Synopsis
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
At the heart of this epic saga, set just before the Opium Wars, is an old slaving-ship, The Ibis. Its destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean, its crew a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts. In a time of colonial upheaval, fate has thrown together a truly diverse cast of Indians and Westerners, from a bankrupt Raja to a widowed villager, from an evangelical English opium trader to a mulatto American freedman.
As their old family ties are washed away they, like their historical counterparts, come to view themselves as jahaj-bhais or ship-brothers. An unlikely dynasty is born, which will span continents, races and generations. The vast sweep of this historical adventure spans the lush poppy fields of the Ganges, the rolling high seas, and the exotic backstreets of China.
But it is the panorama of characters, whose diaspora encapsulates the vexed colonial history of the East itself, which makes Sea of Poppies so breathtakingly alive -- a masterpiece from one of the world's finest novelists.
Reviews
'Sea of Poppies Boasts a varied collection of characters to love and hate, and provides wonderfully detailed descriptions of opium production ... utterly involving and piles on tension until the very last page'
Peter Parker, Sunday Times
'Ripping post-colonial yarn ... Ghosh spins a fine story with a quite irresistible flow, breathing exuberant life ... an absorbing vision'
Guardian
'Ghosh's narrative is enriched with a wealth of historical detail ... as well as intricate characterisation that makes interaction among the diverse group truly absorbing'
The Times
'There can be fewer more exciting settings for a novel than a sea-tossed sailing ship ... Ghosh piles detail upon detail in a rumbustical adventure'
The Times
'The fantastic Anglo-Asian language they speak is infectious, and the sombre yet uncertain conclusion leaves one eager for the second novel in the trilogy'
Daily Telegraph
'An utterly involving book'
Sunday Times
'This is a panoramic adventure story, with a Dickensian energy and scope'
Sunday Telegraph
'A richly drawn cast of characters ... gilded with expertly-mined historical detail'
Sunday Business Post
'A captivating cast ... Ghosh's saga is enriched with a blizzard of Laskari- and Hindi-derived words that add irrepressible energy to the narrative'
Metro
'Beautifully written, this totally absorbing novel will leave you eagerly awaiting a second instalment'
She Magazine Praise for The Glass Palace:
-- . 'Breathtaking ... Ghosh is a deeply serious writer, sure of his human and historical insights ... I cannot think of another contemporary writer with whom it would be so thrilling to go so far, so fast
The Times
'A splendid, exotic, panoramic saga, with fascinating detail about the period and the countries involved. Eminently readable, indeed a real page-turner'
Publishing News
'A born storyteller ... never for a moment is the reader not propelled irresistibly forward to discover what happens next'
Literary Review Praise for The Hungry Tide:
-- . 'A marvellous novel ... an ambitious, absorbing, vivid, deeply involving story ... the narrative is full of excitement. Here is a thoughtful examination of what it means to be fully human
Sunday Times
'An exceptionally intricate and rich novel'
Financial Times
'Ghosh probes the hearts of his characters and examines the nature of their identity ... the climax is a tremendous scene, but it is the haunting quality of this novel that stays in the memory'
Sunday Telegraph
About the Author
|
Amitav Ghosh was born in India and spent his childhood in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and northern India. He was educated in Delhi, Oxford and Egypt and has taught in a number of Indian and American universities. He is the author of a travel book and three novels. His work has appeared in publications worldwide, including the New Yorker, the Observer and the New York Times. He is married with two children and lives in New York.
Author photo © Dayanita Singh - Dream Villa Production
More books by this author
Author 'Like for Like' recommendation |
|
Categories
Loading other formats...
Categories
Literary / Contemporary
If you loved this, you might like these...
