Holly Golly, bloggers, bookstagramer and contributor from the reading group 20 Minute Bookrecommend you Jaipur tattoo artist by Alka Joshi, Grand Prix du roman historique 2022 republished on 5 October by Éditions Hauteville.

His favorite quote:

He feels different from my woman, lacks friendship. Motherhood, she thought, would allow her to enter into a world of private conversations and shared intimacy. He was confident that I could help him achieve this. And I don’t want to disappoint him.

Why this book?

• Because this novel won the Grand Prix this year of the historical novels 2022. Indeed, each year the Hauteville edition offers its readers the chance to vote for their favorite historical novel. Released in large format in August 2021, Jaipur tattoo artist make an impression and win this trophy. And it is well deserved!
• Because this novel takes place in India in the 1950s. We find amazing customs and customs, traditions and descriptions. I traveled a lot during my reading and was very happy to discover the city of Jaipur.
• Because this is a woman’s novel by a woman. Indeed, the heroine, Lakshmi, leaves her husband overnight. Now fall, she works as a henna tattoo artist. This job allowed him to gain a reputation and thus gain his independence bit by bit. Tattoo artist from Jaipur highlights women, regardless of their social status, and what they have to deal with every day. I was struck by so many differences and indifference between them and became attached to their dreams.
• Because the writer’s pen is amazing! I was utterly enthralled, bewitched even, by the setting of the plot, by the characters and by all the stories of the women nesting within each other to offer a true historical fresco. This is no longer a historical novel but a feminist novel which highlights the pros and cons of being a woman in India.

Important stuff in 2 minutes

Storyline. India in 1950. After running away from her husband, Lakshmi became a henna tattoo artist and built a reputation throughout Jaipur. But when his past catches up with him, he must find his place between tradition and modernity while pursuing his freedom.

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

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

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

Writer. Alka Joshi was born in India and has lived in the United States since he was nine years old. Holding a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree from California College of the Arts, he manages an advertising and marketing agency. Jaipur tattoo artist is his first novel.

This book is read together vivid and often indescribable emotions. I’ve traveled the pages a lot while bonding with women fighting for their dreams. This is a novel about freedom, choice, and sacrifice that explores self-discovery and the love of family. This is an absolute success!

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