My Thoughts on The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

I follow several famous name book clubs, including Read With Jenna (Jenna Bush-Hager), Oprah’s Book Club, and Hello Sunshine (Reese Witherspoon). I occasionally choose books to read from these clubs if I see a good review or if the premise interests me. I love reading stories set thousands of miles from where I live and learning about their traditions so far from my own, so it was not a surprise I was attracted to The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.

Joshi’s debut novel takes on you on a journey through the eyes of protagonist Lakshmi Shastri. The book takes place in the 1950s in the city of Jaipur. It is a story about a woman living in post-independent India trying to find her place between traditional and modern culture. She left her abusive marriage and became the most experienced and highly recommended henna artist to the wealthy and upper-class woman. Lakshmi earns their trust but has to be careful not to reveal her past. There are also several surprises in the plot that kept my interest. It’s a tale of family, independence, heartbreak, and relationships.

My favorite part of the book was the description of henna art. The preparation and application process is fascinating, not to mention, very detailed and beautiful. The only previous knowledge I had about henna was occasionally seeing young girls having their hands painted at a local county fair. Joshi made the experience so interesting that I felt I was watching Lakshmi henna her clients in person.

Like a beautiful Indian tapestry, this story is heavily detailed with color and tradition. I love immersing myself in other cultures through fictional stories and this one did not disappoint. I appreciated the character list the author offered at the beginning of the book and the glossary terms at the end. I bookmarked the glossary so it was easy to flip back to find the meaning of Indian words. The 368 pages kept my interest and if you’re a fan of cultural alluring books, and a great storyline, consider picking this one up. Personally, it was the perfect read during the quarantine because it took me on a journey, from the same four walls of my home to a fascinating, colorful place and time. I’m always interested in your thoughts if you pick it up. Happy reading, my friends!