The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
I had a couple friends highly recommend this book to me….and these friends are SUPER TREMENDOUS ladies whose opinions I value VERY much on MANY different subjects….
I knew if THEY said it was good, it would FOR SURE be good.
And that absolutely checked.
Yall rock as ALWAYS, Kristy and Rachana! ❤
Thank yall for bringing this gorgeous book into my life.
Here is the official summary:
“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.
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.”
I always enjoy fictional stories that also teach about real life, especially when I have the opportunity to learn about cultures different than my own.
As the story of Lakshmi is told, the book educates on the history of India and various aspects of the culture of the country during this time period. Things like the caste system, colonization, assimilation, independence, injustice, gender roles and expectations, family dynamics, women’s rights, and classism are addressed.
I also learned about the artistic beauty of henna design and how each design carries it’s own meaning, both to the artist and the person receiving it. Henna designs can be for beauty, for appreciation, for desire and even for healing. To read about the care, intention and delicacy Lakshmi used with her clients was really quite beautiful. It also showed just how much women need each other, understand each other, deeply connect with each other and can help each other in ways that men can not.
Every day life in India for multiple castes of people is described….all of your senses are engaged while reading…you can just see the colorful items of clothing, hear the vendors on the streets , and smell the delicious aromas of food. (I so wish my sense of taste could have been engaged as well….because the most delicious food I have ever eaten in my ENTIRE life of 40 years has been food from India. IT MAKES MY TASTE BUDS DANCE IN JUBILATION EVERY TIME I EAT IT😊)
Lakshmi is both modern and traditional in her life….she is an independent woman who wants to make her own way in the world. After escaping an abusive arranged marriage, she becomes a self sufficient business woman who is figuring out how to pave her own prosperous and fulfilling future.
The way she does that is by the traditional art of henna design and also selling herbal remedies that many generations before her have used to care for women’s bodies in multiple ways.
Lakshmi believes in cherishing many aspects of conventional ways of Indian life while also appreciating the evolution of modern ways as well.
There is a struggle she experiences both within herself and also from others as she constantly tries to find the balance in honoring and living out both.
Figuring out what to hold on to, what to let go of, what to honor, what to dismiss….it is a struggle that not only continuously happens for Lakshmi, but for many others in the story as well.
And that is what I think makes this story so beautiful and captivating….finding the practicality, lessons, wonder and appreciation from the past as well as the present and the future.
The injustice and unfairness of class and caste continues to get in Lakshmi’s way over and over again, but she continues to persist. Her strength is highly admirable…but reading about the continuous oppression her and so many experience was enraging, especially because things like this still persist in present day.
Family and community connections are a big piece of this story…and the structure and tension of traditional vs. modern also pours into these things.
How deep of a connection to relatives people carry…. how the definition of the word “family” can evolve over time…. how important it is to have a people around you giving you support and love and who those people can and should be….and how those we love and need most may not be the people we originally expect them to be.
This author writes about heart wrenching trials and tribulations in such a tragically beautiful way.
But this author also writes about joyful successes and humor filled events in such a spirit lifting way.
Ms. Joshi is such a captivating and rich storyteller. Prepare to go on a journey in your mind as you read…one filled with captivating characters, world history, and cultural knowledge and perspective. As you read, you will laugh, cry and all the emotional actions in between.
I really appreciated listening to this on audio because I was able to hear character names and Indian language pronounced as they are supposed to be pronounced. (The narrator is also an Indian woman) I know if I was to read this in print form, I would completely mess up the correct pronunciation in my white American head and THAT IS NOT OKAY. We need to honor other cultures by learning how to properly speak words as they are meant to be spoken.
Definitely recommend this read and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future!