Book Summary
From the Publisher:
How far would you go to change your life?
Sharell is 30 years old and living a privileged life in Melbourne’s wealthy suburbs. She has it all: the childhood-sweetheart husband, the high-powered job and plenty of cash to splash.
And it’s not destined to last. In a dramatic turn of events, Sharell’s marriage breaks down and her perfect life falls apart. Sharell opts for a complete change of scene, travelling to India to do volunteer work.
But reinventing herself is not as easy as it sounds, especially in the chaos and confrontation of India. Just as she is beginning to wonder whether she’ll ever find her way, she meets a man. And so begins Sharell’s transformation.
Set in the Himalayan hills of Manali, the beaches of Kerala and the madness of Mumbai, Sharell’s is the real story of what falling in love with an Indian, and India itself, really entails.
Sharell was born and brought up in country Victoria, Australia. After gaining a Bachelor of Business she moved to Melbourne, where she worked for ten years in the accounting and finance sector of the Victorian government. Then, India called.
A book review by Lois Kapila has apeared in the English daily ‘The Sunday Statesman’ on 25th December 2011. The book makes a very interesting and engaging read. However, for the benefit of the readers it should be pointed out the Biblical allusion and significance of the Henna that the title of the book celebrates. It is not only used as a skin and hair dye, or for that matter, only as hand and foot decoration in bridal mehndi. In the Bible in the Song of Solomon henna is stated to have been perpetuated by God as a symbol of forgiveness and absolution (ceremonial purification) in the desert, and is putatively used as an emblem of love and human sexuality, excitement of amorous feeling and rejuvenation of broken hearts. Hence the special significance for henna in Sharell Cook’s celebrated book ‘Henna for the Broken-Hearted.(Pan Macmillan).
Thank you so much for sharing this! It is something that I wasn’t aware of, but is very meaningful as pointed out.
Namaste,
Read the review of your book last week and decided to order via flipkart. Just to know why the name of the book is “Henna for the Broken-Hearted.”
Regards
Vinayak
Hi Vinayak, it was decided by my publisher. I had no say in it, unfortunately, and would’ve chosen something different! Hope you enjoyed reading it.