"she looked at her seed as if she had never seen one before, and suddenly she knew that it was not the planet above that governed her life: It was this miniscule orb - at once bountiful and all devouring, merciful and destructive, sustaining and vengeful. This was her Shani, her Saturn." - Deeti reflecting on the poppy seed and its implications "Opium is what has made the industrial age possible; without it the streets of London would be thronged with coughing, sleepless incontinent multitudes. .. Is it not apposite to ask if the Manchu tyrant to deprive his subjects of the advantages of progress?" - Mr. Burnham extolling the virtues of the Opium trade As a fan of James Clavell's Asian saga, Amitav Ghosh's Ibis trilogy which deals with the poppy trade in 19th Century India and the transport of economic migrants to Mauritius seemed like a natural fit. The sweeping nature of the novel which relates the experiences of both European and Asian protagonists of different backgrounds instantly draws you in and keeps you firmly engrossed. The author seamlessly blends the various languages and dialects in a way that is reminiscent of Rushdie while at the same time being comprehensible to an average reader. The use of different voices for the characters which reflects their backgrounds and past experiences makes the novel feel particularly authentic. At the same time the novel deals with a critical period in history which is often neglected and continues to influence us today. The introduction of mono culture by the colonists and the propagation of "Economically useful plants" of which the repercussions were ecological devastation and creation of a sub group of economic migrants who went far afield to escape poverty resonates with the experience of South Asian experiences even today. Favourite quotes "We are no different from the pharaohs or the Mongols; the difference is only that when we kill people we feel compelled to pretend that ts for some higher cause". Captain Chillingsworth on the announcement that there is to be war with china "Are not all appearances deceptive, in the end? Whatever that is within us - whether good, bad or neither - its existence will continue uninterrupted, will it not, no matter what the drape of our clothes, or the colour of our skin?, What if it is the world that is a Duperie, mr. Reid and we are the exceptions to its lies?" - Paulette aftwr finding out Neels true origin Book details - Goodreads
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AuthorAvid reader of Historical fiction, High fantasy novels, Comics & Graphic Novels. Passionate about teaching & the future of education in general. Categories
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December 2023
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