Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Storm We Made

I was interested in this book for the new-to-me perspective of WWII through the lends of Malaysia and its occupations. It was a heavy book, and very stressful as it reached its climax. Complicated characters who make difficult decisions.

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kiercarnahan's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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

3.75

I was so good about keeping up with my Book of the Month picks last year but fell off in December and decided to try the audiobook of The Storm We Made instead. It was about Japanese occupied Malaya during WWII a facet of the time period in historical fiction I have never read about before. I learned a lot from it and it was overall difficult to listen to the struggle the people of Malaya endured during this time. The story follows different members of a family who are all suffering with the war in their own ways from the youngest daughter to the parents. Definitely an eye opening read

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catladytiff's review

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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

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acarolinabelle's review

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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.

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bmpolito's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny sad tense 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

This book is absolutely fantastic but also a tragic heartbreaker. Vanessa Chan's writing is beautiful and engaging. I could see what she was describing and I could smell the smells. I am looking forward to whatever she writes next.

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danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Set against the backdrop of the Japanese occupation of

Malaysia, a Malaysian woman makes a fateful decision which changes the course of history and the lives of everyone she knows.

I really enjoyed this book. I tend to love historical fiction that centers fictional characters against the backdrop of world events, and while fictional, 1 always feel like it gives us a glimpse into how this massive world events may have affected real people. This book did not disappoint on this front; in turns towering and intimate, this is a beautiful portrait of shattered promises, family bonds, and the tides of history that hurl themselves at the barriers of safety people try to erect around themselves and their loved ones.

It is a multi-perspective book, and sometimes 1 tound the switches happening too quickly, just as I would settle into whatever storyline 1 was following in a particular chapter. And I felt some storylines converged at the end better than others. But it was still a really great read.

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