Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

60 reviews

bettinab's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A heartbreaking, devastating story about a part of WWII history we never really get to know about. I'm not usually big into historical fiction, but this book drew me in. It is raw and brutal, not for those who want to escape (read TWs if relevant for you). It is as much history as it is family drama, a tale of a bored housewife who seeks excitement in an affair, becomes a spy and as such basically allows WWII to unravel the way it did. The first 80% made me turn the pages and kept me going, the last 20% do fall a bit flat - the story almost becomes rushed, like it's falling over itself, but maybe that was the intention given this is how WWII came to an end. Also, while I liked the multiple POVs, I think this could have also worked by adding some layers to Ceciky's story only instead. Regardless, a fantastic albeit immensely sad read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Rape, Torture, and Violence

writergracie's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Colonisation, War, Violence, Murder, and Torture

khcdvm09's review

sad medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Physical abuse

bowbeforeloki's review

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

---

Content Warnings

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

karlzlee's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Death, Alcoholism, Violence, War, and Sexual violence

leonoralvatron4_5's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and War

Moderate: Child abuse

phillybookish's review

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

---

Content Warnings

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

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Vomit

catladytiff's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Torture, and Sexual violence

maybak's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I listened to the audiobook version of The Storm We Made written by Vanessa Chan and skillfully narrated by Samatha Tan.

The story follows the lives of the Alcantara family between 1935 and 1945, first in British-occupied Malaya (current Malaysia) then under the violent Japanese occupation.

The Alcantaras are Eurasians. Gordon, the husband, works a low-level clerical job for the British occupation government. He is married to Cecily, a housewife who yearns for more. They have three children: Jujube, Abel and Jasmine. They move up the social ladder as Gordon’s career slowly rises. Cecily meets one man, General Fujiwara aka Bing Lee Chan, with whom she shares the ideal of building a new Asia for Asians.

Cecily spies on the British on behalf of the Japanese general. The intel she provides will cause a devastating ripple effect in the lives of her family members.

I learned things about what life was like in occupied Malaya under British and Japanese occupations. I loved how developed the characters were. The story is told through the lens of Cecily, Abel, Jujube and Jasmine. The novel takes you deep into the consequences of Cecily’s actions on her family and community. 

I like how author Vanessa Chan incorporated the topics of colonisation, occupation, colorism, race and identity, self-determination, survival, selfishness, the condition of women into her story. She touches on important themes with mastery. I thought her characters were well developed, complex, flawed, with clear fears and motivations.

The audiobook narrator, Samantha Tan, was brilliant. I loved hearing the story with twangs of Malaysian and Japanese accents.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Murder

Minor: Rape

acarolinabelle's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

This is a sad tale of a family in Occupied Malaysia during WWII. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual violence, Addiction, Child death, Torture, War, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Alcohol