Absolutely outstanding.

This is the second book in The Jaipur Trilogy and I thought it was only fair to review it after I read The Henna Artist which had been on my TBR for a long time. Let me tell you I have no idea how anyone managed to wait after reading the first book until now - the second I turned the final page in the compelling and stunning novel I had to start the second one.

In this novel we rejoin some of our original characters just over a decade later. The reader is reintroduced to many familiar faces including Malik as a young man, rejoins Lakshmi and we also meet Nimmi - one of our narrators for this story. The narrative perspective switches between characters in this novel - a complete switch from the original but an absolutely compelling addition.

As a reader, it is enchanting to see Lakshmi from different perspectives and incredibly endearing to see the man Malik has become. Without giving too much of the plot away, Joshi begins this novel much like the first one - with a compelling conflict that becomes vital to the later story.

I was nervous about reading this second novel because I loved the first one so much but it DEFINITELY did not disappoint. The writing was just as delicate, the setting just as vibrant and the politics and misdeeds of the families of Jaipur just as richly described.

Please, I implore you, pick up this book. If you haven't already - pick up the first one too.

Thanks to RandomThingsTours and Alka Joshi for a copy in exchange for this review.