The author of this book was born in India but has lived in the USA since the age of 9. This is her debut novel. Set in the early 1950's India, the book tells the story of Lakshmi who is a successful henna artist. Married at 15 she ran away from her abusive husband two years later. During the marriage her mother-in-law taught her the art of healing with herbs and she also uses these skills to earn money. Estranged from her parents, she only learns of their death when a 13 year old sister she did not know existed shows up on her doorstep. The sister's arrival and her subsequent actions end up threatening the independence she has been working towards for so long. This is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it.

I really tried hard to finish this book. I was interested in the setting and time period. However, all of the characters in the story were horrible people. Even the main character. She makes decisions in the book that I just couldn't get behind especially with her"side" business helping the rich white woman in the city. It just wasn't for me.

>Made it 49%, Chapter Nine.
>I really liked it but it was too, too slow with not enough umph for me to finish when I have other books to review.
>Love the details about henna and Lakshmi's natural medical remedies, especially regarding women's health. I wish there was more about that and the dismissive doctor getting schooled by her. Might've finished it, if so.
>Lakshmi is amazing for striking out on her own and thriving like so. Mad respect. The politicking and balancing were interesting, but tedious over and over again.
>Radha is so understandable, especially her rage and chafing at the bit.
>Malik is adorable and so clever.

Quotes:
My ladies had changed nothing but the reasons for their pretense.


But these were flaws for a husband to discover, not for me to reveal.

Today, when she saw how unfairly Malik was being cast off, she reacted as she always had--like a defenseless animal.

Then, as always, I remembered his wife, Parvati, my other benefactor.

"You don't need thanks. You've got a driver."

"You know as well as I do men can't control themselves. It is up to women to stay out of their way. If your sister had been brought up properly, she might know that."

Like my ladies, the maharanis had devised their own rules of gamesmanship.

He ran ahead to put our belongings in the waiting rickshaw and I followed, amazed and a bit in awe of my little friend.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Lakshmi's story was quite intriguing and the author did an excellent job of bringing it to life for the reader. I enjoyed being on the 2020 Spring Blog tour for this title.

The Henna Artist is an EXCELLENT book! Set in India, in the 1950's, Lakshmi is a strong, talented, clever woman, making a name for herself under complicated circumstances. It all changes when her sister ("Bad Luck Girl"), arrives at her home. This story is incredible. Full of twists in the plot, ingenious problem solving skills, and turbulent sisterly bonds. Thank you NetGalley, to the author and publisher for this e-reader copy for review. All opinions are my own.

The characters and the Jaipur, India setting of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi are vibrant. They do not match the history of the time, but, perhaps, the history is not relevant as the book is more narrowly focused on the role of women and on the story of one woman in particular. The plot itself is not unexpected, but the women of the story bring it to life. A strong debut. I look forward to reading more from Alka Joshi.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/03/the-henna-artist.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and the Harlequin Trade Publishing 2020 Spring Blog Tour.

I never knew a book could take on such a magical journey. Everything about this book made me enamored for it. Taken place in the 1950's in India, Lakshmi escaped her abusive marriage when she was a teenager. She headed to the city of Jaipur where she made a huge name for herself has a Henna artist. While other henna artist used basic lines, dots, and triangles, Lakshmi's art spoke volumes and told stories about the women. The wealthy clients believed her art could bring back straying husbands and make the women have babies.

With her newfound stable income Lakshmi was able to afford her first home. Then the unthinkable happens and her ex-husbnd pops back into her life....and with a special guest. Her 13 year old sister Radha whom she had no idea even existed. This book takes you on a incredible journey of family traditions, secrets, revenge, and forgiveness. I loved how the author used her writing to give you a glimpse into the Indian Culture. I will admit, just like everyone has said in their reviews, the character list is quite intimidating at first. But, I had no problem keeping up. Oh, the author also provided an index in the back of all the words used in the book that were italicized.

I really enjoyed it and if you're looking for an adventure to another world and country without having to fly in a airplane...this book is for you. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and Alka Joshi for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book got me excited about the local India festival in August again. The descriptions of much of the Indian culture were beautifully detailed. The prologue threw me off for a bit, but I loved when it tied in with the rest of the story later in the book.

The story of Lakshmi's determination and hard work to overcome her obstacles was inspiring. And watching her willingness to keep adjusting those plans made my heart happy in the end. The plight of women in the 1950s in India was just as heart-wrenching as it is in many cases in current culture.

I gave this book at least 3.5/5 stars - maybe even 3.75? The story felt very relatable even more than 50 years later. The aspects of Indian culture and castes that I may not fully understand were explained clearly with what I needed to know.

Lakshmi fled an abusive arranged marriage, leaving behind her husband and parents to go to the city of Jaipur, following the recent independence of India from the British Empire. She is a henna artist to many of Jaipur's wealthy women, where she has cultivated a large clientele who turn to her to decorate them for every celebration. But Lakshmi dreams of being a matchmaker for wealthy families, and when an opportunity arises, she is ready to take advantage of it.



She also sells sachets of herbs that help people with illnesses of all sorts. Lakshmi learned how to grow herbs that heal from her former mother-in-law, whom she loved and respected. When Samir, a wealthy and influential man, asks her to sell him herbs that prevent his mistresses from getting pregnant, Lakshmi agrees.



Lakshmi is building a home of her own, a place where she can bring her parents to live with her. One day her abusive husband shows up with a thirteen year-old girl, a sister she never knew she had. Radha is angry that Lakshmi abandoned her and her parents, and resents Lakshmi.



Life was moving upward for Lakshmi, but the arrival of Radha seems to bring a turn of luck for her. Her precarious finances take a big hit when vicious and untrue gossip about her cause her clients to drop her.



Lakshmi's striving for independence mirrors the country of India's independence from Great Britain. Lakshmi, like India, is stuck between long-standing traditions of a strict society and a desire to be modern and independent.



I was totally enmeshed in the sights and sounds of 1955 India. Joshi descriptions are rich and she uses the language of the time, with a helpful index in the back of the book that gives you the definitions of the words she uses. Food plays a big part, and she also gives the reader two recipes- one for Batti Balls and one for Royal Rabri. You can almost smell the food wafting off the page.



Her characters capture your heart- Malik, the young boy who acts as Lakshmi's assistant, sister Radha, and even her abusive ex-husband who shows more than one color to his character.



But it is Lakshmi's story. You will root for her to succeed, and ache for her when her struggles seem insurmountable. Lakshmi is a truly unforgettable character. I give The Henna Artist my highest recommendation.



Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their 2020 Spring Reads Blog Tour.

The Henna Artist is a novel set in is set in 1950s India. Our main character, Lakshmi, is a henna artist who discovers she has a younger sister named Radha. She takes her sister in and tries to develop a bond with her, but Radha, feels abandoned by her due to surviving on her own for so long.

Lakshmi is very independent and wants to make a name and living for herself. She is known for her services around the community and her excellent henna skills, but is also looked down upon for being a single women. She carries the heavy weight of the past of her. She feels conflicted about her family and leaving them behind, but she wanted to escape Hari, her abusive husband. Radha has a youthfulness and naivete that makes Lakshmi yearn for her childhood. Lakshmi is always working hard and has no time for fun. She has to make money and be on her best behavior as people are always watching her every move in social circles.

The two sisters have a somewhat strained bond, but Lakshmi is trying her best to a sisterly and a mother figure to Radha as she adjusts to city life. Every one within the social circles seems so fake on the outside and cold and calculating on the inside. They look to make connections to benefit their own (families) and stray away from the tiniest scandal.

As the story progress we see how even though Radha and Lakshmi spend more time together they slowly grow apart. Their dynamic shifts in the relationship as Lakshimi becomes more of a mom and radha like a child. We see how how societal standards pull them apart, but their journey of strengthing their overall bond.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the rich culture displayed within this novel and how it showcases the intricacies of the art of henna as well as India’s food and traditions. I also enjoyed the themes about familial ties and journey’s of self-growth. It was a enriching novel that was laced with heartwarming and sad moments. Definitely recommended!

Alka Joshi brings 1950s India to life with her lush and vivid writing. If you are someone like me who enjoys learning about other cultures and traveling to places you might never go, this is a can’t miss. The interesting well drawn characters and the captivating storytelling completely drew me into this clever tale. Sneha Mathan masterfully narrated this audiobook, really bringing a voice and an additional layer to this incredible story. With a book like this it is nice to have the audiobook because then you know how things are pronounced, however you don’t always know how things are spelled. There is a PDF that accompanies the audiobook that includes a list of the characters and a glossary. This made me a little nervous that there needed to be a character list, but I have to say I never needed to refer to it I never was confused.

1950s India 17-year-old Lakshmi escapes her abusive marriage and heads to Jaipur. In Jaipur Lakshmi establishes herself as a successful henna artist as well as a procurer of herbal remedies. She has even realize her dream of owning her own home, then her pass catches back up with her. Her estranged husband shows up with her 13-year-old sister Radha, A sister she did not even know she had. What ensues is a compelling tale of family, tradition, secrecy, revenge, and second chances.

Loved this book! Lakshmi was such an easy character to get behind. She was so strong, so smart, and so deserving. Her sister Radha on the other hand really frustrated me, I had to remind myself that she was just a teenager at times. There were many other extremely well drawn secondary characters some who I loved and some who I did not. I also found the herbal medicine in this book super fascinating and I liked how they combined it with traditional medicine in the story. This is one of those books that gives you a lot to think about. Filled with colorful characters and beautifully told this is a story that I will not soon forget.

This book in emojis: 🇮🇳 🖌 💰 🦜 🛺 🚂 🏔 🏥

*** Big thank you to Harlequin & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This beautiful, lush story takes place in vibrant India in the 1950s. Lakshmi, after running away from her abusive husband, makes a living by making herbal remedies and being a henna artist. But everything changes when her little sister she never knew she had turns up, homeless, lost, and known as the "Bad Luck Girl."

It's no secret that I love reading about India and its culture. The Henna Artist delivered. It is so richly drenched in Indian culture with food, clothing, castes, hennas, herbs, and Jaipur, India. I felt drawn to Lakshmi because of her ambition, work ethic, reason, feminism, and loyalty. It was an absolute pleasure to follow her throughout the book. She has a solid character arc as well as her sister, Rahda. The plot is well paced and had lots of tension to keep me reading—I couldn't put this book down all day. The writing flows very well. I would definitely recommend to those who love reading about India and about woman fighting for their future. A great debut by Alka Joshi.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for the ARC!

Beautifully written, I found myself immersed into the life of henna artist Lakshimi Shastri. I felt her struggle and determination to escape the life she was born into. Married to a husband who beat her she had the courage to leave everything behind and seek out a new life in a new city. Life was going well until the younger sister she didn’t know existed enters her life, bringing secrets from the past that Lakshimi had buried.

Joshi’s writing drew me in and allowed me to be a part of Lakshimi’s life. I loved the descriptions of the works of art she drew upon women’s bodies. I felt the oppressive heat, smelled the flowers and scents of cooking food. I felt fear and happiness, anger and longing, desperation and defeat. Such a roller coaster of emotions. The characters were so real to me, eliciting the same emotions I would have had had I truly known these people.

Secrets, lies, manipulation, redemption. This is a look at what it took for Lakshimi to survive. Joshi does not shield us from the hard world Lakshimi faced. She gives us Lakshimi with all her flaws. Her doubts, her betrayals. Finding and making her own family. This was a journey I was honored to be on with her.

Thank you to Harlequin Books for the advance copy to read and review.

Lakshmi was in an abusive, arranged marriage. She escaped and created a whole new life for herself. She is the most sought after henna artist in her city. She thinks she is on the right path to riches. Then her estranged husband shows up with her little sister in tow. This threatens everything she has worked so hard to achieve.

I love Lakshmi! As most of you know, I love strong women characters and Lakshmi is one of the strongest. She has created herself a new life. She is building a house and creating a business which just keeps growing. She has a tenacity rarely seen. And her talent! Oh my! I could just picture her work in my mind! When her new life starts to unravel….you need to read this to find out how…she LEARNS from it and does not let it stop her.

This book is super good. I have never read a book about a henna artist. I will be honest, I did not even know they existed. I was so impressed with Lakshmi’s courage, talent and intelligence. Plus, the culture in this read…I learned a great deal!

Do not miss this one! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This is a fabulous debut novel from Joshi. I found the descriptions of the newly independent India, Jaipur, and the cast of characters to be fascinating. I really appreciated the nuance that Joshi brought to the story and the particular emphasis on illustrating the lives of different women from different caste backgrounds. The writing is moving and lyrical at points, which I really appreciated and didn’t realize it was missing from my reading life.

This novel will appeal to fans of historical fiction who love to “travel” via their reads because I felt transported to a different time and place. Yet the novel always felt relevant as it addresses many of the same issues and concerns that face women today, from abusive partners, to creating a life for yourself, and being independent even when society suggests otherwise. This sense of immediacy and relevance despite the difference of time, place, and culture is what hooked me and kept me wanting more.

Vivid details make 1950’s, post-British India come to life in this thought-provoking novel. The author did a fantastic job of addressing multiple complicated topics, including the caste system and other societal “norms” of the time through the actions and motivations of the characters. The plot itself was interesting, and I enjoyed following Lakshmi as she followed (what she thought were) her dreams. It is a fascinating story that you don’t want to miss. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This is a fabulous historical fiction book set in post independence India. Every time I picked up this book I was instantly transported to Lakshmi’s world. The environment, the language, the food, the feelings and the characters all felt so real to me. At its core this book is about women’s rights with an emphasis on our reproductive rights. This book is set in the 1950’s and while women have gained some freedom and equality since then, there are still many rights that we do not have. Through the various characters in this book we see how different choices, rights and circumstances concerning women and their bodies have a huge impact on their lives. I particularly appreciated the dichotomy of India reveling in its independence while at the same time the female characters are oppressed.

I’m sure you can tell by now that this story deals with abortion, miscarriage and abuse (among other issues) but I think it does it in an impactful way. March is Women’s History month and I can’t think of a better time for this book to be published. Lakshmi is a powerful, beautiful, strong and inspiring character that I have a strong emotional connection to. There is so much that happens in this book and it was all just really well done. I highly recommend this important read to anyone who feels passionately about women having the right to choose anything and everything for themselves. I also feel like I know so much more about not only Indian culture but also about a special time in their history.

A fascinating story, full of emotions and with a vivid background.
Once I started I couldn't put it down and was fascinated by what I read.
It's well written, with a cast of great characters and a well researched background.
An amazing read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi writes a thought provoking, emotional novel.
Alka Joshi has meticulously brought the rich Indian culture and landscape literary to life within these vibrant books pages.

Joshi brings the northern central city of Jaipur completely to life with her elegantly written prose. In this captivating historical fiction takes place a few years after Indian Independence. In the 1950’s India as a whole is undergoing an extensive climatic challenge, with conflict between modern and traditional thinkers. To epic divisons of classes.

The main protagonist, Lakshmi is known for her exquisite henna designs and makes her living by being a henna artist to the women in the village. She also is familiar with certain herbal remedies, a very lucrative secret side business providing women with a way to get rid of unwanted pregnancies.

Lakshmi has escaped an abusive husband and is cautious in keeping her name clear of any gossip. She ultimately longs for a home of her own, and with her wealthy clientele she just might have it. until a young sister she never knew she had shows up in town with her ex-husband. Lakshmi’s life is thrown into upheaval and her hard won business threatened, as she struggles to incorporate her sister into her carefully balanced life could threaten her dreams.

I was completely immersed in Lakshmi's life and her struggles as tries to raise herself up become a woman of independence.

The Henna Artist is a brilliant captivating atmospheric detailed first novel.
I would recommend this thought-provoking novel for readers who enjoy Historical Fiction.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Independence changed everything. Independence changed nothing.

That line gave me shivers. And it was the first lines in the first chapter, after a very heartbreaking prologue about a 13 year old girl that was basically shunned by her village because of the actions of her parents and mysterious sister that apparently disappeared out of nowhere…. but she didn’t even know she had an older sister? I was so freaking upset about that, but then I think about the time period that this book takes place in, and it kind of “makes sense” but it’s still not okay, you know what I mean?

This book legit broke my heart just getting through it. I was so upset with what Lakshmi went through, not just as a child when she was left as an orphan but as an child bride with her husband. The abuse that she went through with him… I just think about how the concept of child brides aren’t illegal or enforced as illegal worldwide, and it just hurts to see an example of just how bad things can be for a girl in this situation that she doesn’t even have a choice in the matter.

So while Lakshmi’s origins weren’t good at all, I was so freaking happy to see that she was able to escape this abuse and really make a life for herself that she was happy to have, and be proud of her progress despite the hardships that she had to endure. I just really wanted everything to go well for her after everything, but of course that’s not how books work so there had to be some conflict involved.

I think that this book will really make you stop and reflect on the circumstances of your life as it stands currently, and show that there will be some times where you really have to pull everything together to take matters into your own hands, and learn how to heal from a past that was never meant to give you any form of success or love. It hurts, it will make you cry, it will make you angry, but those feelings will put things into perspective for you, and I think this will be a read that you won’t be able to stop thinking about.