The Complete Jaipur Trilogy

The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris

De: Alka Joshi

Narrado por: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel

THE NEW YORK TIMES BETSELLING TRILOGY

"Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page."—Reese Witherspoon

"Powerful and evocative.” —Kate Quinn

The Henna Artist
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. 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. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down 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.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
It’s the spring of 1969 and Lakshmi now directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik, her protégé, has finished his private school education, and at twenty, he leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema. Malik soon finds that power and money move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from Jaipur’s Royal Palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.

The Perfumist of Paris
Paris, 1974. Radha, Lakshmi's younger sister, is living in Paris with her husband and their two daughters, to whom she is devoted, when she finally discovers her passion—the treasure trove of scents.
She has an exciting and challenging position working for a master perfumer, helping to design completely new fragrances for clients and building her career one scent at a time. She only wishes Pierre could understand her need to work. She feels his frustration, but she can’t give up this thing that drives her. Tasked with her first major project, Radha travels to India, where she enlists the help of her sister, Lakshmi, and the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice. She’s on the cusp of a breakthrough when she finds out a secret she's kept from her husband for years is about to be revealed, upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy a vulnerable marriage.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Much Better Than Expected

First and formost - Joshi knows how to write which is a fading art in many of the writers today. Her prose flow like water and her grammar (sorry I'm old and was taught well) is so satisfyingly correct. She puts her reader IN the story with each character and her descriptions of the rich colorful, yet tragic, country of India taught me so much. I have been blessed to travel to more than 47 countries (not enough for me) and I confess I do not want to go to the India of today but learning about the food, the customs and the culture was almost like being there. Her descriptions have a tactile and sentient nature to them. I could almost taste the food, feel the cloth, see the flowers and smell the scents.

I loved the depth of the characters, their flaws, their courage, their sense of integrity and determination and their ability to learn and grow from their mistakes. Each character is an individual which is no small feat in writing a saga type trilogy. Sure, sometimes there were a few too many coincidences but after you read some of today's trite predictable stories, the few that occur here are easy to accept. I was drawn to these stories after reading Verghese's wonderful books about India. He is amazing but I have to say Joshi runs him a close second and in fact, stands on her own very well. Read the trilogy or read each individually. Either way, I think you will love thiese books as much as I did, if you enjoy something with depth and insight .

The smells, recipes, the sister bond

The pros: Description of smells, oils, colors, and food was beautifully done. Truly splendid.

Highly acclaimed books with raving reviews yet I feel like it missed something. It didn't take my breath away. I was a good story, all three of them but not a great one. It is also labeled as Historical fiction yet there is no mention of events or explaining certain topics occurring in India, France, or US from 1954 to 1980. This book can be placed under the fiction and underdogs section.
if I have to recommend it I would say, is ok, is a good read. worth the 23hours. However, don't expect it to blow your mind.

Book 1 & 3 were my favorites

Really enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the colors, scents, and tastes of India. I loved how the author wove the story through the social classes, and across the globe. Book 3 made me very happy I didn't quit on book 2!

Amazing descriptions of sights and smells. Felt like I was there.

Thoroughly enjoyed the entire trilogy. Brilliantly written. Plus the narrator was excellent. This is so worth the credit. Just trying to locate the downloadable part of the purchase.

Binge-worthy!

Fascinating. Told from a woman’s perspective. Lovely. Empowering.
Plus, Indian and French food and culture.
I am looking up the recipes!