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.
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.
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Reviews
Stunning . . . amusing, sad, wise
Ghosh has found his own distinctive voice - polished and profound . . . A compelling novel, wistful in its tone, assured in its achieved vision
PRAISE FOR SEA OF POPPIES
'Sea of Poppies Boasts a varied collection of characters to love and hate, and provides wonderfully detailed descriptions of opium production ... utterly involving and piles on tension until the very last page'
'A glorious babel of a novel ... marvellously inventive ... utterly involving ... The next volume cannot come too soon'
'An utterly involving book'
'This is a panoramic adventure story, with a Dickensian energy and scope'
'Ghosh's narrative is enriched with a wealth of historical detail ... as well as intricate characterisation that makes interaction among the diverse group truly absorbing'
'There can be fewer more exciting settings for a novel than a sea-tossed sailing ship ... Ghosh piles detail upon detail in a rumbustical adventure'
'Ripping post-colonial yarn ... Ghosh spins a fine story with a quite irresistible flow, breathing exuberant life ... an absorbing vision'
'A remarkably rich saga'
'Each scene is boldly drawn, but it is the sheer energy and verve of Amitav Ghosh's storytelling that binds this ambitious medley'
This is a corker
Ghosh turns the ship into something robustly, bawdily and indelibly real . . . a plot of Dickensian intricacy
'A master of fiction'
'A richly drawn cast of characters ... gilded with expertly-mined historical detail'
'The fantastic Anglo-Asian language they speak is infectious, and the sombre yet uncertain conclusion leaves one eager for the second novel in the trilogy'
'A captivating cast ... Ghosh's saga is enriched with a blizzard of Laskari- and Hindi-derived words that add irrepressible energy to the narrative'
'Beautifully written, this totally absorbing novel will leave you eagerly awaiting a second instalment'
'...this first volume in a promise trilogy is a gem.'