"The Storm We Made kicks up a weather system of epic proportions, ranging from military terror during World War II to domestic warmth. The book’s greatest power: It makes space for complexity without relinquishing the grip of a good story…Chan shows us, with clarity and care, how the truest mirror comes from the intimacy of human connection.”

— The New York Times Book Review

“‘Ambitious’ would be a trite term for Vanessa Chan’s outstanding debut, a historical novel that thrums with the commingling tensions of its backdrop: the lead-up to the WWII Japanese invasion of what is now Malaysia. Chan writes her characters—particularly the conflicted protagonist, Cecily Alcantara, a former espionage asset to the Japanese Imperial Army—with a precision that neither flinches from the brutality of war nor ignores the humanity within. This is a book with real staying power.”

— ELLE

“Chan skilfully weaves the different perspectives of a family torn apart by colonialism, occupation and betrayal in this hugely satisfying novel.”

— The Guardian

“Vanessa Chan’s espionage-laden family epic, which takes place in Malaya under British and Japanese occupation, dissects the moral complexity of decisions made under duress.”

— Vanity Fair

“In her outstanding debut novel, The Storm We Made, Malaysian American author Vanessa Chan depicts a wartime that is both extraordinary and quotidian at once…Profound in its empathy and devastating in its consequences, The Storm We Made considers the deeply personal implications of a world at war, and makes Vanessa Chan's first novel an unforgettable glimpse at how extraordinary times fall upon ordinary people.”

— Shelf Awareness

“The Storm We Made is less interested in probing the geopolitical and moral questions arising from colonialism than in humanizing the effects of oppression on a few individuals…With authenticity and passion, Chan succeeds in imparting their pain and will to survive, through singular characters whose flaws and contradictions are as fascinating as their strengths.”

— Washington Post

“World War II might be the most popular subject for historical fiction, but Vanessa Chan's debut, "The Storm We Made," defies the typical focus on the Western front and a clear-cut distinction between good and evil that characterizes many books.”

— Star Tribune

“One of the best espionage novels I’ve ever come across.”

— CrimeReads

“A wartime story like you’ve never read before.”

— PEOPLE Magazine

“This debut novel grabs the reader by the throat and never lets go, following a single family through one of World War II’s most grisly—and often overlooked—chapters... Moving between perspectives and timelines—between actions and their disastrous, unforeseen consequences—Chan tests the bounds of familial bonds, political sacrifice, and human resilience.”

— Oprah Daily