What future in India for "The tattoo artist of Jaipur"?

• Favorite readings are something to share.

• Our community recommends a new book every day.

• Today, "The tattoo artist of Jaipur" by Alka Joshi, Grand Prix of the historical novel 2022 reissued on October 5th at Éditions Hauteville.

Holly Goli, blogger, bookstagramer and contributor to the 20 Minutes Books reading group, recommends

by Alka Joshi, Grand Prix du roman historique 2022 reissued on October 5 by Éditions Hauteville.

His favorite quote:

Why this book?

• Because this novel won the Grand Prix

  du roman historique 2022 this year. Indeed, each year, the Hauteville editions offer its readers the opportunity to choose their favorite historical novel.

  Released in large format in August 2021,

  The tattoo artist from Jaipur

  made an impression and won this trophy.

  And it is well deserved!

• Because this novel takes place in India in the 1950s.

  We discover habits and customs, traditions and breathtaking descriptions.

  I traveled a lot during my reading and took great pleasure in discovering the city of Jaipur.

• Because it's a women's novel by a woman.

  Indeed, the heroine, Lakshmi, left her husband overnight.

  Now fallen, she works as a henna tattoo artist.

  This work allows him to acquire a reputation and thus to be able to gain his independence little by little.

  The Jaipur Tattoo Artist

  highlights women, regardless of their social status, and what they have to face on a daily basis.

  I was struck by so many differences and indifference between them and became attached to their dreams.

• Because the pen of the author is incredible!

  I was totally caught up, bewitched even, by the setting up of the plot, by the characters and by all the stories of women nested in each other to offer a real historical fresco.

  It is no longer just a historical novel but a feminist novel highlighting the pros and cons of being a woman in India.

The essentials in 2 minutes

The plot.

India in the 1950s. After fleeing her husband, Lakshmi became a henna tattoo artist and forged a reputation throughout Jaipur.

But when her past catches up with her, she will have to find her place between tradition and modernity while pursuing her quest for freedom.

Characters.

Lakshmi, tattoo artist and heroine of the story, Malik her servant, Radha her little sister but also all the women of Jaipur: from Kanta her friend to the maharanis of the palace.

Places.

The story takes place mainly in Jaipur, a city in Rajasthan, India, but also in Shimla.

The time.

The story takes place in the 20th century, in the 1950s.

The author.

Alka Joshi was born in India and has lived in the United States since she was nine years old.

Holder of a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a master's degree from California College of the Arts, she manages an advertising and marketing agency.

is her first novel.

This book was read with

vivid and often indescribable emotions.

I have traveled a lot over the pages while becoming attached to women who are fighting for their dreams.

It's a novel about freedom, choice and sacrifice that delves into self-discovery and family love.

It is an absolute success!

buy on amazon

Do you want to recommend a book that you particularly liked?

Join our community by clicking

20 Minutes of Context

Some of the links in this article are sponsored.

Every time you buy a book through one of them, we get a commission that helps us pay our bills.

To avoid any conflict of interest, we have adopted the following method:

1. The contributors to the section choose their books, produce their files and their reviews independently, without worrying about any links that will be added.

2. The links are added afterwards, each time we find the recommended product on one of our partner platforms.

Thanks in advance to anyone who clicks!

• Book sheet 20 Minutes

• Books

• India

• Literary prize