This post contains links to products that I may receive compensation from at no additional cost to you. View my Affiliate Disclosure page here. Show Book club questions for The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi covers all the key themes and events in this moving novel. There will be spoilers so for more context about the story, check out my spoiler-free review first. Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks so many amazing books! I had heard about The Henna Artist prior to her selecting it but I didn’t know much about it. I love that Reese highlights authors from all kinds of backgrounds and really helps to expand people’s reading life. The Henna Artist is such an impactful and vivid story—I so enjoyed it! Here’s the 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.
Fun video from the authorI always look for videos of the authors talking about books. I have to share this really fun video of Alka and sister-chefs Sandy & Nicky Virk of Jivana Café in Los Angeles making some vegan Indian food. More book club recommendationsHope you enjoyed book club questions for The Henna Artist! Here are some more recommendations on what to read and links to book club questions. Next Year in Havana by Chanel CleetonNext Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton is another Reese book club pick and if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it! Check out my book club questions here. Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba’s high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country’s growing political unrest—until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary… Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa’s last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth. Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba’s tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she’ll need the lessons of her grandmother’s past to help her understand the true meaning of courage. You can order the book on Amazon here. To support indie bookstores, order it from Bookshop here. A Woman is No Man by Etaf RumA Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum is a devastating, heart-wrenching but also, hopeful, novel about a Palestinian-American family. Check out my book club questions here. Palestine, 1990. Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. Over the course of a week, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself quickly betrothed and married, and is soon living in Brooklyn. There Isra struggles to adapt to the expectations of her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam, a pressure that intensifies as she begins to have children—four daughters instead of the sons Fareeda tells Isra she must bear. Brooklyn, 2008. Eighteen-year-old Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter, must meet with potential husbands at her grandmother Fareeda’s insistence, though her only desire is to go to college. Deya can’t help but wonder if her options would have been different had her parents survived the car crash that killed them when Deya was only eight. But her grandmother is firm on the matter: the only way to secure a worthy future for Deya is through marriage to the right man. But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths about her family—knowledge that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, the past, and her own future. You can order the book on Amazon here. To support indie bookstores, order it from Bookshop here. Happy reading! Is The Henna Artist a good book club book?I had heard about The Henna Artist prior to her selecting it but I didn't know much about it. I love that Reese highlights authors from all kinds of backgrounds and really helps to expand people's reading life. The Henna Artist is such an impactful and vivid story—I so enjoyed it!
What happens to Lakshmi in The Henna Artist?In the last book, The Henna Artist, Lakshmi leaves Jaipur with her unmarried pregnant sister Radha and her protege Malik. But the hills give refuge to the henna artist. Radha was shipped off to Paris and Radha's son, Nikhil, went with Kanta. Let's not forget that Lakshmi got married to the doctor in Simla.
What is the theme of The Henna Artist?“The Henna Artist” is an amiable and entertaining debut novel about an important theme — balancing family with personal ambition — that allows readers to escape into a fantasy teeming with sensory pleasure.
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