The storm we made

by Vanessa Chan · 2024

In 1945 Japanese‑occupied Malaya, housewife Cecily Alcantara is haunted by a choice that reshaped a nation. Seduced by the charismatic General Fujiwara, she trades domestic routine for secret espionage, believing she can help forge an “Asia for Asians.” Ten years later the war’s brutality has turned her dreams into a nightmare, and her family pays the price. Her teenage son Abel has vanished, her youngest daughter Jasmin is hidden away to keep her from the comfort‑women camps, and her eldest daughter Jujube, who works in a tea house frequented by drunken soldiers, grows increasingly angry and desperate. As the occupation reaches its zenith, Cecily knows the danger stems from her own betrayal, yet she cannot reveal the truth to the children she loves. Told through the eyes of four unforgettable characters, this sweeping, espionage‑laden saga explores the fierce bonds of family, the weight of guilt, and the impossible choices made in wartime, delivering a haunting, unforgettable portrait of love and survival.