However, ‘Sea of Poppies’ is a real shift, arguably in the wrong direction, from what one would expect from Ghosh.[break]
Set on the brinks of the Opium Wars, the story sets sail in 1838 where we meet Deeti, a poor peasant wedded to an opium addict, impregnated by her husband’s brother, and en route to eloping with her newfound ‘untouchable’ love. Deeti, along with most characters in the book, is simply inaccessible to the reader. The characters seem somewhat contrived, over-dramatized, and sometimes it even feels as though they have simply been picked out of some extravagant Bollywood blockbuster.
The novel, it seems, seeks more to inform its readers of the historical accounts of the settings of the Opium Wars, and India’s societal milieu at the time, than in developing any real storyline, or developing its characters to their full potential. Frankly, too many of the 600 pages are filled with detailed illustrations of precisely this, with little attention being given on how to create a relationship between the characters and the reader.
An anthropologist by training, Ghosh is more concerned with historical accuracy, and attempting to create a subaltern account of history through the framework of his characters, than in allowing what could have been potentially an engaging story to reach its true potential. At times, one even forgets how the multiple plots are unfolding, and their bearing to each other in Ghosh’s overeager attempt to create a holistic account of the time.
He seems to have taken on way too much this time, trying to bring together the visions of the subaltern, the master and slave, the woman, the lover, the captain, and just so many more characters who fail to manifest as believable people to their readers. There are simply too many subplots being explored simultaneously by the writer while endeavoring to give his readers all a good and precise history lesson, which perhaps is not available elsewhere.
It is without doubt that the novel is a product of much detailed research and will leave any reader more knowledgeable of historical facts. But at the end of the reading, its shortcomings as fictional novel cannot be overridden simply because it is a good history lesson rolled into the shape of a novel.
The confusion amongst the characters in their attempt to understand each other is, however, whimsical. It gives the reader a couple of ounces of contextual humor and makes apparent the extent of class- and caste-based differences prevalent in the subcontinent at the time. However, this kind of interaction has to be treated as a gift, for it only comes after pages and pages of details and descriptions, after pages of attempts to give a sense to the multiple plotlines, all carrying some social messages for the readers to pick up on.
Ghosh’s writing is, as usual, almost flawless. His literary style, narrative voice, and technique are so well known for not faltering. Unfortunately, this alone cannot hold together the reader’s attention and appreciation for such a lengthy novel. By no means is the novel not worthy of a read, but it is imperative that one does not begin hoping to find another ‘Circle of Reason’ or ‘Glass Palace’ here. The novel is far better than most post-colonial literature churning out of this side of the globe, and that much can always be expected from Ghosh. A colossal task to take on, Ghosh gives it his best, bringing together unwritten history, anthropology, and archaeology all within the confines of a multitude of plotlines and over a dozen lead characters. And thus, for the reader, his characters and story somewhat seem lost in the tangles of history itself.
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