Wow. What a book to almost finish the year with. Unless the book I read over the next few days is something spectacular, I've just found my last 5 star read of the year.

The Storm We Made is an emotionally charged and tense look into the life of Cecily Alcantara and her three children during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia during 1945. What her family don't know is that a decade earlier, Cecily played a role in helping Japan find their feet firmly on Malaysian soil. While the war plays a huge role in the events of this novel, it is also an acute look into the delicateness and fragility of relationships. Relationships within the house. Relationships with neighbours. Relationships with the self.

This book is such a perfect blend of heartbreak, betrayal and spyish antics that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

It was incredibly refreshing to read a World War novel set in Malaysia as I learnt so much about the war that I haven’t read about before and I cannot wait to read Vanessa Chan's next work.


Read if you're into:
· Historical fiction
· Family sagas
· Espionage
· Multiple POV
· South East Asia
· Morally grey characters

An interesting read with some really gripping parts, however there were also some slower parts that I really struggled to get through

Being familiar with only one major Malaysian author, I was worried I might fall into the trap of comparing Vanessa Chan’s work to that of Tan Twan Eng. Having now completed The Storm We Made, I can confirm that although both these authors have penned magnificent historical novels set in Malaysia, Chan offers a distinct reading experience that does not disappoint.

The Storm We Made is a dual-timeline, plot-based novel, juxtaposing one Malaysian family in British-occupied Malaysia, and Japanese-occupied Malaysia. It is the story of the role ordinary persons play, wittingly or not, in major historical events. And it is a novel that does not skimp on the harsh details of what Malaysian national suffered during World War II. As happens so often, I am again appalled by how much is left out in our history classes.

Further addressing family, friendship, and the hold of powerful men over subjugated women, The Storm We Made is a novel you’ve never read before, and one that deserves its spot on your historical fiction shelf.

With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This is a story set in Malaya, spanning the last years of British rule and the Japanese occupation that followed the attack on Pearl Harbour. The narrative switches between 1935-37 and 1945.

The main character is Cecily, a bored housewife and mother who is systematically groomed by a Japanese man into spying for him. Her decisions have long-ranging consequences for her family and the entire country, facilitating the Japanese invasion which promised deliverance from the British Empire, but at a devastating cost.

The broad themes are interesting, but I didn't feel the narrative voice did them justice. The portrayal of both British and Japanese rule is quite stereotyped, broad brushstrokes rather than fine nuance. The British are lazy, racist, condescending and indifferent to the Malays' resentment. The Malayan population has its own internal rivalries and divisions, which rang a bit truer - the Eurasians who think themselves better than their darker compatriots and toady up to the British, thinking their light skins will give them a way in to the elevated world of their colonial overlords, had uncomfortable parallels with my own experience of growing up in a country that had only recently gained independence form British rule. The Japanese remain largely shadowy demons, insidiously sowing fear. There are two interesting Japanese characters, a teacher who shows kindness and humanity but turns out to be as blind as the British in his own way, and General Fujiwara, the man who seduces Cecily posing as a businessman before masterminding the successful Japanese invasion of Malaya, using anyone and everyone to his own greater ends.

This is an interesting debut which has some important things to say about the nature of occupation as well as human nature. The writing style is too pedestrian for the big themes it deals with, and none of the characters are especially rounded or well developed, or indeed likeable. But it is a gripping enough read.

I'm glad I read this book because it educated me on an aspect of WWII that I knew very little about. Reading about Malaysia reminded me a bit of Poland. Continually being invaded and subjugated by other countries. I found it quite shocking to be honest and the UK's part in this just turned my stomach. The reason I only gave it 3 stars is simply because the main characters, Cecily and Fujiwara, were so unlikeable and although the fates of the family members was probably realistic, it was so depressing. I don't mind hard hitting books but o just felt so sad at the end of this book. It was clearly very close to the author's heart and it is very well written but I think that I maybe just wasn't in the right frame of mind for such unrelenting pain. These stories have to be told and remembered and I commend her for the bravery in widening the knowledge of these events.

An interesting enough book, in two interleaved parts, which offers an idea of what went on in Malaya before, around, during and after WWII. An interesting confirmation of some of the stereotypes I have often wondered about combined with a "doomed love affair" intertwined with helping a friend/enemy until rationality is lost plus the effect that war and occupation have on the children in terms of use and abuse.

Whilst I did find the style and content interesting, I shall not be looking for the author's next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eCopy to review

This was not a period of history that I knew much about. Despite being upsetting and brutal The Storm We Made is well written, the characters are very believable and I was captivated by all their stories wondering how they would all play out.

It is a duel timeline following Cecily as she becomes a Japanese spy and how her decision affects her family 10 years later when the Japanese have invaded Malaysia.

I found the story incredibly moving and look forward to reading more by Vanessa Chan in the future

This is a moving, emotionally hard to read novel which describes the Malaysian history of colonialism and the events of WWII. The themes focus on the legacy of conflict, foreign rule and the desire for national identity.

The plot centres around a family living under first British rule and then Japanese and we look at how the betrayal of Cecily, the mother, leads to a legacy of pain and loss. The family events provide a microcosmic parallel to the macro events that are effecting the country. The results of which damage the children and the family irrevocably.

I felt the ending of this novel a little rushed and it was hard at times to understand some of the choices made by the characters. However, this was a bold novel illuminating an important history and was incredibly moving.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

First I must say - although I don't read it myself - there is too much information given in the blurb. The final paragraph would have been sufficient.
This story is well told - imparting historical information and combining it with interesting characters. Cecilia is a very strong character - a woman who should know her place but who yearns to be part of the change she believes Malaysia needs.
The earlier time line - she believes - is responsible for the destruction of her family ten years later.
Well written, very readable. Memorable characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Vanessa Chan/Hodder & Stoughton for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A great read, not something I've previously read about. A fantastic debut, a hard subject very well written, I will be looking for more books by this author in the future

The Storm We Made is a well told story that transports the reader to Malaya during World War 2. It is told from the point of view of Cecily and her children and in different timelines, with the story coming together at the end.
This is a piece of history that I knew little about and a part of the world that fascinates me, so the book's description caught my eye and as a fan of historical fiction I was not disappointed. Vanessa Chan does a great job of describing the time and place and there were some parts of the story that were not easy to read.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Storm We Made is incredible. The skill of a writer to evoke the images so clearly that the story runs like a film through your mind, is mind-blowing.

This story of Cecily, Abel, Jujube and Jasmin shattered my heart into a million pieces. It was the intricacy of one family's experience of occupation that really made this so powerful. And so moving.

This is a book about humanity. Its cruelty. Its craving for meaning. It's ability to survive. And it's also about love and kindness and hope.

Magnificent.

Set in Malaya in the lead up and during WWII, this is a complicated and emotional story of ideals, love, family, friendship, guilt, discrimination and social class.

Heartbreaking, difficult to read at times this is a beautiful story, very well written.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read The Storm We Made.

What a strong story we find in The Storm We Made. When I read the synopsis I knew it was going to be an interesting read and at the same time very intense to read, and it was like that.

War, invasions and how this affects families is never easy to read. I think we all have a mark on our hearts regarding this. Some bigger than others, some prefer to forget, cover up, ignore, and others keep it in mind day by day. Some simply try to survive from what they have been given, in any way.

The Storm We Made shows us the harsh reality of a family that is falling apart. It has very strong and explicit scenes, it has heartbreaking moments, where one wonders how far more people could go.

I am glad that the author had the courage, the will and the need to tell this story. It's a part of world history that I don't know. Now I want to find out much more.

Thanks Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC I read on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book drew me to reading it because my father-in-law was very much part of this war in Burma and learning about the invasion by the Japanese and the eventual outcome.
Definitely not an easy or pleasant read but very thought provoking about the atrocities committed by the Japanese during WW11. It portrays the terrible treatment of the people of Malaysia during 1935 to 1945 with the Japanese occupation
The characters lived with constant terror and full of emotion.
The timeline was difficult to follow and writing of this calibre would possibly have been better if it did not jump around as much. At times I had to readjust, particularly with Cecily.
This was truly harrowing to read.

I first became aware of this book when I heard the author read an excerpt from it at the Women’s Prize Live event earlier this year. I knew immediately it had to go on my wishlist and I was thrilled when the publishers approved my request on NetGalley.

The story moves back and forth in time between 1934, when Cecily first encounters the charming but manipulative General Fujiwara – at that time going under the name Bingley Chan – and the four years from 1941 when the Japanese army supplanted the British as occupiers of Malaya (what is now called Malaysia). Told variously from the perspectives of Cecily, her son Abel and her daughters Jujube and Jasmin, it immerses the reader in the turmoil inflicted on one family by external events.

Having believed she was working for a noble cause, Cecily comes to realise she has helped to set in motion a train of events that will wreak havoc on her family and be disastrous for her country. Far from bringing about the liberation of Malaya, it sees a paternalistic colonial occupier replaced by a far more brutal regime. It’s a chilling lesson in the unforeseen consequences of lies and secrets. ‘Yet perhaps the only inevitable truth was that all lies eventually rise up to meet their makers.’ This is indeed the case for Cecily and something she is forced to confront, not only in relation to her own family, but for others to whom she has become close.

The author just about manages to retain, if not our sympathy, then our understanding of Cecily’s actions. Her obsession with Fujiwara – a man who can assume different personas seemingly at will -makes her blind to the fact she is being manipulated. He seems to fulfil some unmet need in her, providing her with a sense of purpose even though her actions involve subterfuge and a betrayal of her husband, Gordon. Indeed she even worries that when the Japanese are in control of Malaya, life will become ‘ordinary’ again, ‘filled with the small fanfares of family: children to be tamed, a husband to be tended to, the tragedies of dull domesticity rearing their ugliness once more’.

I thought Jujube was an interesting character. She’s old enough to understand more of what’s going on and the dangers her family face. Although Mr Takahashi, the teacher who frequents the teashop where she works, represents a more positive example of the Japanese race, Jujube eventually comes to resent his happiness. How can she celebrate his good fortune when she is faced with losing everything?

Meanwhile in Jasmin, the author gives us the innocent outlook of a child, confused at why she needs to remain hidden in the basement when everyone knows she’s afraid of the dark, wondering why she’s always hungry and why she cannot have a friend to play with. It leads her to take a daring action that could bring disaster.

The author pulls no punches in describing the savage treatment of the people of Malaya by the Japanese army following their occupation of the country in December 1941: forced labour, mass executions and sexual slavery. Many scenes are distressing to read, especially those involving Abel following his disappearance and the experiences of Yuki, the young girl whom Cecily’s daughter, Jasmin, befriends.

In her foreword, the author writes, ‘I hope that you will feel love, wonder, sorrow, and joy as you read. And mostly, I hope you will remember their stories’. The Storm We Made, although not an easy read at times, is an impressive debut.

A very evocative and at times disturbing book set in Malaya during the British and Japanese occupations and following the fortunes of Cecily and her family. Britain has been ruling Malaya (now Malaysia) for 100 years. Cecily’s husband Gordon has a good job working for the government and they have three children, Abel, Jujube and the youngest Jasmin. Told largely from Cecily’s POV and that of her children, both before, during and after the Japanese invasion. Cecily has a dark secret that will have terrible repercussions for her family and many more residents of Malaya. The author has clearly done extensive research and it shows, alongside her personal experience.

Briefly, in early 1930’s Cecily, who is Eurasian, meets Fujiwara who persuades Cecily that life for everyone will be better if Japan is able to end British rule and she agrees to share information she can inveigle from her husband. However, after the Japanese arrive her life, and that of everyone in Malaya, changes dramatically for the worse. Her husband soon loses his privileged job and her son goes missing.

This is not an easy read. Although aware of the atrocities committed by the Japanese during WWII I wasn’t so aware of how the non British Malay’s were treated. What Abel endured was truly harrowing. I didn’t have much sympathy for Cecily, she acted without concern for the end result, completely enthralled by Fujiwara and his vision. This must have been so terrible for anyone who lived through it, my heart goes out to them. A gripping read that had me engrossed in it’s heartbreaking and unsettling story.

I am not normally drawn to books like this but mention of the Malaya and the Burma railway piqued my interest as my Dad was in the Royal Navy and brought back rescued POW's after the war.
I found the book a little hard going initially as it kept changing place and timeline without, in my opinion, really explaining why. However, I was determined to give this a good read and I was pleased that I continued with it as everything came together in the end.
The story is quite dark, emotional and thought provoking, and without giving any spoilers away the thought of someone surviving in a wheelbarrow took some acceptance.
The book is well written with emotion on every page and it fits well within the historical fiction genre.
Well worth a read.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton, NetGalley and the author for providing me with an electronic review copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The book is published in audiobook, hardback and electronic versions on the 4th January 2024

I read this because I also have family connections to Malaysia and wanted to know more about what was a very important period in the history of the country.

The story was filled with emotion first and foremost. Every character had deep feeling and emotions that rang true. The story takes in the point of view of several of the family who form the focus of the book. They are different ages but each carries guilt. Only one deserves it.

I really liked it. I liked the characters and the situations they found themselves in were startling. The terror is under the surface but it is revealed gently and with a deft touch. But it is there. That is Ms Chan's particular skill, to evoke the terrible but without revelling in it. She also shows even the Japanese as real people with loves, hopes and dreams, family and plans, though there are plenty who are cardboard cutouts to hate.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Japanese invasion and its eventual outcome, and reveals something of the Malaysia I know.

We often don't realise that the suffering and emotion of war does not simply end when treaties are signed. Sometimes their origins can be years in the making.
This story follows the impact of the Japanese invasion on one Eurasian family.
Cecily the mother longs for an independent Malaya and thinks that Japanese interest in the early 1930s will support that cause. She later learns she has simply supported the replacement of one imperial power but with one far worse with unforeseen consequences for all her family.