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jodi_b's review
3.0
I wasn't crazy about the third book in this trilogy. Maybe it was because the military was a bigger part of the story. Maybe it was because the characters were less likable.
cchartier's review
4.0
I enjoyed all of the books in this trilogy, but with diminishing returns. The first was by far my favorite and that is because it is the only one with Deeti’s voice. She remains a character but only in memories. In this volume, I did enjoy meeting and learning about her brother, and of course, I delighted in seeing passengers from the Ibis meet again through outlandish coincidences. It’s the Dickens in me! ;)
I do love how much I learn from these books. The Opium Wars, the impact of British colonialism on Asian countries, the various levels of society created through religion, class/caste, gender, etc. I especially enjoyed hearing about the hybrid British-Indian whites who grew up in colonial India. Even though I didn’t know the pidgin words, I understood the meanings of what they said. That world needed more Paulette’s and fewer Cathy’s.
I did not like Zachary’s heel turn and the resolution of his story with Cathy/Mee/Paulette. As an American, I wanted more exploration of his racial identity in combination with his decision to go full douchebag.
I do love how much I learn from these books. The Opium Wars, the impact of British colonialism on Asian countries, the various levels of society created through religion, class/caste, gender, etc. I especially enjoyed hearing about the hybrid British-Indian whites who grew up in colonial India. Even though I didn’t know the pidgin words, I understood the meanings of what they said. That world needed more Paulette’s and fewer Cathy’s.
I did not like Zachary’s heel turn and the resolution of his story with Cathy/Mee/Paulette. As an American, I wanted more exploration of his racial identity in combination with his decision to go full douchebag.
kjerlil12's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kpmtl's review against another edition
2.0
it's been too long since I read the first two books in this trilogy, I've forgotten how or why to care about these characters.
em_beddedinbooks's review
3.0
This last, much awaited installment of the IBIS trilogy was a disappointment. The book started off well, but at around 20%, the story assumed weird pornographic proportions involving Zachary Reid, one of my favorite character of book 1, who was completely absent in book 2 (except perhaps for a couple of passing mentions), and was supposed to play a major role in book 3.
He played a major role, but not in. a way which I dethroned. He turned out to be a Lothario, who later metamorphosised into an opportunistic villain.
Paulette had only a small role in this book.
Stars of the show were Shireen, the grieving widow of Behram, Cathy (Mrs. Burnham - the lady of the manor turned vamp turned kindhearted lady), and Kesri, Deeti's elder brother who suddenly emerged as a major character. Tami alias Raj Rattan, Neel's son also joins the melee.
The narrative was a shocker with plots suited to daily soaps, and I missed the usual elegance and magic , which is signature Ghosh.
If there was a 4th installment I wouldn't have been too keen to proceed.
He played a major role, but not in. a way which I dethroned. He turned out to be a Lothario, who later metamorphosised into an opportunistic villain.
Paulette had only a small role in this book.
Stars of the show were Shireen, the grieving widow of Behram, Cathy (Mrs. Burnham - the lady of the manor turned vamp turned kindhearted lady), and Kesri, Deeti's elder brother who suddenly emerged as a major character. Tami alias Raj Rattan, Neel's son also joins the melee.
The narrative was a shocker with plots suited to daily soaps, and I missed the usual elegance and magic , which is signature Ghosh.
If there was a 4th installment I wouldn't have been too keen to proceed.
aartireadsalot's review
4.0
Wow, the scope of this trilogy is immense. The characters, the settings, the cultures and belief systems. The LANGUAGE! How much research did Ghosh do?! All of it is amazing. The act of reading these books is in itself a joy and exercise in amazement, almost completely separate from the enjoyment of the plot and language and characters. Such a great, and a truly wonderful way to learn more about colonialism, the opium wars, and global trade. So good!
jess_stetson's review
4.0
Welp... Flood of Fire (Book 3) felt like a middle ground between the character driven narrative of Sea of Poppies (#1) and the more historical focus of River of Smoke (#2). As such, I enjoyed it somewhere in the middle, too. I don't mind historical novels but I felt that this got bogged down for the last third. Anyway... It was well worth my time and I'd recommend the Ibis Trilogy.
tessaf's review against another edition
2.0
I genuinely don't know if this book is far worse than the first two, or if my reading tastes have just shifted incredibly drastically. Probably both.
adt's review against another edition
4.0
Much too learn about the Opium Wars from different perspectives.