Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

29 reviews

scifi_rat's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Torture, Excrement, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

websterecho's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

dreamer626's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Violence

bowbeforeloki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was so emotionally driven.  I couldn't put it down but it broke my heart

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

phillybookish's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Vomit

ailiscr32's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

alexisdoingok's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape

thrillofthepage's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

The Storm We Made is a beautifully written, yet heartbreaking historical fiction novel that takes place in the mid 1930s through the end of WWII in Malaya (present day Malaysia). The dual timelines offer a slow unfolding of the way decisions can impact lives for years. The multi-POVs of Cecily, Able, Jujube, and Jasmine provide an inside and unfiltered look into what life was like during both the British and Japanese occupation.  Vanessa Chan fully immerses her readers by writing about the devastation of colonization, occupation, and the horrors that come with it.  I was left in tears realizing the tragic full circle of our title, The Storm We Made. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time. Please check TWs.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Deportation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

happyknitter2020's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Absolutely tragic account of war, the significant abuse of young children & families, by those in control.

Observing a fictional family,  their friends & an exploitating lover, brought their horrific life experiences to life.  

Difficult to say you 'enjoyed' such a book, but definitely appreciate how this brings historical experiences to life & helps you to reflect on the current world wars & individuals experiences that are happening today.

The audio book was fantastic. Definitely recommend to others.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me to listen to the audio book & provide this review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

annecarts's review against another edition

informative sad 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? Yes

3.5

Set in Malaya before and during WW2 this book gives a not often told (to a British audience) view of the war. I found the setting very evocative particularly the POW camp scenes with Abel and Freddie.
I would've liked more development and insight into some of the characters and their actions of the children of the family towards the end of the book were a little confusing in places why they did what they did.
Overall a great historical fiction if you want to explore the Japanese and British occupations of Malaya at this time.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and War