The last few posts were all related to my MBA sojourn, primarily because that's been been occupying large chunks of my time over the last six months. In between, I did manage to squeeze in time to read Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies. I very rarely like epic Indian fiction which tends to go on and on without really going anywhere. A Suitable Boy is a case in point. However, Ghosh's novel is different.
It's fast-paced yet descriptive, bringing to the forefront India's contribution to the Opium trade and its impact on the local communities. At the same time, it manages to evoke a vivid and raw image of the life of a sailor. The book seems to be well-researched as the author has managed to include lingo that is suitable to the period and the occasion. Moreover, in order to capture the mood of the times, the author uses Hindi words in English (a precursor to Hinglish ?), thereby lending a more phonetic feel to the language of the book.
In the course of the story, it addresses various ills of the times - Sati, Opium, Untouchability, Racism, Imperialism, Missionary zeal etc. However, it does so without judging the characters, and therein lies its charm. There is also a sense of humor pervading through the book, a sense of hope, a sense that better things lie in store for the characters.
Being the fist instalment of a trilogy, I can only wait in anticipation of the next two books. As I simultaneously read The White Tiger, I couldn't help but wonder why the Booker wasn't awarded to Ghosh. Perhaps time will correct this error with Book II of the trilogy.
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