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waybacknaveen 's review for:
The Storm We Made
by Vanessa Chan
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had high expectations for this book based on the initial praise it received and its short summary. However, I was left feeling unfulfilled.
The Storm We Made is less literary historical fiction and more brutal history lesson on colonial violence rife with scenes of horrific abuse.
The Storm We Made is less literary historical fiction and more brutal history lesson on colonial violence rife with scenes of horrific abuse.
I was hoping for more complexity in the character development and the thought process informing characters’ choices. Instead, the rotating multiple perspectives gave us a handful of POVs (broadening the narrative) but sacrificed a deeper interior perspective of Cecily. The result was a flattened narrative that focused more on making sure the reader felt secondhand shock and horror without any invitation to grapple with it firsthand.
The author does a lot of telling the reader how to feel rather than showing and letting the reader develop their own emotional responses and analysis.
Characters are described as if through the eyes of a colonizer, and there is an underlying judgmental implication in how they are portrayed and described that was off putting to me.
The author does a lot of telling the reader how to feel rather than showing and letting the reader develop their own emotional responses and analysis.
Characters are described as if through the eyes of a colonizer, and there is an underlying judgmental implication in how they are portrayed and described that was off putting to me.