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The Jaipur Trilogy #1
by Alka Joshi
Escaping from an arranged and abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone from her 1950s rural village to the vibrant pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the henna artist - and confidante - most in demand 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.
Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman's struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
First published in March 2020. First trade paperback edition published April 2021
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Some of the recent comments posted about The Henna Artist:
At one point early in the novel, Lakshmi is thinking about karma. Do you believe in karma? Why or why not?
I do believe in Karma and that the energy you put forth, both bad or good, will come back to you as reward or punishment. I have lived long enough to have seen how effectively Karma does it's work, which is does very well. - evelyng
At one point, Lakshmi says that the one thing she hates most is sympathy. Why do you think that is? Is Lakshmi being too proud in this case?
I dont think many of us like sympathy...there is a difference in compassion and sympathy.. feeling bad for someones situation and wanting to help them is one thing, but feeling sorry for them and not thinking they are strong enough to get themselves ... - beckys
Business women, Friend, or Both?
I think all three. When one does a personal service such as hairdressing, massage or even being a tattoo artist you get to know your client. I don’t have a tattoo but having something put on your body that will last a lifetime must require a great ... - pennyp
Could Lakshmi have found another way to escape her abusive marriage? What do you think of the choices she made to change her circumstances?
As other readers have said, given the culture of her country and her village, I don’t believe she had much choice. Her parents were not in a position to assist her and she could not bring herself to kill her husband. She chose to escape despite the ... - Elizabeth Marie
Do you relate to Lakshmi?
Yes. Lakshmi left her abusive husband. I did the same, albeit with four children in tow. She eventually set herself up as a henna artist. I had several iterations in eight years, taking advantage of opportunities as they came along, incorporating ... - thereser
"Joshi's evocative descriptions capture India's sensory ambience (horse-drawn tongas, pungent cooking fires and incense, and colorful saris), drawing readers deep into her moving story. Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love." - Publishers Weekly
"Fantastic, so evocative and beautiful and full of life and light.... The Henna Artist is detailed and sumptuous, vivid in its characters and deeply satisfying in its storytelling." - Leah Franqui, author of America for Beginners
"The Henna Artist is a bold, ambitious, beautifully written novel about India in the decade after independence, and about class, identity, love and deceit. The broad cast of characters will etchthemselves into your psyche." - Tom Barbash, author of Stay Up With Me
"Alka Joshi's superb first novel is unforgettable.... Read this book slowly and savor it: Every page is rich with intricate pleasures for both the mind and the heart." - Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers
"Like a brilliant, magical kaleidoscope, bursting with color, The Henna Artist kept me riveted from start to finish." - Lauren Belfer, NYT Bestselling author of After the Fire and City of Light
"Everything a great novel needs is here: The protagonist balancing impossible burdens with her bountiful talents; the many other characters, each so colorful and complex, each necessary to the intricate and delicate plot, Such a satisfying novel!" - Sandra Scofield, author of The Last Draft
"Alka Joshi's debut novel is a richly drawn design of love and the many hungers that drive human beings...a lush, gorgeous journey that any reader will be sorry to see end." - Erin McGraw, author of The Good Life and The Seamstress of Hollywood
"Romantic, old-time Rajasthan leaps to life in the skilled hands of Alka Joshi. The Henna Artist brims over with richly drawn customs, locations, and characters. I can hardly wait for Alka Joshi's next masterpiece." - Sujata Massey, internationally bestselling author of The Satapur Moonstone and The Widows of Malabar Hill
"The Henna Artist is a delicious, old-fashioned tale about timeless heartaches. There's something elemental and mythic about Lakshmi and her knowledge of spices, roots, oils, and barks that drew me into the kind of world I gladly lived in when reading fairy tales as a child, a place inhabited by powerful queens, talking birds, magical drinks, orphans, sad princesses, clever servants, and dangerous poisons. I'm in awe of Joshi's storytelling and a little jealous of the character who winds up with the talking bird. 'Namaste!' as he says. 'Bonjour! Welcome!'" - Laura McNeal, author of The Practice House
This information about The Henna Artist was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Alka Joshi was born in India and raised in the U.S. since the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts and runs an advertising and marketing agency. She has lived in France and Italy and currently lives in Pacific Grove, California, with her husband. The Henna Artist is her first novel.
Instagram: @thealkajoshi
Facebook: alkajoshi2019
Twitter: @alkajoshi
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