The Henna Artist

Alka Joshi

Mira Books, Mar 3, 2020 - 384 pages

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER



A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK



"Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page."--Reese Witherspoon



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.



"Eloquent and moving...Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love."--Publishers Weekly



Look for The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris from New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi!

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - AuntieG0412 - LibraryThing

What a splendid novel! I was engrossed in Lakshmi’s story, feeling ever so grateful that I was born in the time and place that I was. Ms. Joshi’s writing is lovely and I enjoyed every minute of reading it.

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - fiverivers - LibraryThing

Joshi creates an interesting story about a young woman's struggle to find a place in the restrictive and classist society of India. The author deals sensitively, and in the end devastingly, with ...

About the author

Born in India and raised in the U.S. since she was nine, Alka Joshi has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Joshi's debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a NYT bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick, was Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, & is in development as a TV series. Her second novel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur (2021), will be followed by a third in 2023.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Henna Artist; Volume 1 of The Jaipur Trilogy Series
• Author: Alka Joshi
• Publisher: Mira Books, 2020
• ISBN: 0778310205, 9780778310204
• Length: 384 pages