks her out and brings her a sister she didn't know she had. This obviously throws things off for Lakshmi, but the way she adapts her life and tries to create success for herself, Malik, and Radha shows her character as strong and resilient.
The plot is also complex. There seem to be many things happening at once, but not overwhelmingly. And the display of Indian culture through henna is really interesting. I loved learning more about henna and the helpful functions and uses of the medicinal herbs Lakshmi uses.
One big downfall for me, though, is that there is the big cliche of "I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding" that came up multiple times throughout the book. Does it ruin a story? No. Do I find the overused cliches annoying? Yes.
After finishing this book, I felt like I had so much in my mind, but I don't seem to have a lot to say about it. I liked it and enjoyed listening to it, but I didn't love it. I might edit this review in the future, but for now, here are my thoughts.
The main cast of characters is dynamic. Lakshmi's character is probably the most dynamic in both self-discovery and personal growth as well as her relationships with the other characters. The ladies she worked for are all pretty flat, but their relationships with Lakshmi were one of the most interesting parts of the story for me. Lakshmi's use of herbal medicine and henna to heal these women was amazing.
Lakshmi's story was really engaging, as well. She runs away from her husband and family to start a safer, more independent life for herself, begins her own henna business, and creates a name for herself through her powerful medicinal herbs.
The plot is also complex. There seem to be many things happening at once, but not overwhelmingly. And the display of Indian culture through henna is really interesting. I loved learning more about henna and the helpful functions and uses of the medicinal herbs Lakshmi uses.
One big downfall for me, though, is that there is the big cliche of "I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding" that came up multiple times throughout the book. Does it ruin a story? No. Do I find the overused cliches annoying? Yes.
After finishing this book, I felt like I had so much in my mind, but I don't seem to have a lot to say about it. I liked it and enjoyed listening to it, but I didn't love it. I might edit this review in the future, but for now, here are my thoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood
Abortion, prostitution, child prostitution, classism
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