The Henna Artist

In 1950s Jaipur, Lakshmi has escaped an abusive marriage and built an independent life as henna artist to wealthy women, trading in beauty and, quietly, in the secrets and remedies they need. Then the sister she never knew existed arrives with a child. Joshi drew on her own mother’s life, and the novel is strongest on the narrow ledge an unmarried working woman occupied in newly independent India, where reputation was the whole of security.