Sea of Poppies is the first novel in Amitav Ghosh's acclaimed Ibis Trilogy, set on the eve of the First Opium War in the 1830s. Against the backdrop of the British opium trade, the novel brings together an unforgettable cast of characters—including farmers, sailors, convicts, merchants, and refugees—whose lives converge aboard the ship Ibis as they journey across the Indian Ocean. Rich in historical detail and linguistic brilliance, the story explores themes of colonialism, migration, identity, freedom, survival, slavery, and cultural exchange. Sweeping, immersive, and deeply researched, Sea of Poppies is a remarkable historical epic that vividly recreates a pivotal period in Asian and world history.