Artista henna

Lakshmi leaves a harsh marriage at seventeen. She builds a new life in Jaipur in the 1950s. Her skill with henna brings her work among the rich. Her clients seek advice and share secrets as she draws. She guards their private lives while hiding her own past.

Her growing success stirs envy and puts her freedom at risk. Years later, the husband she left tracks her down. He has an ally she did not expect. It is a younger sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Their arrival puts the life she has built at risk.

Alka Joshi sets this novel in the past. She blends romance with themes of freedom and family ties. The book suits readers drawn to women’s lives and Indian culture. Details of food, texture and daily life shape the setting. The story weighs the wish to find oneself against the need for family love.

This translation of The Henna Artist starts the three-book Jaipur series. When this edition came out, Miramax was developing a screen series. Freida Pinto was to play the lead role.