Why did I wait so long to read this book? With all the rave reviews, my love of historical fiction and my own experience with Jaipur, you’d think I’d have tackled this one sooner. But with the sequel coming, it really lit the fire for me.
I was drawn in completely from the first page, having been to this part of India it was so easy for me to visualize how hard life would have been for women in this era. I adored Lakshmi’s drive and cunning to bring herself from a small town wife stuck to an abusive husband through to an honored guest of the palace. Just when she has her life figured out and a sense of stability building around her, a sister she never knew she had appears and brings with her the estranged husband. The appearance of these two disrupt the delicate balance of the life she has created for herself.
I really appreciated the dynamic between the two sisters and how captivating the big city was for each but in completely different ways. There were a lot of moments where you cringed for each of them and wished they were more forthcoming with one another. It may have avoided lots of heartache for both. The setting and character development made for a story that was so easy to lose yourself in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These paintings I bought on my visit to Jaipur in 2018.
What backlist book do you wish you hadn’t waited so long to read?
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