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A review by thrillofthepage
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan
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.
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