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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Like the first book, I thought it was just okay. The storyline in this book was slightly preposterous. Take it with you to the beach or the cottage for a quick, easy read.
the second book from the henna artist series!! i was so excited when i found out there was a second book i spared no time reading it. the writing in this is just as amazing as the first book. the author truly is a literary genius the setting, the plot, the culture is all written so beautifully it feels so tangible. you can vividly see the characters living their lives, the visualization is crazy. the second book is definitely a little more slow paced, the connection to the characters is a bit disconnected in this one where you don’t feel so attached, even the story itself is a little less dramatic and has more of a mysterious approach so i’d say it’s a little softer compared to the first book which was completely packed with drama, but it was still just as intriguing to read. the characters themselves are so well written you don’t ever forget who’s who and it really helps make the story that much more clearer.
I enjoyed the first book in the series, [b:The Henna Artist|50607466|The Henna Artist (The Henna Artist, #1)|Alka Joshi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1588690086l/50607466._SX50_.jpg|63995554], and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur came out around the same time so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, while I thought that Lakshmi's story in the preceding book was interesting, I didn't find that this story worked for me. In my view, it felt a little like Alka Joshi was trying her best to wrangle Malik and Nimmi into the narrative here and that both of these characters were underbaked and rather flat. I'd much rather have read a story with either Malik and Nimmi as narrators or one involving Lakshmi separately.
With The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, Malik has grown up from the mischievous street urchin that he used to be to become a well-polished young man, having been gently reared in boarding schools. Malik has also fallen for a young widow, Nimmi, with two young children of her own - a less than ideal choice in Lakshmi's view. Nimmi is equally grateful of Lakshmi's kindness to her children and resentful of her decision to send Malik away to intern at the Jaipur Royal Palace's Facilities Office, in a way that she recognises is designed to get her out of the way.
Meanwhile, Malik's summer internship at Jaipur initially begins quietly enough as he rotates through various boring departments in Jaipur. However, everything changes when the unveiling of a brand-new cinema, intended to be a crowning jewel of Jaipur, doesn't go as planned. The balcony of the cinema collapses, causing a massive tragedy and an investigation is triggered into the Facilities Office to uncover the reason behind the balcony's collapse. While Malik is constantly told not to probe further into the case, he believes that there's more than meets the eye with the cinema's construction
Nimmi and Lakshmi run into some trouble of their own, as Nimmi accidentally uncovers a secret illicit smuggling ring in Shimla, which brings danger to all of them.
The part that I found contrived is how Joshi eventually decides to weave the two separate plot strands together.
With The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, Malik has grown up from the mischievous street urchin that he used to be to become a well-polished young man, having been gently reared in boarding schools. Malik has also fallen for a young widow, Nimmi, with two young children of her own - a less than ideal choice in Lakshmi's view. Nimmi is equally grateful of Lakshmi's kindness to her children and resentful of her decision to send Malik away to intern at the Jaipur Royal Palace's Facilities Office, in a way that she recognises is designed to get her out of the way.
Meanwhile, Malik's summer internship at Jaipur initially begins quietly enough as he rotates through various boring departments in Jaipur. However, everything changes when the unveiling of a brand-new cinema, intended to be a crowning jewel of Jaipur, doesn't go as planned. The balcony of the cinema collapses, causing a massive tragedy and an investigation is triggered into the Facilities Office to uncover the reason behind the balcony's collapse. While Malik is constantly told not to probe further into the case, he believes that there's more than meets the eye with the cinema's construction
Nimmi and Lakshmi run into some trouble of their own, as Nimmi accidentally uncovers a secret illicit smuggling ring in Shimla, which brings danger to all of them.
The part that I found contrived is how Joshi eventually decides to weave the two separate plot strands together.
Spoiler
It's quite convenient that the smuggling ring coincides with the crooked constructors that are involved in the cinemas, most notably Rahul. And yes, that's the same Rahul that had impregnated Lakshmi's younger sister. Again, it is Lakshmi who comes up with a plot to save the day, by introducing Malik to her powerful royal supporters because he would've gotten nowhere without her help.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
interesting sequel to the Henna Artist, it all works out in the end!
I honestly didn't realize this was a sequel; the story was interesting and felt original. I also really enjoyed the narrators and the fact that there were multiple people reading for the different characters. I'd be interested to read the third book in the series but feel that this one stands alone.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A know-it-all woman refuses to stay out of her protégé’s life and messes it up, after doing the same with her sister in the previous book. She continues to not learn the lesson.
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
cute book, didn’t feel as strong as it could’ve been. the writing wasn’t my favourite especially because there were character jumps
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Complicated