The second book in Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis Trilogy, River of Smoke takes readers to 19th-century Canton, on the cusp of the Opium Wars. As East meets West in a bustling trading port, merchants, smugglers, and exiles navigate political intrigue and cultural clashes. The novel weaves multiple storylines—from botanical explorers to opium traders—shedding light on colonialism, global trade, and resistance. Rich in historical detail and multilingual voices, Ghosh paints a vivid portrait of a world on the edge of upheaval.
About The Ibis Trilogy Series
Spanning the years before and during the First Opium War, The Ibis Trilogy—comprising Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke, and Flood of Fire—follows a diverse cast of characters linked by the opium trade between India and China. Set aboard the Ibis ship and across colonial ports, the series explores global capitalism, migration, imperialism, and identity through vivid storytelling and historical detail. Ghosh’s linguistically rich prose and deeply researched narrative offer a sweeping epic of 19th-century Asia, blending personal stories with grand political and economic shifts that continue to echo in today’s world.
About Amitav Ghosh
An Indian author known for his historical fiction that often explores themes of colonialism, migration, and the interconnectedness of cultures around the Indian Ocean. His meticulously researched novels, such as The Ibis Trilogy, weave together personal narratives with grand historical events, offering profound insights into the complexities of global history and human experience. Ghosh's rich storytelling and historical scope have earned him international recognition.
Other Books by Amitav Ghosh
The Shadow Lines
by Amitav Ghosh
A wide-eyed boy growing up in suburban Calcutta in the 1960s experiences the world through the eyes of others - an intoxicating older cousin, a grandmother who weaves stories from the past and a family in London whose lives are intertwined with his. When a seemingly random act of violence threatens his vision of the world, he begins piecing together events for himself, and in the process unravels secrets with devastating consequences. Set in Calcutta and London and spanning generations from the outbreak of the Second World War to the late twentieth century, The Shadow Lines is a haunting novel from one of the world's greatest writers.
The Glass Palace
by Amitav Ghosh
Rajkumar is only another boy, helping on a market stall in the dusty square outside the royal palace, when the British force the Burmese King, Queen and all the Court into exile. He is rescued by the far-seeing Chinese merchant, and with him builds up a logging business in upper Burma. But haunted by his vision of the Royal Family, he journeys to the obscure town in India where they have been exiled. The story follows the fortunes – rubber estates in Malaya, businesses in Singapore, estates in Burma – which Rajkumar, with his Chinese, British and Burmese relations, friends and associates, builds up – from 1870 through the Second World War to the scattering of the extended family to New York and Thailand, London and Hong Kong in the post-war years.
Sea of Poppies
by Amitav Ghosh
Series: The Ibis Trilogy (#1)
Amitav Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies is the first novel in the Ibis Trilogy, set in the lead-up to the First Opium War. It follows a diverse cast—peasants, coolies, convicts, and colonizers—whose lives converge aboard the Ibis, a ship bound for Mauritius. The novel explores themes of colonialism, caste, identity, and globalization, set against the opium trade in 19th-century India. Written in a polyphonic style with rich linguistic texture, it is a sweeping historical epic that combines political insight with human drama.
Similar Books
The Count of Monte Cristo
The epic tale of wrongful imprisonment, adventure and revenge, in its definitive translation Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.
Oscar and Lucinda
by Peter Carey
Oscar and Lucinda is a whimsical and poignant novel set in 19th-century Australia, telling the unlikely love story between an eccentric Anglican clergyman obsessed with gambling and a wealthy heiress who buys and runs a glass factory. Peter Carey's imaginative storytelling explores themes of faith, chance, and the fragility of human endeavor.
Wolf Hall
Series: The Wolf Hall Trilogy (#1)
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
Unsheltered
Barbara Kingsolver’s 'Unsheltered' weaves a compelling narrative that delves into the volatility and uncertainty of human existence through a dual timeframe approach. Set in the same New Jersey house in the 19th century and the present day, the story follows two families grappling with socio-economic upheavals, challenging relationships, and evolving societal values. Kingsolver expertly intertwines historical and contemporary anxieties, exploring themes of resilience, adaptation, and what it means to live without a firm foundation. The novel's insightful parallel between climate change and societal change invites readers to reflect deeply on their own worlds. Kingsolver's crisp, vivid prose and meticulous character development create an immersive experience, making 'Unsheltered' both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.