The Henna Artist

THE HENNA ARTIST REVIEW

I have always enjoyed reading books set in India or anywhere in Asia because of the how relatable it is. The story becomes a lot more real when I can imagine the setting more perfectly and relate to the characters, their circumstances and situations. 

This one is a beautiful story of learning to survive, learning from mistakes and making the most of every situation. It's a story of endurance. 

Lekshmi is a strong willed girl who was married off at 15. But she ran away from her abusive husband and fought her way through many odd jobs to finally find herself serving the high society women of Jaipur by being the magic henna artist who could, with her herbs and beautiful mehendi(henna) help women conceive even. She worked 13 years to build a standing in the society and make enough to build a home for herself. But all that is threatened when the sister she did not know existed seeks her out along with her ex - husband. 

When Radha enters Lekshmi' s life out of the blue, her carefully created world is threatened and the series of events that follow take us on a journey with Lekshmi as she learns to accommodate Radha in her life, balance work and personal relations and also fight the injustice in a society that is edging itself into modernity with a traditional mindset. 

This was a beautiful and insightful read. Also the Jaipur in the post Independence time described by Alka Joshi truly transports you to the dusty streets of Jaipur filled with the it's rich culture. 

Another fact I very much enjoyed while reading the book was the portrayal of society and women in general during the post Independence time period. As an Indian it helped me understand the changes British colonialism brought to India as well as the pseudo feminism that had taken root among the elite. 

The general geography and class distinctions were also neatly described.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anybody looking for a deep and insightful read.