A review by read_cc_read
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
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❤️
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QOTD: do you know any Hindi words? This book has a glossary at the end to help, I learned so much!
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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
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