The Storm We Made is perfect for anyone who likes historical drama. While I normally find it hard to get into historical books, Chan's writing was beautiful and it was hard to put this down. Please check trigger warnings before picking up this book - remember that this is about Malaya which was under Japanese occupation during WWII. The only note I would have is I wish we got to spend more time with each character. When alternating between four POV's its hard to really go in depth into each character, especially in 350 pages.

A compelling, heart-wrenching novel of a family torn apart and patched together again during Japanese occupation of Malaya (Malaysia), it deals with resilience, resistance and the complexities of survival.

The members of the Alcantara family weave a story over the course of a few short years between pre-Japanese occupation and Japanese defeat, switching perspectives and timeframes to mull over themes and mirror experiences. The novel flows well and the transition between temporal and narrative voice is smooth enough as to maintain immersion. All the strings tie together in the end almost too perfectly, yet so suddenly as to see it happening in explosive speed and linger over the pages thirsty for more.

This was a deep, personally reflective novel that I’m grateful to have read.

It's been a while since I've read a compelling family saga quite like this. It's hard to say I enjoyed this book since tragedy touches every aspect of it, but I did think it was beautifully written and compulsively readable. I personally don't know a lot about the Pacific Theatre of WWII, nor do I know much about Myanmar, or its history. I found this book to be extremely informative while weaving a deeply nuanced family drama. The characters felt very well developed, and complex. Their relationship to the historical events felt realistic. The author really doesn't pull any punches in the descriptions of the horrors of war which I appreciated. It was also an interesting look at colonization and its effects from a perspective I was less familiar with which I found very interesting. Overall I will recommend this book to readers of historical fiction and those who like a serious novel about families,

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan is a heart wrenching , disturbing story about events which took place in Malaya during the Second World War. Cecile, a mother of three, has deceived her loved ones and can’t seem to forgive herself. The story follows the members of her family and the horrors they face once the Japanese invade their country. I found the story difficult to follow at times but the degree of pain the characters went through kept me reading. Often, when we read historical fiction, we read of events that took place in Europe when the Nazis reigned. We don’t often get a glimpse of what life was like for people in the eastern hemisphere when Japan invaded. This, though disturbing, opened my eyes to other horrors which took place during that time period. Overall a story I would recommend to others but will most likely not read again given the nature of the story.

Amazing historical fiction set in 1945 Malaya and with a dual timeline 10 years prior. Cecily must try to protect her son and two daughters as the Japanese invade her formerly peaceful country. Her association with a Japanese spy when a younger woman influences her choices during times of war. Well researched and recommended reading.

It is 1945 in Japanese-occupied Malaya (present-day Malaysia). Cecily's family is in grave danger. Her son is missing and her youngest daughter is confined to the basement all day to avoid being taken to work at comfort stations. Cecily knows two things: that this is all her fault; and that her family must never learn the truth. From the British to the Japanese occupation and the promise of an "Asia for Asians", Chan covers topics of war, colonialism, family, internalized racism, and motherhood through the alternating perspectives from Cecily and her 3 children—Abel, Jujube and Jasmin.

We follow Cecily from 10 years prior, having a chance encounter with the charismatic General Fuijwara and begins to give details of her husband's bureaucratic work and any relevant information to help build an "Asia for Asians" to expel the British. Abel's disappearance was the result of being forcibly taken by the Japanese army and sent to a labour camp. Jujube works in a tea house frequently visited by Japanese soldiers and one Japanese customer in particular whom she discovers is not like the rest. And Jasmin, still young and innocent is unable to comprehend why her family wants to lock her away in the dark basement.

Sometimes with multiple POVs, I find it can easily become confusing to differentiate whose voice belongs to whom. But Chan writes each perspective distinctively—making it easy to immerse yourself in the various storylines. Through these characters, Chan provides a look into the brutal treatment Malay people suffered at the hands of the Japanese army and the psychological turmoil it produced. Chan doesn't hold back on the details and at times, it is tough to continue reading the words on the pages.

However, I found that there was much left to be desired in the character development. They felt underdeveloped and lacked nuance. I was craving internal reflection and depth but never got it. I wanted to know more about Cecily's desire to help the Japanese build an Asia for Asians rather than the repetitive lust she felt. Jujube's guilt and increasing anger were understandable but I couldn't connect with her as much and didn't find her POV to be memorable. Abel and Jasmin's chapters were the strongest in my opinion and what they experienced as children broke my heart. There were a few plot twists thrown in near the end that I felt were included to make for a more gripping novel but it felt overly rushed and dramatic instead. Nonetheless, this was a solid debut and I'm interested in reading more from her.

I think this novel would be a great pick if you're looking to expand your reading of Asian WWII stories. I appreciate reading about Malaya's lesser-known history in THE STORM WE MADE and the insight it provides into the terrible tragedies brought on to the Malay people by the Japanese.

An incredibly moving and wholly original debut WWII historical fiction story that revolves around the life and choices of one Malayan mother who gets embroiled in espionage and an affair during the Japanese occupation.

Spanning decades and told from multiple POVS, this book explores idealism, the hardships of motherhood and the difficult choices women make for both themselves and their families and how those decisions can have long-lasting consequences.

Great on audio narrated by Samantha Tan, this book is sure to give you all the feels and is perfect for historical fiction lovers and fans of authors like Amy Tan. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for an early digital copy and Simon Schuster Audio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up

The Storm We Made is an impressive World War II era historical fiction debut from Vanessa Chan set in what is now Malaysia and told over two timelines. In the first timeline (1935-38), Cecily Alcantara is a Eurasian woman who lives in British-controlled Malaya with her bureaucrat husband and two young children. After a chance meeting, Cecily is recruited as a spy by Japanese General Fujiwara who is living in Kuala Lumpur under an assumed name. Fujiwara convinces Cecily that expelling the British and building an Asia for Asians is the future they should aspire to and she risks everything to provide him with intelligence.

In the second timeline a decade later (1945), Malaya has been under the control of Japan for several years now and the Japanese have proven themselves to be brutal overlords. The Malayan people have been enduring significant hardship, deprivation and violence since the British were ousted - life is not at all what Cecily had expected.

As the end of the war draws near, Cecily's teenage son, Abel, has disappeared and her older daughter, Jujube, grows angrier by the day as they try to protect the youngest daughter, Jasmine, from the Japanese soldiers who are kidnapping young girls to work at comfort stations. The 1945 timeline alternates between 4 points of view - Cecily and each of her three children as they grapple with the tragic circumstances brought on by the war and the Japanese occupation.

The Storm We Made is a strong debut from Vanessa Chan. It's a well-written and compelling story and I appreciated the perspective on events that occurred in Malaysia during World War II as I wasn't familiar with the country's history. The experiences of Cecily and her three children provide an overview of the horrors that Malayans endured during the war and some of the tragic events that took place.

The story also explores the guilt that Cecily felt for the role that her espionage activities played in facilitating the Japanese invasion which resulted in so much hardship for her family, her neighbours and her countrymen as well as her fear that her family would one day discover what she had done. This is the rare example where I would have liked this book to be a bit longer to get to know each of the characters better. Four POVs in the 1945 timeline made it difficult to fully explore the experience of each of them and the story would have had more emotional depth if more time had been spent with each character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Canada for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Storm We Made is a historical fiction novel that takes place in Malaya (Malaysia) with a dual timeline alternating between 1945 during the Japanese occupation, and ten years earlier when the British occupied the country. It’s also an alternating POV all within one family- mother Celicy, and children, Abel, Jujube, and Jasmin. The chapters taking place in 1945 during Japanese occupation are bleak- the country is ravaged by war, fifteen year-old Abel has been captured as POW and every one is simply trying to survive. Yet, ten years earlier, Cecily, a Eurasian housewife, finds herself under the spell of General Fujiwara, and has the opportunity to provide information to him that has far-reaching effects on the politics and state of affairs in her country.

Any time I’ve had the opportunity to read or learn about countries that were under Japanese occupation during WWII, the stories are brutal, and this was no exception. It was hard to read at time- so many trigger warnings, please be aware. But the story was unique and I learned a lot, which is the kind of historical fiction I like to read. This is the first book by this author and I found the writing was excellent. I see it was a BOTM choice for December, so I’m curious to hear more thoughts from other readers.

It didn't take awhile for me to love this story. A well laid historical tragedy line of the main character which she persevere throughout the end. A family caught into the situation of the war and the influenced of the Japanese riling at that time.

A recommended read to anyone who are into historical drama.

3.8/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC

"The Storm We Made" by Vanessa Chan is an emotional and well-written historical fiction set in Malaysia during the Japanese occupation, offering a unique perspective on the takeover of a British-dominated country.

This unforgettable narrative weaves a gripping tale with compelling characters that will move you to tears. Vanessa's vivid and uncomfortable portrayal of the brutality and unimaginable events showcases her exceptional writing skills. The story's well-paced plot creates a snowball effect, keeping readers engaged throughout.

The novel successfully explores a multitude of themes and viewpoints, blurring the lines between good and bad, challenging our perception of what defines a good person.

Overall, "The Storm We Made" is a wonderful and highly recommended read for anyone seeking a thought-provoking historical fiction experience.

Thank you Simon and Schuster for providing me with this ARC!