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Well, you've made it...to the last page in this final section. What did you think about the turn of events from Part II through Part III...Are you still as curious as you were in Part I, by the end of Part III...Curious enough to proceed with the rest of the trilogy...Will you be sailing on or are you ready to bring this ship to the nearest port, to dock?

Please use this thread to post your insights, good and bad, and any other final thoughts.

I’m in the middle of part 3. I liked this book, but not sure if I love it enough to continue the series. I’ll post more when I finish. What did you all think? Would you read the rest of the series?

I absolutely will read the other two books but not sure when as my TBR is out of control. (Not that anyone else here has that problem!). I just finished part III last night, thanks to an eight-hour wait at the airport. Luckily, the end was action packed because I am usually not still up at midnight much less still reading.

Finished! Man that last section was quite dramatic! You could also see some of those scenes played out on film. I was so surprised at Zachary's reaction upon discovering Paulette! I thought the book was brilliantly researched, and I loved the bawdy dialogue of made up words. It was interesting to see the transformation of some of the characters, especially Neel, and I think Zachary also evolved quite a bit. Kalua and Deeti represented a wonderful true love story. I thought it was odd how the focus on opium really dropped off at the end, I wasn't sure why. I also thought that these sections didn't really coalesce that well, but perhaps that's why you have to read the whole trilogy!

I enjoyed this book a lot, but have read some variable reports on the others in the trilogy so won't be reading on in the near future.

I agree with Dianne that not everything got tied up neatly here, while other things were resolved too quickly, for example the final scene between Crowle and Zachary was a bit rushed when I was expecting a more profound confrontation. However, I did like the dramatic scenes on board the ship - I thought the lashing of Kalua was really well described, I could see and hear it so clearly.

I finally finished this novel, thinking I would have completed it so much earlier than now. In all honesty, it took me 21 days to move forward from the first page, it wasn't luring me in, in the least...Very slow going. Adding insult to injury, I can't imagine what reading this was like for somebody unfamiliar with the Hindi dialects and pronunciations because I had a hell of time making sense of this deeply-rooted in Rajasthani/old world Calcutta Hindi/Ango-Indian vernacular, I was constantly googling words. I'm hoping if any of you were reading it on a kindle or something, that you had the tools and support needed to get a better understanding of the novel.

Language is so important, especially when telling a story set in a foreign land because it roots us into the culture. While Ghosh conveys the language(s) intricately well, and although it was a detailed reflection of the diverse Indian cultures in a very metropolitan Calcutta, I couldn't' help but feel the narrative often was disjointed because of the language barriers, on some level... Instead of the languages luring me further into the plot line, I just felt like an outsider looking in most of the time...Despite this, Ghosh does tell a most curious story, truly. I just wish he would have provided a glossary, or even a map for that matter...Would have been nice to know where exactly we were, from where some were coming, and to where we were going. I'm also very visual, so perhaps, it was mostly me.

What saves this novel for me, and what propelled me to keep reading was Ghosh's ability to tell a story...It's very Dickensian in style. From the plethora of characters, to the heavy foreshadowing in the first section; the mini plot lines slow in movement, similar to tributary rivers all flowing into the main river, creating an undercurrent force of a singular and strong plot line, that helps drive the novel from beginning to end...It's all very Our Mutual Friend, I felt. I loved the air of mystery Ghosh creates with Deeti's visions, her apathy for her husband versus her fire-branded affections for Kalua; Deeti's very own metamorphosis from a submissive wife to a confident and awe-worthy women who decides to create her own destiny finally living life, instead of just killing time in a life whose fate hangs in the balance made by others; the evolvement of a people rooted in one country with a cultural identity, nothing more than cohorts and shipmates on the Ibis; the blending of the eastern and western worlds, the people, are all so noteworthy (Paulete and Zachary come to mind)...It was grand, it was freeing, it was hopeful.

I also thought it was clever of Ghosh to write this novel as a very female centric story; while the male characters, who also have a powerful story of their own remain secondary in nature to the women. The discrimination of these women, either by colonial rule, the evil caste system, or by cultural familial norms, all quite tragic and unfortunate, and sadly a reality that remains true for many women still, are all woven into the fabric of this story. Munniah's story also comes to mind, a young girl deciding to have her own child out of wedlock and ejected from her village because of that choice; and then later, she as a Hindu woman involved with a Muslim man, cultural norms discouraging their relationship. I thought it odd that all of these characters on the Ibis, all from different backgrounds, not knowing what their future holds; that they still adhered to social norms rooted from the mainland not able to live on their own terms in a place that's no place to anybody...Does that make sense, not that we they throw caution to the wind, but communalism on the Ibis was more evident than I thought it was going to be. Ghosh sheds light on the plight of women seen through the life of Deeti/Aditi, Munniah, and a few other female characters, who have all been victimized based solely on their sex... It just goes to show, that misogyny being maladaptive isn’t as far-fetched an idea? In those areas of the world, where religion is strongly embraced, that male dominated ideology is still prevalent.

There are so many other aspects I would like to open the doors to discussing; however, my own flakiness with the novel and considering it is the last day for this discussion, what I have posted may be enough fo now.

I'm going with 3.5stars, maybe 4-5 stars upon a second reading, because Ghosh is a noteworthy author, and the underlying themes surrounding the plight of women in "SoP" are just too powerful to ignore. The manner in which he brings together eastern and western cultures, or the depiction of a multicultural Calcutta through linguistic diversity and local colloquialisms; although, distracting at times, delivers both set and setting exceptionally well.

I want to reread this one again in the near future, and maybe then decide how to proceed with the trilogy. At this time, I have no intentions on moving forward with it. What I am interested in reading, however, is The White Tiger, the book that surpassed "SoP" in the Manbooker race...Very curious about why that one won, and this one didn't.

Pamela wrote: "I enjoyed this book a lot, but have read some variable reports on the others in the trilogy so won't be reading on in the near future.

I agree with Dianne that not everything got tied up neatly h..."

yes, the pacing for this novel was not desirable at all, but when one takes into account the more powerful aspects of the story, the pacing becomes a non-issue...At least for me it does. Have you read anything else by Ghosh, Pamela?

Dianne wrote: "Finished! Man that last section was quite dramatic! You could also see some of those scenes played out on film. I was so surprised at Zachary's reaction upon discovering Paulette! I thought the boo..."

I thought it was odd how the focus on opium really dropped off at the end, I wasn't sure why.
YES! Thank you...What about the opium? The title of the book is "Sea of Poppies..." What about the opium? I'm wondering if the title serves as a metaphor of sorts, Dianne, as these characters are on the sea each one of them captivating enough to lure somebody in with their stories...I don't know? Or maybe, like a sea of poppies, these characters have more in common than what divides them... Sounds very cliché, I know. :P

Ami wrote : " Have you read anything else by Ghosh, Pamela?"

No, this was my first one, Ami, but I have The Hungry Tide on my kindle, and I think I'm more drawn to that than to the second in this trilogy.

Pamela wrote: "Ami wrote : " Have you read anything else by Ghosh, Pamela?"

No, this was my first one, Ami, but I have The Hungry Tide on my kindle, and I think I'm more drawn to that than to the sec..."

I just added it, Pamela...thank you!