This book is set in Malaya (Malaysia today) and its story has two time lines. The first one starts in the mid-30s with the country under British colonial rule, which ends temporarily with the invasion of the Japanese army in 1941. The second one is set in 1945, the time when the brutality of the new Japanese occupiers had reached its peak. Both occupations were inhumane in their own way and we are witness to this as we accompany a Malayan family through those times.

The central character of the story is Cecily, married to a man who works in an administrative function for the British, who she despises. She is also the mother of three much loved children. In the hope to drive out the colonisers and to strengthen Asian rule, Cecily becomes a spy for the Japanese, accessing intelligence using her husband’s position. This gives her a feeling of importance, of significance and hope for the future, but her choice has dire consequences for all in her community. In the centre of this whirlpool of unintended consequences is her family, which is torn apart in the most heart-breaking way.

The book is quite fast-paced and is combines features of a spy novel, a thriller and a historical drama. It was however not exactly what I look for in a historical novel. I find the idea that Cecily single-handedly, through her spy activities, enables the success of the Emperor’s Army quite far-fetched. I did however enjoy reading and learning about the general context of how the World War affected Asia, since so much literature tends to focus on Europe. I loved the parts that explored the characters of her children, their actions, thoughts and interactions in the life of their family. I certainly don’t regret having read this book.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book become one of my favourites this 2023 that publish in January 2024. I love how raw the characters feel when you read this book, and how harsh the whole environment of the sociopolitical ambiance was just chef kiss for me. A very well elaborated historical drama, and delightful creation of characters and the most intriguing storytelling I read this year. This book got everything you need if your cuppa of tea is a historical drama. Vanessa the author can write and she write beautifully. I end up with a broken heart and the author bring my back to life many times with this story. I recommend it to everyone who want to read a brilliant book. Thank you very much to NetGalley, the author, and hodder and stoughton for the access to this ARC

This is my first historical fiction novel to read based on the British and the Japanese occupancies in Malaya. The story jumps from British occupancy to the Japanese occupancy. It is told through the mother of a family and her three children. I felt the way in which the story unfolds (there are a few twists) adds to the book. Survival is the goal of the family members throughout the novel. . I really enjoyed the authors writing style.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The storm we made is a harrowing but utterly compelling read set in Japanese-occupied Malaya. It is quite unlike anything else I have read recently as it presents a completely different view of the Second World War. It’s a difficult read and covers some dark and disturbing topics. A truly absorbing and heartbreaking read.

I've read a lot of books set in and around the WW2 but most of them are based in Europe so enjoyed reading one set in Malaya. I found the story fascinating and makes me want to read more about the impact of the war there.

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan is a beautifully written, tightly plotted historical epic which tells the story of an unassuming Malayan housewife who becomes instrumental to the toppling of the British administration by the Japanese army - and has to deal with the consequences.

Chan set out to tell a story of 'how the choices we make reverberate through the generations of our families and communities in ways we often can’t predict,' and she does so with such authority and style that I was shocked to realise that The Storm We Made is her first novel.

In her author's note, Chan reveals that she was inspired to write her novel to work through and try to understand the way that the generation who lived through the Japanese occupation do not talk about it except in clipped, stoic remarks. In stark contrast, Chan's prose gives a literary lilt to descriptions of every day family life, the horrors of war and the conflicting, overwhelming emotions which drive the characters.

The Second World War has been so comprehensively documented in print and film that it can feel like all the stories have already been told, but Chan's novel shines a light on a lesser known chapter with candour, affection and a willingness to scrutinise the most appalling acts of war that were perpetrated against the people of Malaya. Through Cecily, the protagonist, Chan paints a historically accurate picture of a people who were duped into welcoming their new oppressors with open arms, the Japanese promises of an 'Asia for the Asians' belying the brutal, devastating invasion that followed. Chan's vivid descriptions of the casual disdain with which the locals were treated by the British ruling class mean that it is not difficult to accept that the Malayan people were clamouring for 'a world in which white men didn't always win.'

Cecily is a complex, fallible character who fascinated me from her introduction. Though she is distinctly a product of the place and time in which the story unfolds, so much of the feelings and motivations that spill out will resonate with modern readers, especially if they are mothers themselves. The need to compartmentalise yourself, only sharing fragments of your life and self with each person or situation you encounter is eminently relatable, as is the desire to life a bigger life than just being a wife and mother.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

It is a harrowing story that is rarely talked about, let alone written about. It would help if you definitely had tissues at the ready for this one. Good writing providing you can stomach the brutal parts.

The story is based in Malaya, and families struggle to come to the realization that things do not always work out happily in the end.

The conflict between the Japanese and the Chinese with a little of British thrown in for a good mix.

A sobering tale of how one family is affected by the British then Japanese occupation of Malaya in the 1930s and 40s. Cecily, the family matriarch, makes decisions during British rule, which have devastating repercussions on her family once the Japanese invade, and all her hopes of an Asian alliance are broken with the reality of the new brutal regime.

I found this a difficult read but purely because it is so horrific and emotional with lots of violence and abuse.
I don't agree with other readers that love finds a way through as there was no way there could be a happy ending and overall I found the story disturbing.
Well written but not for me.

This book is inspired by the authors family history. It is based on WW2 in Malaysia, a time and situation which I expect most of us know little about. If nothing else this story informs but it is also mysterious and very sad. Cecily is a strong character and much of the book is about her family. Quite an unusual read which I found hard to get in to but interesting and different from anything else I've read recently.

A heartbreaking story about a family effected by WW2. Shines a light on part the war I knew very little about in a mesmerising captivating story told though the eyes of one family, the mother, the son and the two daughters all with unique voices and experiences but all heartbreaking and moving. This is a book that will stay with you long after reading. Beautifully written full of sadness but full of hope. A truly remarkable read.

A fascinating story set in Malaya before and at the end of the Second World War. I devoured this book in 2 days. I would highly recommend it.

I struggled to get into this book and found it slow in the beginning. Once I got to know the characters I found it difficult to read but engrossing. A different perspective on a place and time I didn’t know much about. Fascinating but harrowing.

The Storm We Made is a beautifully written novel set in Malaysia during the Japanese occupation of WW2.

The story is told from 4 POVs, Cecily, Jujube, Jasmin and Abel. Each of the 4 characters offer a different insight in to what life was like during this time as they all have different experiences.

This will not be the last book I read from this offer.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

What a sad story but compelling to read. The book centres around one family and the traumas they endure during WW11. I am not sure how to critique this book other than to say I found it an extremely interesting read but so so difficult to understand the way people can be so cruel to one another. As always one learns from reading and although I know the terror inflicted in the war it is the first time I have read a story based on that part of the world. The main premise is that Cecily falls for a Japanese soldier, Fujiwara, and starts spying for him. She is totally besotted and is convinced she is doing the right thing to save her country. The book runs through the years and the each of her children have a story of their own. Abel as a prisoner of war to work on the railway and that part of the book is not easy to read. Jujube works in a tea house and his manhandled often by Japanese soldiers and Jasmin who is only 8 cannot understand what is happening. Something happens and she runs away and her story is difficult to read. Cecily has a husband who is not supportive and understanding which is why she looks elsewhere for comfort. This is a story that you have to read to get a true feel rather than read a review and I cannot praise it highly enough even though a difficult read.

Huge thanks you to the writer and publisher for this ARC, this is a stunning book. It’s raw, emotional, you never know what’ll happen next. The cover, is also gorgeous.

I loved this book. The story grabbed me from the start. The characters were realistic and well drawn. I felt fully engaged with this book and felt emotionally drained as I worried about the family’s fate.

I will never forget this book and will read it again.

Heartbreaking.
I just wanted to rush in and sweep those children to safety from both the British and the Japanese.
Chasing a better future for herself and her children Cecily makes a series of decisions that impact her whole family and others in the comminuty.
With loss a strong element in the narrative this book will likely move you to tears.

Based in a small town in Malaya before and during the Second World War, Vanessa has weaved a beautiful story around the lives of one family caught up in the horror of occupation. Firstly, the British Empire with its rigid class society and then the brutal Japanese army with their labour camps and ‘comfort stations’.
In the hope of a better future for her family and mostly herself, Cecily follows a course of action which she will come to regret as the war unfolds.
A brilliant book which kept me interested to the very end. Highly recommended.

What a fabulous book, beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved it and the characters were strong. I will be buying this for friends and family. Highly recommend.