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krobart's review against another edition
4.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/12/30/day-827-flood-of-fire/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/12/30/day-827-flood-of-fire/
dlrcope's review
4.0
An epic tale of opium trade, nearing its end. The series as a whole is definitely a five star work. I adore Amitav Ghosh's careful writing. For me though this last book was the weakest of the three. The first part of the book has a theme around what was viewed then as a "medical condition". I was not in to that! The middle of the book is fantastic, continuing the plot and character development in a way that really pulls you in. The end is pretty good. After something close to 2000 pages in the whole trilogy it's hard to tie up every loose end just right. I hope they make a movie. It would be incredible!
diya95's review
3.0
As is the case with a book series, you make friends with some of the characters, Paulette was my friend and I shall miss her.
I think it's interesting that the Ibis community feeling is nowhere as sharp and strong as it is in this final instalment. You can sense that the author has really poured all the feelings into writing out the stories of each of these characters. But somehow I'd expected a climax that would be as powerful as being smacked in the face by a wave. And that didn't happen... everything seems like it's almost been resolved but not quite... it's like Mr. Ghosh won't let you have that last drop of water that you know is in there but it ain't coming.
This is a book I read while travelling and I will associate the movements of the boats and the general rhythm of this novel (it does have a rhythm) with my own swaying and straining against the car as it bended and swayed against the mountain roads... take your time with this one... be patient with it, it's a difficult world he makes you inhabit but it has its moments, it really does! :)
I think it's interesting that the Ibis community feeling is nowhere as sharp and strong as it is in this final instalment. You can sense that the author has really poured all the feelings into writing out the stories of each of these characters. But somehow I'd expected a climax that would be as powerful as being smacked in the face by a wave. And that didn't happen... everything seems like it's almost been resolved but not quite... it's like Mr. Ghosh won't let you have that last drop of water that you know is in there but it ain't coming.
This is a book I read while travelling and I will associate the movements of the boats and the general rhythm of this novel (it does have a rhythm) with my own swaying and straining against the car as it bended and swayed against the mountain roads... take your time with this one... be patient with it, it's a difficult world he makes you inhabit but it has its moments, it really does! :)
neerajams's review against another edition
5.0
Such a joy to revisit all of the old friends from Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke and somehow still meet some new ones. This world is so full of distinctive characters, bustling and diverse societies, and well-developed worlds that it reads as quickly and easily as a charming beach read.
But instead it is woven through and through with the implications of colonization, the drug trade, the slave trade, and war. It’s like an iceberg - tales of romance and adventure above the surface, and roiling greed, corruption, and disastrous history underneath.
But instead it is woven through and through with the implications of colonization, the drug trade, the slave trade, and war. It’s like an iceberg - tales of romance and adventure above the surface, and roiling greed, corruption, and disastrous history underneath.
christynhoover's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It was informative but I was also ready for this long trilogy to end. As I've previously mentioned, there are lots of characters. Several characters are of mixed ancestry and are basically not accepted by any of the cultures/locations they find themselves in. It was no doubt an honest representation of the milieu of Victorian-era China and India, but still
There are some deaths too. Very sad.
There are some military maneuvers which I failed to carefully follow --just wasn't interested in those details.
There were some almost mystical/magical occurrences here and there. Sexuality again plays a big part for some characters. In particular I'm remembering a married European woman who seduces an American laborer but she's also very sexually curious and the author goes to lengths to detail the "couple's" developing and then crashing forbidden relationship.
--So many societal rules in play for each of the cultures. It being 1840-1841, many restrictions on behavior are in play officially. But where there are "expectations", people will find ways around them!
The historical South Asian man (Indian, good with languages, eventually living & working as ~ translator in China) --it's this man's collected papers (the ones that were ~smuggled out of China by his descendents) that informed and inspired the author. Now that historical figure is a person I'd like to read a biography about if there ever is one. It wasn't clear to me whether the man's additional diaries were destroyed by govt (?) in China or are locked up somewhere in China or perhaps have been lost.
There are some deaths too. Very sad.
There are some military maneuvers which I failed to carefully follow --just wasn't interested in those details.
There were some almost mystical/magical occurrences here and there. Sexuality again plays a big part for some characters. In particular I'm remembering a married European woman who seduces an American laborer but she's also very sexually curious and the author goes to lengths to detail the "couple's" developing and then crashing forbidden relationship.
--So many societal rules in play for each of the cultures. It being 1840-1841, many restrictions on behavior are in play officially. But where there are "expectations", people will find ways around them!
The historical South Asian man (Indian, good with languages, eventually living & working as ~ translator in China) --it's this man's collected papers (the ones that were ~smuggled out of China by his descendents) that informed and inspired the author. Now that historical figure is a person I'd like to read a biography about if there ever is one. It wasn't clear to me whether the man's additional diaries were destroyed by govt (?) in China or are locked up somewhere in China or perhaps have been lost.
kilkilshah's review
2.0
This was a really disappointing end to the trilogy. It was the easiest of the three books to read but the least interesting. It lacked everything the other two books had. The first two books made the era come alive and had really interesting exchanges between characters related to the events of the time. For example, the part in the second book where all the foreigners in Canton get together and try to figure how to handle Commissioner Lin was one of the best passages I have read. In addition the characters were developed and the events that transpired had a flow to them. I really enjoyed the research and vivid detail the author went into on things such as dress and food.
Flood of Fire relies heavily on coincidences. All the characters seem to come together in a very artificial and forced way. In addition for a work of historical fiction this had very little history and a lot of soap opera storylines.
I am probably being too harsh on this review but the first two books set a really high bar through which I am judging this book. Unfortunately Flood of Fire did not meet the bar.
Flood of Fire relies heavily on coincidences. All the characters seem to come together in a very artificial and forced way. In addition for a work of historical fiction this had very little history and a lot of soap opera storylines.
I am probably being too harsh on this review but the first two books set a really high bar through which I am judging this book. Unfortunately Flood of Fire did not meet the bar.
aleber's review
4.0
I will read this man's book if only for his endings.
Flood of Fire was a fantastic ending to the Irbis trilogy. So many ends to tie up - he did so perfectly, packing a punch but not feeling rushed.
His insight into the true events of the Ibris and the first Opium War was incredibly enlightening. Would read again, but the trilogy is +1,500 pages. So maybe I will wait for a bit.
Flood of Fire was a fantastic ending to the Irbis trilogy. So many ends to tie up - he did so perfectly, packing a punch but not feeling rushed.
His insight into the true events of the Ibris and the first Opium War was incredibly enlightening. Would read again, but the trilogy is +1,500 pages. So maybe I will wait for a bit.
bluesbooksnbobbins's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
jordanhay's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this final book in the trilogy. I enjoyed the diverse range of character viewpoints and the broad-ranging, important, global history around the opium trade, and globalization, which I haven’t learned before. On the downside, each of these books were long and a little bit of a slog, and it was difficult to hold the sheer number of characters in my head across all three long books.