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Synopsis

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.

Synopsis from Kobo Canada.

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What I Think

Question 1. How would you describe the story?

First of all, let me just say I don’t know why I waited so long to read this book. It’s been sitting on my Recently Added list for months now, and I regret doing so!

Okay, how to describe the book. It’s fun, it’s vivid, it’s bustling, it’s the opulent India and the caste India side by side. It’s age-old traditions wrestling with the aftermath of colonialism, It’s idea versus idea. It’s velvet dreams and silk narratives. It’s a bowl of treats of curry, and cardamom, and sweet sandalwood dusted with lemon and lavender powders. It’s bitter herbs and sour attitudes. It’s draperies, and coconut milks, and rickshaws, and women’s rights. It’s freedom and shackles. It’s artistry and religious beliefs. It’s gutter waters and marble floors. It’s green, and aromatic and murky. It’s rose blooms and pungent hearts.

I could go on for a whole day. Trust me, I could.

In this story, we are introduced to Lakshmi, a henna artist in 1950s Jaipur. She’s the daughter of a village teacher who was forced into family life at a mere age of 15. Lakshmi ran away from her husband as a young wife, with dreams and a future she wants to make of herself beyond marriage and having children.

Lakshmi moved to Jaipur and is now in her thirties. She is diligent, and creative, and has mastered the art of tactful conversing with the upper society. Her clients are the wealthy women of Jaipur, wives of ministers, and conglomerate businessmen. They are women whose sons and daughters are educated abroad, women who wear rubies on their noses, and women in Indian politics. Lakshmi has her hold on these ladies, she decorates their hands and fingers for housewarming parties, birth celebrations, weddings, and funerals. She draws on the bellies of women wanting to have children, she makes aphrodisiac scents for couples, she makes lemon sweets for grieving mothers, and she mixes concoctions to stimulate hair growth. Whatever an upper-class woman might need that modern medicine cannot provide or satisfy, Lakshmi has them. Together with Malik, her assistant, Lakshmi treads the world of upper-class ladies using the knowledge she learned from her mother-in-law.

Everything has been going smoothly according to plan ever since she came to Jaipur, she even got a house currently in construction with floor decorated of intricate henna patterns. Until one day Lakshmi is visited by her husband, towing under his wing, a teenage girl called Radha, who claimed an identity Lakshmi couldn’t believe. According to the girl, she is Lakshmi’s younger sister, born after a year she left the village.

Lakshmi, whose current life revolves around her business, is now thrusted with a responsibility, to look after her sister. Because based on Radha’s story, their parents died and she has nowhere to go. The village doesn’t want her. With no guardian, she was forced out of their tiny house. So, Radha decided to look for Hari, Lakshmi’s husband. She figured it was the only way to follow Lakshmi in Jaipur.

The Henna Artist is a cultural revolution. This is India meets Western ideologies. This is firm and courageous feminine stance. Sure, and steady, every step with grip and traction. Every move, contains a voice.

Question 2. How would you describe the main character?

Lakshmi, what can I say. She’s the physical embodiment of strength clothed in sari. She came from an abusive marriage, and as a village girl, was able to make her way to the mansions and velvet chaises of the rich women of Jaipur. She relied on her skills, and deep knowledge on herbs and holistic medicine. She is tactful, and observant. Her actions and reactions are calculated, all in favor of earning the trust of her clients, to the point of concealing her honest responses.

Although I would say, she runs another business on the side, besides henna drawing, and assisting the wealthy ladies of Jaipur for all sorts of emotional distress, she hides a secret. I’m not going to give it away and spoil you guys but it’s this one side of her business that didn’t sit well with me. Whatever that is, is for the readers to find out.

Question 3. Besides the MC, who stood out the most?

Kanta, is a clientele of Lakshmi. With her good-natured qualities, she became a reliable friend. When Radha came, and Lakshmi found it difficult to communicate with her younger sister, Kanta stood in between them. She represents a weaving thread, that pulls the two sisters together.

I liked how Kanta, despite her social standing is not oblivious to the needs of others. At some point in the book, she gently explains to Radha why Lakshmi couldn’t make time for her, and why she, instead of Lakshmi, hangs out with her. She made it clear that she understands and acknowledges that she is privileged. She has all the time in the world to do leisurely things with Radha because she doesn’t think about money. Her husband’s job pay handsomely, and she feels grateful for living a carefree life. Kanta recognizes the needs of both Radha and Lakshmi, and is genuinely helping the two sisters meet halfway in between.

Question 4. What is your red flag?

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I rate this book six stars. This is one of those reads that I found difficult to put down. There is no enchanting whatever, no curses, no fairy-godmothers but page after page, I just cannot stop reading. It’s a story that pulls you in, and makes you experience the majestic side of India. But at the same time, it lets you see the other side, the part where traditions rule and women are forced into early marriages. It takes you on a journey to the caste system and lets you see the limitations, the boundaries, the labels, all of which govern and dictate even personal ambitions.

So what is my red flag? Ha, I think the preceding paragraph said it all. This book, captivates you. I would not recommend reading on a busy day. You will lose track of time, and possibly force you to rearrange priorities for the day.

Question 5. What is your green flag?

I mentioned in Question 2, that there’s a topic in this book that might come across negative for other people. Now, I’m referencing on that as an answer to my green flag. There’s redemption. There’s healing. There’s turning a new leaf. There’s acknowledging the dark hallways, and stepping into the sunlight. It’s getting back up, after a fall. It’s realizing the future will depend on the next decisions. It’s hope.

My green flag is how the story ended. It’s complicated, but I believe it’s the most plausible given the ruling culture and traditions. It’s not rainbows and butterflies, but if we consider the fact that this story is set in 1950s India, it perfectly fits.

The Henna Artist is a story of women’s struggles in a patriarchal society. It shows how strong cultural beliefs tie people down that they feel trapped with nowhere to go. It vividly colors family ties, and lets you see how these woven threads slide around age-old traditions, western impacts, and through ideas that even older generations would never even dare in their sleep. It’s dissonance, thriving and pushing people to find their ambitions. It’s one giant embroidery made with a thousand hands, an endless tangle of patchwork that somehow, incredibly, captures a solid picture, intact, and harmonious.