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Description edit
The Ibis, loaded to its gunwales with a cargo of indentured servants, is in the grip of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal; among the dozens flailing for survival are Neel, the pampered raja who has been convicted of embezzlement; Paulette, the French orphan masquerading as a deck hand; and Deeti,... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Seth Rustamjee Mistrie: Bright young man of Parsi (literally, Persian, i.e., of lineage of the Persians fleeing their homeland - post Islamic repression of all other faiths - and finding refuge and home in India) community of family impoverished by circumstance in rural Gujarat and finding a secure future in a marriage in Bombay, but restless until he finds his own way in trading by sea across continents and makes it a success; generous of heart and spirit as repeatedly described, with not only loyalty but love of his employees and most who come in contact with him. A good man trapped in a bad situation of the era.
- Neel: Raja (literally, king) from a small part of Bengal who was driven to poverty and bankruptcy due to chicanery of his British trade partner, who subsequently prosecuted him, drove him out of his home and into prison, and into indentured servitude; saved by circumstance from the said servitude by storm on sea and ship, and into employment as a secretary and accountant of a trader from Gujarat. Refined of spirit and well educated, good of heart.
- Frederick ' Fitcher ' Penrose: Trader and connoisseur of plants and flora of the various lands, risen from poor to wealthy by his own talents in England and trading from Europe to China.
- Paulette Lambert: Daughter of a well known French botanist and very well albeit unorthodox for the times educated botanist in her own right, with a much wider outlook on humanity due to her upbringing.
- Seth Bahram Modi: Name that Bahram Modi is known by in Fanqui Hong in Canton to those of Chinese who deal with him. To his compatriots he is sethji, Seth Bahram Modi, while western traders call him Barry Moddie, modifying his name as they did those of all places new to them.
- John Slade: British newspaper owner and editor in Canton, proclaiming the doctrine of free trade to support opium being forced against laws in China by his ilk.
- Zadig Karabedian: Egyptian of Armenian descent, with liberties curtailed until Napoleon's arrival due to Islamic restrictions on those of other faiths, makes good use of his opportunities post Napoleon's visit to Egypt and trades across the world via sea routes. Knowledgeable and capable trader who keeps abreast of happenings in the world.
- Mr Wetmore: Leader of the foreign traders in Canton, post departure of his partner Jardiner in late years to retire with a suitable wife to be found back home.
- Charles Elliott: Captain of British forces, on side of law against opium but forced to defend interests of his compatriots when they are contained in their homes by Chinese authority.
- Sethji: Seth Bahram Modi = Barry Moddie = Mister Barry = Bahramji
- Mr George Chinnery: George Chinnery, a British painter of some talent but very dissatisfied with his lot - he married a daughter of his Irish landlady, deserted her after two children and went out to India, lived in luxury on his talent with an Indian woman and had two sons with her, left the whole lot when his Irish wife arrived with his first two children leaving her to take care of the second family as best as she could, went to China and had another luxurious life in Macau with a studio of his own and work with painting.
- Charles King: The one rare exception to the lot of western traders of opium - Charlie King refuses to trade in opium in China, sticking to legal stuff to trade and righteously content with his smaller profits, hated by other western traders for this and for exposing their false logic about opium = free trade = liberty = breath of God.
- Puggly: A pet name for Paulette by a loving friend, Robin Chinnery, the half Indian son of George Chinnery who is also a painter and now in Canton while Paulette is in Hong Kong, then a wilderness.
- Charlie: Charles King.
- James Innes: Another of the western traders in Canton.
- Robin Chinnery: Half Indian son of George Chinnery, both painters.
- Deeti: The original farmer woman from Gangetic plains of Northern India who was driven by various circumstances into fleeing into indentured servitude to Mauritius on a converted slave ship in the first part Sea of Poppies, and made good in the new land, matriachal head of a large clan.
- Benjamin Burnham: Owner of the converted slave ship Ibis from part one - Sea of Poppes - that brought indentured workers from India to Mauritius and is now brought full of opium to Canton.
- Mr Chan: Very wealthy Chinese trader with large gardens in the estate outside Canton on an island, connoisseur of plants and flora.
- Mr Fearon: A competent translator from Chinese to English and back, much in need when serious legal business is at hand in China.
- Mr Moddie: Seth Bahram Modi.
- Mr Lancelot Dent: The largest opium trader in Canton post departure of Jardiner.
- William Jardine: Jardiner, the largest foreign trader of opium in China until he retires.
- Mr Hugh Hamilton Lindsay: Add a description of this character.
- Vico: Fun loving and Obedient to Barham
- Mr Penrose: Fitcher Penrose.
- Slade
- Shireenbai: wife of bahram bhai
- Jacqua
- Mr Karabedian
- Maidan
- Baburao
- Joseph Banks
- Dinyar Ferdoonjee: The neo rich, english educated youth. can be said to be the first among the indians to herald the age of modern indian industry. A predecessor to Tatas....
- Freddy
- Lamqua
- Napoleon Bonaparte
- Lancelot
- Mr Marlcwick
- Dai Lou
- Queen Victoria
- Apu
- Khoka
- Pierre Lambert
- Weiyuen
- Alexander von Humboldt
- James Cuninghame
- Lin Tse-hsü
- Thomas Dent
- Mowqua
- Reverend Parker
- Fuaji
- Maria Merian
- Yee Ma
- Ah Fey
- Raj Rattan
- Lynchong
- Adelina
- Fatt
- Marianne Chinnery
- Serang Ali
- Li Shiu-je
- Howqua
- Jodu
- Anil Kumar Munshi
- Ellen Penrose
- Patrão
- Punhyqua
- Ahura Mazda
- Lord Napier
- Compton
- Mr Markwick
- Sundaree
- Bao
- Girin
- Mr James Hobhouse
- Lord Amherst
- Malati
- Lin Zexu
- James Perit
- William Kerr
- Thomas N. Layton
- Attock
- Chunqua
- Maitland
- Kalua
- Lord Palmerston
- Mr Lane
- Mr Wong
- Alantsae
- Chang Lou-si
- Mr Robert Morrison
- Maddow Colver
- Guan Zuolin
- John Wesley
- Zachary Reid
- Ho Lao-kin
- Chitqua
- Baboo Nob Kissin
- Fami Colver
- Arré Vico
Setting & Locations edit
- Canton
- Old China Street
- Calcutta
- Macau
- East India Company
- Redruth
- Bombay
- England
- Punhyqua
- Anabita
- Singapore
- Pearl River
- Hong Kong
- Howqua
- London
- Britain
- Achha Hong
- Whampoa
- Europe
- Bengal
- Co-hong
- Malacca
- Mauritius
- Hong Street
- Fanquitown
- Bahrain
- Anahita
- Kew
- White Swan Lake
- Lin Zexu
- Hindusthan
- Egypt
- Mowqua
- Serang
- Adelie
- Creek Factory
- Hog Lane
- America
- Beijing
- Cairo
- Colombo
- Lintin Island
- Persia
- Lord Amherst
- Falmouth
- Guangzhou
First Sentence edit
Deeti’s shrine was hidden in a cliff, in a far corner of Mauritius, where the island’s western and southern shorelines collide to form the wind-whipped dome of the Morne Brabant.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 2 of 2 in Ibis Trilogy. (standard series)
Preceded by Sea of Poppies.
This book is in Amazon.com Best Books of 2011. (authoritative list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Amitav Ghosh (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Penguin books
Country: India
Publication Date: 2011
ISBN: 9780670082155
Page Count: 558
Publisher: Penguin books
Country: India
Publication Date: 2011
ISBN: 9780670082155
Page Count: 558
Awards edit
- Man Asian Literary Prize (Finalist, 2011, Shortlist)
- DSC Prize for South Asian Literature (Finalist, 2013, Shortlist)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813
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