Flood of fire by Amitav Ghosh

Mandar's book review (10th June 2017)

"Flood of fire" by Amitav Ghosh. This book is published by Penguin books India in 2016 and has 632 pages. This is Book 3 of Ibis trilogy. This boom was awarded Crossword book jury award in 2015.

Story moves back to India. Shireen, Bahram's wife, is trying to decide what to do after news of his death and debt. Kesri, Deeti's brother, who serves in British army, gets the news of death of Diti's husband. Zachary Reid is acquitted but has to pay the government for his passage to India as prisoner and takes a job of Mistry in the Bernham household. The British China opium war is on the anvil.

Will Zachary and Paulette unite? Can Raju meet his father? Will Kesri meet Deeti? Will Shireen accept Freddy? How fastidious will the Parsi's be about Shireen? What will captain Mee sacrifice four his love? What role does Ibis play?

Story takes place between years 1838-42. A number of stories go in parallel. Zachary Reid is working as mistry at Mrs and Mr Barnham. Mrs Barnham is helping him to overcome Onanism. Kerri is ostracized from his Paltan for the indiscretion of his sister and signs up to an upcoming expedition, destination a secret. Captain Mee, has not loved anyone after his first love was married off to a merchant by her parents. He too has signed on for the same expedition. Shirin decides to travel to China to pay a visit to her husband's, Bahram who died in book 2, grave and to obtain compensation for the opium confiscated by Chinese. She also wants to meet his illegitimate son. Anil is employed by Chinese authorities for translation and information gathering. He meets Jodhu, the laskar who escaped with him from Ibis. Chinese ships are no match to English ships. English are not happy with Chinese for destroying the opium and a war is imminent. Eventually all the stories converge in China at the first opium war between English and Chinese.

Character of Diti was central in Book 1, was almost absent in Book 2 and appears only in the last pages in this Book. Character of Bahram was absent in Book 1, was central character and dies in Book 2 and appears only in reference in this Book. Zachary appears in Book 1 and 3 but is almost absent in Book 2. Kesri makes an entry in this Book. Neel is a constant presence and so is Freddy.

This book contains everything. Pure love, lust, adultery, affairs, deception, loyalty, treachery, bravery, blank mailing, coincidences, comradeiery, jealousy, free trade (?), money and poverty. 

So what is the central theme in all the three books? It's opium and Ibis. The production, trade and politics of opium and its transport. All the important characters come together for the grand finale of the trilogy at the end of this Book. Lost ones meet. Differences are ironed out. Misunderstandings are sorted out. Deaths happen. What started at Ibis, ends at Ibis. There is a new beginning at the end. 

British gave loans to Indian farmers and forced them to grow opium. Middlemen got three times more than the farmers per chest of opium and British made seven times more than middlemen by selling opium to China and in international market.  Thus eventually the farmer ended up spending more on crop than he earned and remained internally in debt. British made huge profit. Some free trade there!

British went to war with China because China banned opium trade, won the war and forced them to accept British traders selling opium in China freely.  This was also the war in which Chinese had to cede island of Hong Kong to British. This is tyranny at it's best. 

In his quest to become a rich merchant, Zachary Reid transforms from a hero to anti hero to outright villain and repents at the end. He is an epitome of selfish British merchant (Although he is am American) who think that democracy is supposed to allow them to do what they want. 

The book also highlights some historical facts. Manchu emperor's refusal tho see the reality. British military and navy might, discipline and flawless execution. Indians fight from both sides. Capture of Hong Kong. Forcing China to buy opium at an inflated price forcefully. 

Credit to author to have thought about such a trilogy and for executing it well. Although the story slows down in certain places, out manages to keep the reader riveted. 

Why did I read this book? Ibis trilogy.    

What I didn't like? Zachary's decease. 

What did I like?  handling of complex plot.

Recommend reading.

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