Sea of Poppies – Amitav Ghosh

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Set in 1838, at a time of colonial upheaval and shortly before the outbreak of the Opium Wars in China, Sea Of Poppies tells the story of the ship Ibis and her interesting collection of passengers making the journey from India to Mauritius.

Amongst the personalities on board are a fallen raja, an American freed man, a French Orphan, a Chinese Opium addict, and a cross-dressing reincarnated saint to name a few. As they sail away from their pasts they become ship mates and family, each relaying their story with colour and vitality.

How was it that no one had ever told her that it was not love itself, but its treacherous gatekeepers which made the greatest demands on your courage: the panic of acknowledging it; the terror of declaring it; the fear of being rebuffed? Why had no one told her that love’s twin was not hate but cowardice?

The narrative is brimming with accents and dialects, stories which are personal but also factual, historical and political. Each character’s story is moving and significant. For Rachel the vast array of languages and slang was difficult to keep on top of. For Suzy the sample of stories from around the world were mesmorising. Either way it’s clear they are authentic stories that needed to be told.

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Published 2008
John Murray
528 pages