In September 1838 a storm blows up on the Indian Ocean and the Ibis, a ship carrying a consignment of convicts and indentured laborers from Calcutta to Mauritius, is caught up in the whirlwind. When the seas settle, five men have disappeared - two lascars, two convicts and one of the passengers. Did the same storm upend the fortunes of those aboard the Anahita, an opium carrier heading towards Canton? And what fate befell those aboard the Redruth, a sturdy two-masted brig heading East out of Cornwall? Was it the storm that altered their course or were the destinies of these passengers at the mercy of even more powerful forces?On the grand scale of an historical epic, River of Smoke follows its storm-tossed characters to the crowded harbors of China.?There, despite efforts of the emperor to stop them, ships from Europe and India exchange their cargoes of opium for boxes of tea, silk, porcelain and silver. Among them are Bahram Modi, a wealthy Parsi opium merchant out of Bombay, his estranged half-Chinese son Ah Fatt, the orphaned Paulette and a motley collection of others whose pursuit of romance, riches and a legendary rare flower have thrown together.? All struggle to cope with their losses - and for some, unimaginable freedoms - in the alleys and crowded waterways of 19th century Canton.? As transporting and mesmerizing as an opiate induced dream, River of Smoke will soon be heralded as a masterpiece of twenty-first century literature.
River of Smoke (Ibis Trilogy 2)
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'Ghosh's novel is a tense, compelling account... The accumulation of minutiae puts the reader so firmly in the time and place that the whole thing becomes as hypnotic as an opium dream and pretty unputdownable' (Daily Mail)
'For those who like to see history bought alive through the deployment of wave upon wave of plausible detail, River of Smoke should prove a marvellous read' (Literary Review)
'Any good historical novel should teach the reader some history as well as sweeping him or her along with an unfolding narrative. Few do this as well as Amitav Ghosh. A book whose conclusion again left me panting for the next volume in this trilogy' (Financial Times)
'The novel's strength lies in how thoroughly Ghosh fills out his research with his novelistic fantasy, seduced by each new situation that presents itself and each new character, so that the scenes read with a sensual freshness as if they were happening now' (Guardian)
Best of all, Ghosh, through the depth of his research, lightly worn, has captured the many cross-currents of a fascinating historical period (Seven)
Praise for Sea of Poppies (---)
'Ripping post-colonial yarn ... Ghosh spins a fine story with a quite irresistible flow, breathing exuberant life ... an absorbing vision' (Guardian)
'For those who like to see history bought alive through the deployment of wave upon wave of plausible detail, River of Smoke should prove a marvellous read' (Literary Review)
'Any good historical novel should teach the reader some history as well as sweeping him or her along with an unfolding narrative. Few do this as well as Amitav Ghosh. A book whose conclusion again left me panting for the next volume in this trilogy' (Financial Times)
'The novel's strength lies in how thoroughly Ghosh fills out his research with his novelistic fantasy, seduced by each new situation that presents itself and each new character, so that the scenes read with a sensual freshness as if they were happening now' (Guardian)
Best of all, Ghosh, through the depth of his research, lightly worn, has captured the many cross-currents of a fascinating historical period (Seven)
Praise for Sea of Poppies (---)
'Ripping post-colonial yarn ... Ghosh spins a fine story with a quite irresistible flow, breathing exuberant life ... an absorbing vision' (Guardian)
About the Author
Amitav Ghosh was born in Calcutta in 1956. He grew up in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. He studied at the universities of Delhi and Oxford and published the first of six novels, The Circle of Reason in 1986. He has taught at a number of institutions, most recently Harvard, and written for many publications. He currently divides his time between Calcutta, Goa and Brooklyn. The first novel in the Ibis Trilogy, Sea of Poppies, was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
67 of 67 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I confess I was swithering whether to award 4 or 5 stars for this book, but had to come down in favour of 5. I loved Sea of Poppies and this book is even more densely told, packed with detail, and both the devil and the angel here are in the detail. The story is sprawling, and covers in detail the year or so following the events of Sea of Poppies (and I'm very glad I still had my copy of Sea of Poppies to refer to, especially at the beginning).
Not all the characters in the first book are followed in detail, some of the most important are hardly mentioned, though the first part involves Deeti and her family on the island of Mauritius. Instead we concentrate mainly on Neel, Paulette and her childhood playmate Edward (Robin) Chinnery, whose character comes alive in his letters to Paulette; the opium smuggling in Canton, the search for exotic plants, especially the golden camellia, largely in the nearly empty wastes of the island of Hong Kong and the fortunes of the Fami on the lush island of Mauritius.
Packed with detail, as I have said. I knew very little of the Opium trade and the fat cat British, American and assorted merchants of the Fanqui-town district of Canton who put profit before all else (so what else is new?), and I found it all fascinating, together with the intertwined story of the plants. The book exposes the hypocrisy of the times mercilessly, and does noone any favours.
The language is a rich mix of pidgin and the current venacular, and I found it easy and rewarding to follow. I had a slight quibble with names: as in Russian literature all the Asian characters answer to several names each and it isn't always easy to work out who is who, but that is a minor point and all becomes clear eventually.... Read more ›
Not all the characters in the first book are followed in detail, some of the most important are hardly mentioned, though the first part involves Deeti and her family on the island of Mauritius. Instead we concentrate mainly on Neel, Paulette and her childhood playmate Edward (Robin) Chinnery, whose character comes alive in his letters to Paulette; the opium smuggling in Canton, the search for exotic plants, especially the golden camellia, largely in the nearly empty wastes of the island of Hong Kong and the fortunes of the Fami on the lush island of Mauritius.
Packed with detail, as I have said. I knew very little of the Opium trade and the fat cat British, American and assorted merchants of the Fanqui-town district of Canton who put profit before all else (so what else is new?), and I found it all fascinating, together with the intertwined story of the plants. The book exposes the hypocrisy of the times mercilessly, and does noone any favours.
The language is a rich mix of pidgin and the current venacular, and I found it easy and rewarding to follow. I had a slight quibble with names: as in Russian literature all the Asian characters answer to several names each and it isn't always easy to work out who is who, but that is a minor point and all becomes clear eventually.... Read more ›
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By J. Aitken
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Part two of the Ibis trilogy following Sea of Poppies is densely plotted and, although it is not strictly necessary, I would advise reading "Poppies" first. Ghosh sets his tale in the events leading up to the first Opium war of 1839. His characters are expertly drawn and his depiction of the effect of colonialism in the East is brilliantly captured showing the arrogance and bigotry that prevailed in rich colours.
The story itself has a real underlying drive and is immensely satisfying but where Ghosh really scores is in his magical use of language. Words flow pell mell in a mixture of pidgin, hindustani, gujarati and others and, while you don't need to know the exact meaning of everyword, they appear on the page rich in imagery. Budmashing and Cumshaw being two examples.
This was a hugely enjoyable read and I hope the long hiatus between the appearance of parts one and two is not repeated as we eagerly await the final instalment. very highly recommended.
The story itself has a real underlying drive and is immensely satisfying but where Ghosh really scores is in his magical use of language. Words flow pell mell in a mixture of pidgin, hindustani, gujarati and others and, while you don't need to know the exact meaning of everyword, they appear on the page rich in imagery. Budmashing and Cumshaw being two examples.
This was a hugely enjoyable read and I hope the long hiatus between the appearance of parts one and two is not repeated as we eagerly await the final instalment. very highly recommended.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The River of Smoke was a pleasant surprise. Amitav Ghosh's previous novel, Sea of Poppies, was rather unbalanced. It sold itself as a story of a sea crossing when the life on the ship took only the last third of the book and was left incomplete. The ending was unsatisfactory and the text was overladen with long lists of foreign words, presumably in an effort to create an atmosphere.
River of Smoke is a case of same-same but different. It is just as laden with meandering backstory; has similar lists of foreign words and the plot can become confusing - not least because so many characters operate under so many aliases. Somehow, though, the evocation of Fanqui Town (Canton) is much more vivid than the evocation of Calcutta in Sea of Poppies. The foreign words are set into a context that allows their meanings to be clearer; the links to the outside world offer a release from what could have become claustrophobic. Crucially the characters seem much more interesting - the contrast between the botanists, the opium traders and the delightfully camp Robin Chinnery works well. The mix of races and nationalities - the Chinese, the Indians, the British, the Americans and a cameo from Napoleon himself create a really vibrant feel. Most of all, Ghosh's characters are very OTT - brash, arrogant, greedy and mostly very, very stupid.
River of Smoke is long and after about two thirds there is a wish that it would end quickly. But the ending is satisfying; it doesn't feel like a hook for a further novel. This may be the second book in a trilogy but it doesn't show. It is a class act; rich in language and texture, satisfying in story.
River of Smoke is a case of same-same but different. It is just as laden with meandering backstory; has similar lists of foreign words and the plot can become confusing - not least because so many characters operate under so many aliases. Somehow, though, the evocation of Fanqui Town (Canton) is much more vivid than the evocation of Calcutta in Sea of Poppies. The foreign words are set into a context that allows their meanings to be clearer; the links to the outside world offer a release from what could have become claustrophobic. Crucially the characters seem much more interesting - the contrast between the botanists, the opium traders and the delightfully camp Robin Chinnery works well. The mix of races and nationalities - the Chinese, the Indians, the British, the Americans and a cameo from Napoleon himself create a really vibrant feel. Most of all, Ghosh's characters are very OTT - brash, arrogant, greedy and mostly very, very stupid.
River of Smoke is long and after about two thirds there is a wish that it would end quickly. But the ending is satisfying; it doesn't feel like a hook for a further novel. This may be the second book in a trilogy but it doesn't show. It is a class act; rich in language and texture, satisfying in story.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I loved reading River of Smoke which moves first to those on the slave/opium ship in Mauritius and then, the remainder of the book, to Canton & Hong Kong where most of the action takes place.
it is a fascinating story, the characters are vividly drawn and even if it takes a while to link all of them with the first book, that really doesn't matter. In fact each book can be read independently of the other as well. It is very interesting to have an insight into how the English East India Company saw their markets in the East and how much Indians themselves were involved. The relationships between the characters are very well drawn so you feel you know them and the issues of the day that are involved. Local attitudes to the conditions of the day are seen through the eyes of everyone who is there so a very good picture is revealed of what went on from various points of view.
I'm now looking forward to reading the third novel in the trilogy.
it is a fascinating story, the characters are vividly drawn and even if it takes a while to link all of them with the first book, that really doesn't matter. In fact each book can be read independently of the other as well. It is very interesting to have an insight into how the English East India Company saw their markets in the East and how much Indians themselves were involved. The relationships between the characters are very well drawn so you feel you know them and the issues of the day that are involved. Local attitudes to the conditions of the day are seen through the eyes of everyone who is there so a very good picture is revealed of what went on from various points of view.
I'm now looking forward to reading the third novel in the trilogy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
2nd part of a trilogy. Brilliant writer, hard to put book down. Awaiting the 3rd and final chapter. Excellent condition and prompt arrival.
Published 16 hours ago by Mrs Sambodhi Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful experience, which takes you back to the international...
After 'Sea of Poppies', I was a fan of Ghosh. I think 'River of Smoke' is even better, you have got to know his characters, and in particular the words, attitudes and langusge of... Read more
Published 26 days ago by mr peter m campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars
River of Smoke
Excellent book well written and hard to put down once started. Would recommend reading the 3 books to follow the story through
Published 1 month ago by PCollins
3.0 out of 5 stars
lost momentum
Having loved 'Sea of Poppies', become well acquainted with the characters and enjoyed the yarn, I was really looking forward to the sequel. Read more
Published 2 months ago by jezza
3.0 out of 5 stars
River of Smoke
Too many names to take onboard and what was their involvement with the story, had to keep checking back instead of reading on.
Published 3 months ago by heather rogers
3.0 out of 5 stars
Weak sequel
This is not a bad book and I love this author for River of Smoke, Hungry Tide and the Glass Palace but this didn't have the same cohesion.
Published 3 months ago by Summersalt
4.0 out of 5 stars
River of Smoke (Ibis Trilogy 2)
River of Smoke (Ibis Trilogy 2) by Amitav Ghosh. I loved it! I have read Sea of Poppies, the first book in this magnificent trilogy, which as wonderful and this is just as good. Read more
Published 4 months ago by FB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rich story of clashing cultures
Continuing tale of characters from the developing world caught up in the expansionist politics of Great Britain. A wonderhul story
Published 6 months ago by margaret P
5.0 out of 5 stars
River of Smoke
A thoroughly good read, I was transported to another place and to another era. Anxiously awaiting his next book. Thank you Amitav.
Published 6 months ago by bubble and squeak
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant writing.
have to say that at first i found this a little dissappointing after 'the sea of poppies'. i loved that... Read more
Published 6 months ago by lushchica
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