The Henna Artist: A Reese's Book Club Pick – A NYT Bestselling Historical Fiction Story Set in India (The Jaipur Trilogy, 1)

The Henna ArtistLakshmi, the narrator of this engaging and thoroughly enjoyable story, runs away from a forced and brutal marriage at age 15, to begin a new life in post-British1950’s India. Her skills, learned in her home village, eventually lead her to a respectable position as a henna artist painting her beautiful designs on the hands and feet of wealthy matron clients in Jaipur, a large city in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. Lakshmi is also skilled in the ways of India’s traditional medicine, which she uses both for healing remedies and to free women from unwanted pregnancies. Radha, a younger sister she didn’t know she had, enters Lakshmi’s life after the death of their parents and their relationship develops in remarkably complex and telling ways.Lakshmi is a classic fictional character, a woman fiercely independent, conflicted with what is right and what is wrong, wringing herself out constantly in an effort to emerge better than she was the day before. To me, she is a powerful image of the human spirit down to its very core. How does such a woman deal with the men of her time that she meets up with along the way? Can Lakshmi resist the cultural patterns set for centuries establishing male-female/husband-wife relationships? Lakshmi is faced with these issues time and time again throughout the story. Her resolve and courage are tested with each encounter, for better or worse.Spiritualism in the 1950’s India and the forces balancing traditional and modern values are also replayed in the story time and time again, each with subtle variations on a theme. The caste system is interpreted by Ms. Joshi is a more gentle way than most accounts, especially lower castes, and many of the issues that faced India’s people during that period are not addressed. The partition of India and Pakistan and the troubles and prejudices that arose with the Muslim community who stayed behind in India after the partition are left untold, leaving the reader with a view of Joshi’s India that is perhaps more ideal than what history can reveal.But India portrayed by Ms. Joshi is indeed a wonderful place for a reader to find himself (I’m a male). Bursting with energy, insightful commentary on all manner of life and living. A remarkable display of the times and places that at once are unraveling and revealing themselves chapter by chapter (with interesting appendices on cultural and historical subjects to boot). It makes me want to get on the next flight from Newark Liberty to Jaipur and have my hands and feet painted by a henna artist.William Klein, PhDNew York, NYMay 30, 2020Rating Five Stars

The Henna Artist is about a woman struggling for independence and voice. Lakshmi is the first-person storyteller who was an accomplished henna artist and herbalist. Her story takes place during the 1950s in India after the country had gained independence, but women were still property. It is not historical fiction but rather an imagined history. Lakshmi left her husband Hari since he beat her, primarily for not having children. Leaving her arranged marriage meant that she also left her family and hometown. She had to reinvent herself and establish contacts where she had lacked the network of relatives from her formative years.Lakshmi, meaning goddess of wealth, employed a young boy named Malik to help her obtain supplies and move her business around to her clients. Malik is an endearing character who matures as the plot develops and portrays to Lakshmi, whom he calls "Aunty Boss," how to use relationships to one's advantage without taking advantage of people. I loved how he interacted with clients, women of a higher class. Privileged women appreciated Lakshmi's talents in painting their hands, feet, and other body parts with artistic personalized henna designs. She also peddled herbal contraceptives; for that business, she had men who purchased her sachets for their mistresses. Additionally, Lakshmi provides fertility and abortion treatments. Her many wealthy clients provide enough income for a house but also put her in precarious predicaments.Complicating her life, Lakshmi discovers she has a thirteen-year-old sister that she hadn't known existed. Since she had fled her family in the disgrace of divorce, she had not known her mother had another child. Her sister Radha shows up courtesy of her estranged husband, and Lakshmi becomes the teenager's guardian and experiences all the angst and responsibility that raising an adolescent brings. Her Life becomes even more entangled and complex as she endeavors to continue her business and try her hand at matchmaking. Though the story is sometimes unrealistic, this talented author delves into bloodlines, power and powerlessness, and caste. There are also poignant running themes about reputation and gossip. Then there is much related to ambition, skill, responsibility, betrayal, and moral grounds. This author is a great storyteller; she made her characters come alive and created a page-turner with this novel.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi unfolds like a palm slowly opening—revealing lines of fate, pain, resilience, and hard-won freedom. It delicately unravels the fine, almost invisible threads that hold a woman’s life together in a world determined to tug them apart.Set in a society where women are raised to lean on men for survival, Joshi gives us a protagonist who dares to stand alone—and in doing so, walks on fragile ground. Her reputation is as easily smudged as fresh henna, and gossip trails her relentlessly, clinging like a second shadow. Forced into marriage at fifteen, stripped of choice and voice, she learns early that survival in an abusive, male-dominated world is not about comfort but endurance.More than a single woman’s story, this novel becomes a chorus. It lends its voice to countless women forced into child marriages, trapped in suffocating caste hierarchies, and ensnared by the calculated charm and trickery of exploitative men. Joshi exposes how power disguises itself as protection, how tradition is often weaponized, and how women are expected to bear the consequences in silence.As a henna artist myself, her struggles resonated with me deeply. Time may move forward, but minds often lag behind. A woman’s standing in society remains perilously delicate—one wrong turn, one whispered rumor, and everything she has built can fracture.Yet what makes this story luminous is not just suffering, but dignity. Despite obstacles in work, family, and love, she moves forward with grace and fierce self-respect—head held high, hands steady. She heals and soothes not only with her words, but through her presence—offering a shoulder to lean on, an attentive ear to women burdened with unspoken griefs. Through her art, henna becomes a language of care, Ayurvedic remedies a form of quiet restoration, and even her ingenious practice of hiding healing herbs in sweets and savories turns nourishment into comfort. Her creativity becomes both shield and sanctuary.The Henna Artist is a testament to feminine resilience, to art as survival, and to the quiet power of women who refuse to disappear. It lingers like the deep stain of henna—dark, beautiful, and impossible to erase.

The Henna Artist is a beautifully written and deeply moving story that celebrates resilience, hope, and the power of self-discovery. Alka Joshi brings 1950s Jaipur to life with such rich detail that I felt transported into its vibrant streets and colorful traditions. Lakshmi’s journey is both inspiring and heartwarming—her determination to build her own path, while caring deeply for others, makes her an unforgettable character. This novel left me uplifted and grateful, reminding me of the strength that lies within us all and the beauty of second chances.

This is a fabulous story, rich in interesting characters and textures. Humor and heart.It brought me back to India, and although set in the late 50s after the partition, there are many things which have not changed. You really get the feeling of how it is to struggle through the eyes of the main character, a henna artist who has escaped her abusive husband. The guilt, and family values, which she holds close to her heart throughout the book while trying desperately to carve out an independent life.I loved this book and it really transported me to another world.HOWEVER. What is WRONG with editors? Grammar, please! This book will have gone through several. A line editor. A proofreader too.The verb i"lay down" DOES NOT EXIST! Not even in "American" English. It is TO LIE DOWN in the present tense. You do NOT "lay down".You lay a table. A hen lays an egg.I LIE down.You LIE downHe LIES down etcA LOAN is a noun. A loan. It is NOT a verb! A loan. To LEND.I do not "loan" a book. I LEND a book.Please editors (and authors) go back to your 101 writing class. It is an insult to take a beautiful book like this and cheapen it.

There are so many layers of humanity in this book. I absolutely loved it. The insights, the ponderings and the second chances, brought on a real Page Turner!

Well written with an excellent plot, a varied series of well developed characters set in the many layered society of India. What more could one ask for?

This book is not my typical genre that I read however, I read it for a book challenge. The author is new to me also. I have to admit, that I did really enjoy the book. I found the book is well written, the characters are interesting, and overall the story was really good. I listened to the book on Audible while reading on Kindle and I feel that the voice actor did a great job also with the characters. Overall, I'm glad I read the book.

What a great read!! Loved it from start to finish!

“The Henna Artist”, is an expressive tale filled with colourful characters, it enlightens the reader on the deeply rooted Indian caste system and the importance of henna as a cultural phenomenon. The storyline is compelling and intense in its portrait of Lakshmi’s struggle for fulfillment in a society rotating between the traditional and the modern. The author paints a picture as beautiful and intricate as Lakshmi’s designs, Lakshmi aims to balance impossible burdens, those curve balls that life throws our way.The setting is in northern India in 1955. The timing is significant since India had become an independent country just about a decade earlier. The nation’s struggle to achieve its own identity is mirrored in the struggle of the novel’s characters to define their own course in life, regardless of the caste they fall into. “The poor weren’t the only ones imprisoned by their caste”. At times the upper castes were so constricted, they too felt imprisoned, everything that glitters is not gold.Lakshmi flees from an abusive marriage at the young age of seventeen finally arriving to the pink city of Jaipur, gaining her independence over time, she is free, becoming a henna artist whose skills are in constant demand with the rich and powerful. The untimely arrival of Lakshmi’s husband Hari with her younger unknown sister Radha in tow turns her life completely upside down and inside out.The novel is mesmerizing, exotic and simply beautiful. What matters in the end is the significance of having the choice to live a fulfilling life, the ability to forgive and to muster the courage and strength to move forward releasing the heavy weight of the past. I throughly enjoyed the rich culture displayed within this book and how it showcases the intricacies in the art of henna as well as India’s food and traditions. Eloquently written, the freedom of choice is a powerful tool, sometimes the impact is positive and sometimes it is not, but there are lessons to be learned from it all, regardless. It’s a story that will captivate your heart.*The glossary of Indian terms proved to be very useful. They are located at the end of the novel. This novel has a couple of recipes at the end as well.

Ein hochinteressanter Roman, in dem ich viel über Indien gelernt habe. Da er Band 1 einer Trilogie ist, habe ich alle drei Bände gelesen. So sehr hat er mir gefallen.

Alka Joshi brings to life India just after Independence. Easy to read, well written, a beautiful story that will remain in your memory for a long time. The characters are engaging and relatable. Enjoyed the story very much.

An elegantly written storyline, sophisticatedly developed characters, and of course the rich culture from the India of 1950s. Doesn’t it sound like a perfect mood?Well, I am talking about Alka Joshi’s novel, “The Henna Artist” which recently bagged its position under the top ten in Goodreads choice awards under the categories, best debut novel, and best historical fiction. Needless to say, this novel deserves every bit of it and I can positively say that this was one of my ultimate pleasurable read of 2020.This is the story of Lakshmi, the henna artist. She was forced to get married at the age of fifteen. There she learned about natural medications and herbs for treating people from her mother-in-law. Although, at the age of seventeen, Lakshmi ran from her husband’s house and escaped from an abusive relationship. Gradually she settled in Jaipur city and started to work as a Henna artist. It took lots of sleepless nights and tons of hard work to build her reputation among all her royal clients and to save penny by penny for building her own house. Lakshmi was passionately dedicated towards being independent and improving her future that is when she was introduced to Radha, a sister Lakshmi was never aware of. It took some time for Lakshmi to completely accept Radha and to break the ice with her sister, the only family she had. Days passed by and Lakshmi’s fight for independence, success, respect, and dignity continued.Whatever I said above is like a drop in the Ocean. ‘The Henna Artist’ is a book that can be really difficult to compile or cut short because of the finest precision by which Alka has crafted it. I have not read any book so far that is planned and presented with utmost perfection. The structure of the book is designed considering readers from all over the world in mind. The book starts with a list of all the characters that will appear in the story further so that if you lose track of it, you have your backup ready. After this, there is a crisp prologue that will build the required suspense and will grab all your attention. As soon as you finish reading the story there is a list of terms used in the local language with their meaning. This can be really helpful for people who are not aware of our Indian culture and looking forward to exploring it in its originality. The best thing here was that these terms were written in italics in the story so that the readers can immediately identify them from the story and look for them in the ‘Glossary of Terms’. The bonus point here is that the readers will get to know a little bit about the history of Henna and the recipe to prepare the henna paste along with other delicacies that were frequently talked about in the book.I just loved every bit of this book and my reading experience was majestic. The character development of the main characters as well as the relevant secondary characters was done amazingly. No doubt there were a lot of characters but not for once did I lose track of them. I enjoyed knowing all the characters, some were delicate, some vulnerable, some mature, and some were just being the stubborn teenagers. I always say that one can learn a lot from fictional stories and if one wants to explore India and its culture in the unaltered form this book is a must-read.