Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

53 reviews

bmpolito's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, War, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Rape

serendipitysbooks's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

 The Storm We Made is a wonderful work of historical fiction. It has two main timelines - the first in the 1930s when Malaya was a British colony; the second in 1945 when it was occupied by the Japanese. At the centre is the Alcantara family, especially mother Cecily, older daughter Jujube, son Abel and younger daughter Jasmin and the story unfolds through their four points of view. Cecily was perhaps the most interesting character, not just a wife and mother. Her determination and drive made her stand out, and her realisation that perhaps she had been used and that what she thought she was working towards wasn’t what she believed it would be was slightly heartbreaking and a salutary lesson. Through the experience of the different family members Chan is able to highlight various aspects of colonisation and the war experience in Malaysia, things like the Asia for Asian movement, “comfort women” (a euphemism I despise and I was horrified to learn that many were in fact girls, and young girls at that) and forced labour camps. One aspect of the book that really stood out was the exploration of dichotomies like good and bad, right and wrong and how very often these things coexist. I thought the characterisation was good and I appreciated its nuance - for instance the Japanese tearoom customer who seemed genuinely kind, nice and gentle but was deliberately blind to the damage and destruction his country had caused. I also appreciated Chan not shying away from having her characters facing the harsh if unforeseen consequences of their actions. A tough read in places but one I’m glad to have read. It certainly offered something new in the field of WWII historical fiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Rape, Violence, and Child abuse

shannonlian's review against another edition

sad

3.75

As others have said, I was so excited to read historical fiction by a southeast Asian author about a place I know very little about. I definitely walked away with a curiosity to learn more about the time period (as I generally do with compelling historical fiction). Unfortunately, I didn’t feel connected to the characters. Their motivations felt a bit shallow to me at times and overall left something to be desired. 

All in all I’m glad I picked up this book and hope to read more about this region and time period. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and War

ayang0321's review

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Child death, Rape, Violence, and Self harm

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Confinement, Kidnapping, Rape, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, War, Death, Excrement, Infidelity, and Self harm

ailiscr32's review

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

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

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

natalieba's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

3.5

I ended up doing a combination of reading this on the page and listening to the audiobook, which I got from my library. The audiobook is well-narrated by Samantha Tan. The novel is told in dual timelines and tells a WWII story I was unfamiliar with - British-colonized Malaya in 1935 and the same area during the Japanese occupation at the end of WWII.

Much of the story is raw and almost hard to read - torture abounds and the author doesn’t shy away from drawing a detailed picture of what life was like for Malayans during the Japanese occupation. The family at the heart of the story has lived for years alongside trauma, pain, and terror, and it is impossible to read this story with any sense of hope - only the hope for survival. And is that even worth seeking out when so much has been destroyed? It was truly bleak. 

I appreciate learning more about this (for me) uncovered aspect of WWII, knowing that these kinds of stories are no doubt happening in war-torn places today. But, despite claiming to touch on ‘pain and triumph’ (according to the publisher’s blurb), this novel seemed to only focus on pounding home the malicious, dark side of humanity. The blurb goes on to call the novel a ‘dazzling saga about the horrors of war’ and I don’t know how in the world the word ‘dazzling’ could be used to describe such a thing as war (or this book). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Torture, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Rape, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Addiction

lizzyreadz's review

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? Yes

3.0

Vanessa Chens’s debut novel is a moving and confident work of historical fiction that I don’t know much about. Chen’s perspective is an important one that brings to life a part of history through the story of a family’s tragic journey. Colonization, power, and agonizing choices create the spirit of rebellion and resistance but without true redemption. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, War, Violence, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, and Torture

Moderate: Infidelity, Vomit, Child death, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Sexual assault

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

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

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

happyknitter2020's review against another edition

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