River of Smoke
3 journalers for this copy...
Hooray! I found a book from my wish list at Bücher-Brocky ^__^
After the Sea of Poppies I was disappointed in this sequel. He picks up the story where he left it, all right, but the dramatic plot of the first book doesn't continue.
It plays a year before the first opium war, mostly in Fanqui town, a small strip of land used by foreigners to trade with local Chinese traders. We meet Neel again, Paulette, Deeti and Ah Fatt, also a huge cast of new characters from various cultural backgrounds are introduced. But they are mostly opium traders who try to find loop holes in the new restrictive policy of the Chinese.
Thus we partake at meetings of the Chamber of Commerce where the opium traders discuss at lenght and why they have every right to smuggle opium, and why the Chinese are madmen to have objections.The meetings are followed by sumptuous dinners with several courses, every dish is depicted of course, oh my! What is so great with British opium smuggler that we have to follow their every move? Even their ships are described in painstaking detail, from riggings to brass fittings - you could think this is an almanach about trading ships from the 19th century. Yet another pompous discussion, another voluptous dinner, another vessel, another letter, it's simply BORING.
The author tries to bring in a serene touch through the (fictional) gay painter Robin Chinnery who describes in letters the happenings in Canton, with flourishing chatter and silly variations of the name Puggly. But it's not enough to pull the story out of its dusty tenacity. Nothing really happens. Like the foreign merchants who are restricted to their Fanqui town and see everything from a distance, from the lofty superiority of wealthy men, we learn the story through letters, ship facilities and meeting protocols. I never had the impression to be right in the middle of the events, as I had in Sea of Poppies.
It might have to do with the language. Ghosh's characters talk in the intricate fussiness of the 19th century. And sometimes the book reads as if it would have been written back then.
It plays a year before the first opium war, mostly in Fanqui town, a small strip of land used by foreigners to trade with local Chinese traders. We meet Neel again, Paulette, Deeti and Ah Fatt, also a huge cast of new characters from various cultural backgrounds are introduced. But they are mostly opium traders who try to find loop holes in the new restrictive policy of the Chinese.
Thus we partake at meetings of the Chamber of Commerce where the opium traders discuss at lenght and why they have every right to smuggle opium, and why the Chinese are madmen to have objections.The meetings are followed by sumptuous dinners with several courses, every dish is depicted of course, oh my! What is so great with British opium smuggler that we have to follow their every move? Even their ships are described in painstaking detail, from riggings to brass fittings - you could think this is an almanach about trading ships from the 19th century. Yet another pompous discussion, another voluptous dinner, another vessel, another letter, it's simply BORING.
The author tries to bring in a serene touch through the (fictional) gay painter Robin Chinnery who describes in letters the happenings in Canton, with flourishing chatter and silly variations of the name Puggly. But it's not enough to pull the story out of its dusty tenacity. Nothing really happens. Like the foreign merchants who are restricted to their Fanqui town and see everything from a distance, from the lofty superiority of wealthy men, we learn the story through letters, ship facilities and meeting protocols. I never had the impression to be right in the middle of the events, as I had in Sea of Poppies.
It might have to do with the language. Ghosh's characters talk in the intricate fussiness of the 19th century. And sometimes the book reads as if it would have been written back then.
manuma has it
Journal Entry 4 by 
OBCZ-TeddysDen
at Herisau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden Switzerland on Thursday, October 25, 2018
OBCZ-TeddysDen at Herisau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden Switzerland on Thursday, October 25, 2018
The book has made its way to the little bears room...thank you spy for bringing it along..
Journal Entry 5 by OBCZ-TeddysDen at Universität (HSG) in St. Gallen, St. Gallen Switzerland on Wednesday, May 8, 2019
OBCZ-TeddysDen at Universität (HSG) in St. Gallen, St. Gallen Switzerland on Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Released 4 yrs ago (5/8/2019 UTC) at Universität (HSG) in St. Gallen, St. Gallen Switzerland
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You found this book, I hope you enjoy it. Make a journal entry and let us know where you found it and how you'd liked it - and maybe what you plans are with it (anonymous is ok - or think of a cute name and sign up for free and become part of our great bookcrossing community). Bookcrossing is free and it's great fun!
Eine interessante Geschichte über eine mir unbekannte historische Gegebenheit. Mit dem Lesen hat es ganz schön lange gedauert, weil ich wenig dazu kam... Jetzt ist es endlich an der Zeit, es wieder frei zu lassen. Ich denke mir noch etwas schönes aus.
