Summary:
Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…
Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.
My take: 4 looks
I love being introduced to different cultures, history, and traditions through the written word.
In “The Henna Artist”, author Alka Joshi introduces the subtleties of Indian caste, the persistence of a patriarchal society, and the mores and traditions of the family and those family dynamics. That’s a lot of ground to cover, but she does it well in the guise of telling the story of a runaway bride, making a living for herself in a new place, as one who serves others by making them beautiful through her art.
This was an interesting story of the hard work and dedication of the main character, Lakshmi, as she struggles with growing her business as a henna artist, helped by her adoringly funny assistant Malik (who reminded me of Short Round, a character in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”). When younger sister Radhi appears, whom Lakshmi didn’t know existed, the delicate balance she has worked for starts to topple.
There is a lot here: forgiveness, loss, redemption, pettiness, hard work, family dynamics, coming of age, pride … and it is all woven nicely into the story as the main characters navigate life’s ocean waves.
The amount of research the author did was obvious, even before reading her acknowledgements at the end. I also loved that she included the history of henna, as well as a recipe for making henna paste. This is a compelling story written by a knowing hand, and it is recommended.
Recommended.
