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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I think I should've read 'The Henna Artist' first. Probably would have got more out of it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I can't tell exactly if I have grown as a reader since the last time I read this series or if this book is just not as good as the first. I will say that the writing is a bit more...immature(??) than I remember it being when I read the Henna Artist, so maybe it is just that I have read a lot in between. A lot less showing, a lot more telling. Lots of paragraphs and reminders of past actions which don't need to be there, places where there can be tension but there isn't. I did like the premise of the book more, how it was a mystery, but I think the Henna Artist had a deeper and more raw story that no matter how it was told, as meaningful. That is not the same for all stories.
I dislike how they have to talk through normal customs. Like why Malik is taking his shoes off before entering the house, or why he'd refer to someone older than him as Uncle. Everyone knows that, especially the target audience (or what I hope the target audience would be), and it makes it annoying to keep being told why me myself and I do things in my normal day to day. No Indian person needs to be told why they call someone Uncle, and that it's out of respect. If written in a certain way, any reader could figure that out as well. It's giving Geronimo Stilton, where he defines big words within the prose and not as a footnote or something.
In Nimmi's chapters, it sounds less like something is happening to her and more like something happened to her in the past and she is retelling it. There's a feeling of separation or distance from the actual events--something that can be especially seen through how she deals with her brothers death, but that is seen throughout the book before and after that as well. I enjoy reading Lakshmi's or Malik's better for that reason--you feel like you're living it with them, rather than reading a letter they wrote you after the fact.
I also hate how immature Nimmi is. Her actions scream 18/19, a young mother, but I know she isn't that young, and that she's been through a lot in her life. The trauma can cause her to be more emotionally immature and that I understand, but the majority of what she does and how she thinks is incongruous with someone who has been through the level of pain she has. Someone whose husband died in front of her, who left her family, who was ogled by tourists for weeks and had to scrape to get by with two children? You can't convince me this is her. With so much responsibility, they don't act so childishly.
I actually don't care if this makes me a bad person but I hate Nimmi. Yes she's a widow with two kids, she's in love with someone's son and expects his basically mom to not care about him. She's begging his mom to stop caring about him and let him go AFTER SHE HAS JUST SAVED THAT GIRLS ENTIRE FAMILY. I'm actually tired of her bullshit and I want her story to stop being narrated because I actually stopped caring two chapters ago.
I also think that Lakshmi's character is always changing. They showed her as more understanding and mature in the beginning, but she is prideful. That was her nature and seems to still be (?) her nature. Her approval of Nimmi isn't what struck me as odd, but how easily she was able to forgive her. Nimmi is someone who is taking away a lifelong friend and basically her son to make a family with him in which case he will probably be less successful than he could've been. Alongside that, Nimmi yelled at her for ruining her relationship with said son after Lakshmi's had just sacrificed the last COUPLE of days to protect Nimmi and her children. Not only did this feel out of character for Nimmi, but it felt out of character for Lakshmi's to just act like everything had gone back to normal when she was back from Jaipur. Prideful people hold grudges, and do not forget. I wish it was more in line with her character, and who she was in the past. Or at least that some mention was made to how she'd grown and what she'd been through. There were areas where her old personality came out, and it would be better if those stayed as thoughts rather than actions, because it makes it less believable.
I think it must be the huge paragraphs of text between dialogue that breaks up the dialogue and makes it feel as if it's not really happening in the moment. As if I'm reading a book instead of living someone else's life. Especially when Malik tells Nimmi he loves her, I realized I couldn't feel anything about that. There was no anticipation, building pressure, no need to say it. The only thing that even insinuated that Malik was thinking about whether or not to say it is the word "blurted". It was not done well.
I want to give it four stars, but considering the majority of my review has been negative, I can't defend it. I still appreciate the fact that this is Indian literature by an Indian person, and that is why the stars rating is inflated, but I would honestly say 2.5. Not impressed, and don't really want to revisit this book.
I dislike how they have to talk through normal customs. Like why Malik is taking his shoes off before entering the house, or why he'd refer to someone older than him as Uncle. Everyone knows that, especially the target audience (or what I hope the target audience would be), and it makes it annoying to keep being told why me myself and I do things in my normal day to day. No Indian person needs to be told why they call someone Uncle, and that it's out of respect. If written in a certain way, any reader could figure that out as well. It's giving Geronimo Stilton, where he defines big words within the prose and not as a footnote or something.
In Nimmi's chapters, it sounds less like something is happening to her and more like something happened to her in the past and she is retelling it. There's a feeling of separation or distance from the actual events--something that can be especially seen through how she deals with her brothers death, but that is seen throughout the book before and after that as well. I enjoy reading Lakshmi's or Malik's better for that reason--you feel like you're living it with them, rather than reading a letter they wrote you after the fact.
I also hate how immature Nimmi is. Her actions scream 18/19, a young mother, but I know she isn't that young, and that she's been through a lot in her life. The trauma can cause her to be more emotionally immature and that I understand, but the majority of what she does and how she thinks is incongruous with someone who has been through the level of pain she has. Someone whose husband died in front of her, who left her family, who was ogled by tourists for weeks and had to scrape to get by with two children? You can't convince me this is her. With so much responsibility, they don't act so childishly.
I actually don't care if this makes me a bad person but I hate Nimmi. Yes she's a widow with two kids, she's in love with someone's son and expects his basically mom to not care about him. She's begging his mom to stop caring about him and let him go AFTER SHE HAS JUST SAVED THAT GIRLS ENTIRE FAMILY. I'm actually tired of her bullshit and I want her story to stop being narrated because I actually stopped caring two chapters ago.
I also think that Lakshmi's character is always changing. They showed her as more understanding and mature in the beginning, but she is prideful. That was her nature and seems to still be (?) her nature. Her approval of Nimmi isn't what struck me as odd, but how easily she was able to forgive her. Nimmi is someone who is taking away a lifelong friend and basically her son to make a family with him in which case he will probably be less successful than he could've been. Alongside that, Nimmi yelled at her for ruining her relationship with said son after Lakshmi's had just sacrificed the last COUPLE of days to protect Nimmi and her children. Not only did this feel out of character for Nimmi, but it felt out of character for Lakshmi's to just act like everything had gone back to normal when she was back from Jaipur. Prideful people hold grudges, and do not forget. I wish it was more in line with her character, and who she was in the past. Or at least that some mention was made to how she'd grown and what she'd been through. There were areas where her old personality came out, and it would be better if those stayed as thoughts rather than actions, because it makes it less believable.
I think it must be the huge paragraphs of text between dialogue that breaks up the dialogue and makes it feel as if it's not really happening in the moment. As if I'm reading a book instead of living someone else's life. Especially when Malik tells Nimmi he loves her, I realized I couldn't feel anything about that. There was no anticipation, building pressure, no need to say it. The only thing that even insinuated that Malik was thinking about whether or not to say it is the word "blurted". It was not done well.
I want to give it four stars, but considering the majority of my review has been negative, I can't defend it. I still appreciate the fact that this is Indian literature by an Indian person, and that is why the stars rating is inflated, but I would honestly say 2.5. Not impressed, and don't really want to revisit this book.
adventurous
medium-paced
Another page-turning story about Lakshmi, the henna artist, her husband, a doctor, and the people they love and will do anything to protect. Set in 1969, the story alternates between two main places: Shimla and Jaipur, in a clinic with its Healing Garden in the former and a state-of-the-art cinema in the latter. It's a love story between two young Indians from very different backgrounds and Lakshmi's proteges, Malik and Nimmi. It's a story about power and greed and corruption and loyalty. A fan of stories set in India and other parts of Asia, I couldn't wait to read and didn't want it to end.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"There are so many secrets in our world, aren't there? Ones we keep, ones we reveal but only at the right moments."
Once again we are transported to India, following along our favorite characters as a new journey begins. Alka does it again and doesn't disappoint. I definitely did not want this book to end and am eagerly awaiting the 3rd installment as well as the series to come.
Once again we are transported to India, following along our favorite characters as a new journey begins. Alka does it again and doesn't disappoint. I definitely did not want this book to end and am eagerly awaiting the 3rd installment as well as the series to come.
The whole relationship between Malik and Nimmi felt forced. Was not what I was expecting especially with the whole gold story line. But I loved the parts with Lakshmi and the Maharanis.
Having read and absolutely loved The Henna Artist, I immediately bought this book when I saw it for sale. The plot was quite interesting and I loved that it focused more on Malik’s life, but it could never compare to its predecessor.