Sea of Poppies, December 2009, 8.5/10.
Written by Amitav Ghosh, published by John Murray Publishers.
AG’s sprawling historical novel is addictive; it really sucked me in and I missed when it was done. Set in North-East India at the wake of the Opium Wars, the story revolves around a ship headed to Mauritius filled with indentured laborers from India. With amazing skill, AG manages to credibly intertwine the stories of very diverse members of Indian 19th century society – British trade-crazed opium producers, Bhojpuri peasants, laskars, merchant, a raja, a french teenager, and even an american freed slave. Each protagonist is wonderfully characterized by a meticulously researched way of speaking and slang. The mix of laskar slang and nautical terminology is intimidating at first, but the story is so captivating that it motivates you to work through all the jargon, and very soon into the book you feel very much at ease with it.
I’m so surprised that you liked this! I thought it was a total dud… oh well horses for courses as they say.