Sea of Poppies

by Amitav Ghosh

This book is the first of a trilogy.  In the story several individuals, living in India, find themselves on a ship, the Ibis.  The opium trade in India and China is an integral part of the story.  There is a large cast of characters:

Deeti and Kalua -- Deeti's husband dies and she realizes their poppy farm is deeply indebted and she will not be able to support her daughter, she is afraid of her brother-in-law who will inherit the farm (and her?).  She decides to die with her husband on the funeral pyre but she is rescued by Kalua, a local man who drives a delivery cart to make a living.  Deeti knows she has embarrassed her family and they decide to try to make a start in a new place.
Zachary - started on the ship as a lowly worker in Baltimore but by the time the ship arrives in India he is in a senior position on the ship.  He is part black but doesn't look it so he is assumed to be white and given deference because of this.  He is reluctant to assume authority but is encouraged to do so by the people below him.
Paulette and Jodu - Paulette's father was a botanist, when her father dies she is graciously "adopted" by the family of the owner of the Ibis.  She is not happy there and decides to run away when they plan to marry her to a much older man.  She and Jodu grew up together, Paulette was delivered by Jodu's mother.  They are close friends.  Jodu has been taken on as a lowly worker on the ship.  Paulette dresses in a Sari and sneaks on board the ship.
Neel is a Raj, of a formerly wealthy family.  His father was highly respected but after the father dies Neel discovers the family fortune has evaporated.  He is struggling to keep his estate but the ship owner accuses him of forgery and Neel ends up sentenced to 7 years service on the island where the Ibis is destined.  He befriends a fellow convict, a chinese opium addict.
People who have sold themselves to go to work on plantations complete the passengers on the ship.
The senior crew are very cruel to the crew and passengers.  There is a major incident and the book ends with a few of the men (Kahlua, Deeti's rescuer and 2nd husband, the two convicts, Jodu and other) escaping in one of the small boats from the ship.
You are left to wonder if the men will survive, what will happen to those still on the ship.
This was a very interesting book with great historical details.