Alka Joshi rocketed to fame when the first novel in her The Jaipur Trilogy, The Henna Artist, was a selection for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. Six Days in Bombay is Joshi’s first standalone novel since the trilogy and will no doubt thrill her fans.
The novel, set in the 1930s, tells the story of Mira Novak, an artist with an Indian mother and a European father, known for her compelling portraits of Indian women. Mira’s narrative is modeled on the famous Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil. Joshi tells the story of Mira from the point of view of Sona Falstaff, an Anglo-Indian nurse, who is caring for Mira after a miscarriage. Sona is drawn to Mira because of their shared biracial identity and the challenges of navigating that in colonial India.
Unlike Mira, Sona is poor and her job as a nurse sustains her and her mother, who is a seamstress in Bombay. Sona’s career has been affected by her mixed racial heritage, and she fears losing her job again in Bombay. When Mira dies suddenly, Sona loses her job, as she is suspected of malpractice. Sona, however, has been tasked by the dying Mira to deliver four of Mira’s paintings to people living in Europe who are important parts of Mira’s history. With the help of a kindly English doctor, Sona travels to Europe to deliver the paintings, and her travels take her to Istanbul, Prague, Paris, Florence, and London. Along the way, she discovers Mira’s complicated life story and has her own romantic encounters with Amit, a doctor, and Edward, an Anglo-Indian like her. Her journey also takes her on a quest to find her British father who had abandoned her mother and baby brother many years ago. Eventually, Sona returns to India and lives happily ever after.
The novel is well-written, and the weaving of Amrita Sher-Gil’s life into the depiction of Mira offers a fascinating look at early 20th-century Indian art and its cosmopolitan roots. The novel does, on several occasions, stretch credibility, especially as coincidences and serendipitous encounters often shape the European segment of the narrative. But the book should appeal to readers looking for a women-centered novel with a plucky protagonist, a rags-to-riches plotline, and a happy ending. Fans of Alka Joshi will not be disappointed.
Nalini Iyer is a Professor of English at Seattle University where she teaches courses in Asian American, Postcolonial, and South Asian Studies. She is the author/editor of several books in literary criticism. She lives in Kirkland. WA.
