Reviews

La artista de henna: Una mujer en busca de sus sueños en la ciudad de Jaipur by Alka Joshi

Only show reviews with written explanations

songofainsley's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

laurenmidna's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

The writing in this book is absolutely lush - vivid and full of life. I don’t know very much about the traditions in India, and this felt like a good first peek into it. I’ve never really thought too much about the process of making Henna, but now I have a new appreciation for it. The book also made me think twice about some of the privileges I take for granted - the balance of a modern and more traditional life for a woman is something we’ve made great strides in.

read_cc_read's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

4/5 ⭐️ I loved this book!!! However it loses a star for me because the main characters plight was unfair af. This woman works SO hard to make a life for herself by running away from an abusive husband and the only village she’s ever known to come to Jaipur, for 13 years she works her ass off and is *this* close to owning a house and being 100% financially secure (her dream)! When all of a sudden her ex husband shows up in Jaipur with a young girl she’s never met that claims to be her 13 year old sister… Radha is insolent, stubborn, and stupid. I’m not buying the whole “the western media corrupted her mind!” idea- she’s idiotic and ungrateful. Coming from a village where she MUST have been privy to hardship and is damn well old enough to know that women need to be careful with their bodies (an unfair standard but nonetheless) it was unfathomable that she could be so careless. She gets pregnant by sleeping with a prince and refuses an abortion, insists on keeping the baby and in turn RUINS her older sister’s life. So selfish!!!
Meanwhile the main character blames herself for not being more strict and watchful over her. When in reality she was as strict as she could be while working a full time job.
Ugh I want better for Lakshima - she deserves the world. The ending is disappointing as she’s forced to leave Jaipur due to the gossip ruining her business. However there’s hope as she moves to the Himalayan mountains to work with a doctor in providing herbal medicine in conjunction with his western hospital. My wish is for Dr. Kumar and Lakshima to fall in love.

4/5 ⭐️ CAUTION: SPOILERS❤️
.
.
QOTD: do you know any Hindi words? This book has a glossary at the end to help, I learned so much!
.
.
.
I loved this book!!! However it loses a star for me because the the main character’s plight was UNFAIR AF. Lakshima works SO hard to make a life for herself by running away from an abusive husband and the only village she’s ever known to come to Jaipur. For 13 years she works her ass off and is *this* close to owning a house and being 100% financially secure (her dream)! When all of a sudden, Lakshima’s deadbeat husband shows up in Jaipur with a young girl Lakshima has never met that claims to be her 13 year old sister… Radha (younger sis) is insolent, stubborn, and stupid. I’m not buying the whole “the western media corrupted her mind!” idea- she’s idiotic and ungrateful. Coming from a village where she MUST have been privy to hardship and is damn well old enough to know that women need to be careful with their bodies (an unfair standard but nonetheless). It was unfathomable to me that she could be so careless. She gets pregnant by sleeping with a prince and refuses an abortion, insists on keeping the baby and in turn RUINS her older sister’s life. So selfish!!!
Meanwhile Lakshima blames herself for not being more strict and watchful over her. When in reality she was as strict as she could be while working a full time job.
Ugh I want better for Lakshima - she deserves the world. The ending is disappointing as she’s forced to leave Jaipur due to the gossip ruining her business. However there’s hope as she moves to the Himalayan mountains to work with a doctor to advise and provide herbal medicine in conjunction with his western hospital to the people there who are weary of western medicine. My wish is for Dr. Kumar and Lakshima to fall in love because IMO their tag team medical efforts in the mountainside is ADORABLE and he seems like a really good person. #hennaartist #alkajoshi #alkajoshithehennaartist

11_11's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

bridgettearmi's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

hiltzmoore's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I enjoyed reading a historical fiction book about a country that I don’t know much history about at all, and I did learn a lot about henna that I never would have known before. I didn’t find these characters to be likable though. I loved Malik and I might actually read the next book if it centers around him, but I didn’t really care what happened to the rest of the cast.