Sea of Poppies: Ibis Trilogy Book 1 - Hardcover

Ghosh, Amitav

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0719568951 ISBN 13: 9780719568954

Publisher: John Murray, 2008

Synopsis

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.

About this title

Review:

'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)

Book Description:

A stunningly vibrant novel from Amitav Ghosh, author of the internationally acclaimed bestseller The Glass Palace

About this edition

• Publisher: John Murray
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0719568951
• ISBN 13: 9780719568954
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 480