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The Henna Artist Audiobook
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Publisher Description
Escaping from an arranged and abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone from her 1950s rural village to the vibrant pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the henna artist—and confidante—most in demand 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.
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.
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“Everything a great novel needs: The protagonist balancing impossible burdens with her bountiful talents. The many other characters, each so colorful and complex, each necessary to the intricate and delicate plot. Such a satisfying novel!”
— Sandra Scofield, author of The Last Draft: A Novelist’s Guide to Revision
Quotes
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“Vibrant characters, evocative imagery, and sumptuous prose create an unforgetable tale.”
— Christian Science Monitor -
“Rich in detail and bright with tastes and textures.”
— BookPage (starred review) -
“A bewitching glimpse into the past with a tough heroine well worth cheering on.”
— Booklist -
“Moving.. Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Like a brilliant, magical kaleidoscope, bursting with color…The Henna Artist kept me riveted from start to finish.”
— Lauren Belfer, author of And After the Fire -
“The Henna Artist is a bold, ambitious, beautifully written novel about India in the decade after independence, and about class, identity, love, and deceit. The broad cast of characters will etch themselves in your psyche.”
— Tom Barbash, author of Stay Up with Me -
“Alka Joshi’s superb first novel is unforgettable…Read this book slowly and savor it: Every page is rich with intricate pleasures for the mind and the heart.”
— Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers -
“Alka Joshi’s debut novel is a richly drawn design of love and the many hungers that drive human beings…A lush, gorgeous journey that any reader will be sorry to see end.”
— Erin McGraw, author of The Good Life
Awards
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A Reese’s Book Club Pick of the Month
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New York Times bestseller
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A New York Times Bestseller in Audio
The Henna Artist Listener Reviews
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7/6/2022
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kim topping, 6/27/2021
About Alka Joshi
Alka Joshi is an author whose first novel, The Henna Artist, was a Reese’s Book Club Pick, longlisted for the Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and a BookRiot Best Book of the Year and made the bestsellers list of the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail.
About Sneha Mathan
Sneha Mathan is a voice actor and audiobook narrator. Her audiobook work has received several Earphones awards, and she is a three-time Audie Award finalist. She lives in Seattle.