Summer Reading Selection-The Storm We Made-Vanessa Chan-Chapter 1

[Donna]

Hi everyone,

Our second Book club+ MPC summer selection is "The Storm We Made" by Vanessa Chan. We hope you will join us. If not, please let us know what you are reading and stay in touch with us online. Read at your own pace, any chapter. Join in the discussions when you are able to. There is no pressure.

This story takes place in 1945. Cecily Alcantara's family is in danger. Cecily's son has disappeared and her daughter is in hiding. If discovered, she faces a life of being at the service of comfort stations. Her oldest daughter is already serving Japenese soldier and has become bitter. Cecily hides a secret, her family has this miserable life because of her. She is afraid to tell them the truth.

Cecily has lived a life of espionage with General Fujiwara and fighting for an Asia for Asians. This story is full of pain, struggle, lost dreams and hope for a better life, not just for a family, but for Asia. Can Cecily save her family devastated by war and secrets? Can she save herself from the threats if her family discovers her secrets? Can family loyalty survive? Read with us and find out!

Chapter 1
Teenage boys were disappearing and Cecily was wondering what was happening. One group of boys, The Chin brothers were brothers of five, now there were four. No one knew what happened. The remaining brothers kept protection of their parents and said very little. Soon there were other disappearences of family sons.. Cecily recalled the admiration for General Fujiwara and the national pride he brought to the people. With the arrival of Japanese forces in Malaya, life changed. Schools closed, soldier brutality increased etc. Malalya was no longer quiet...

Cecily did her best to keep her family safe. One day he rson Abel did not make it home on his fifteenth birthday. She feared what she had done in the past is now becoming a punishment to her. Everyone went to look for Abel. It was difficult to organize search parties while soldiers were ever present. Cecily didn't have time to be grateful for the food and kindness people had shown. She knew her son was taken and could not think of anything else. Time passed and more boys disappeared...

Cecily Alcantara had a heavy burden to bear. Because of her affliations with General Fujiwara and espionage, she lives in fear. Boys are disappearing, Abel has now gone missing. Was it because of Cecily's past? Can she protect the rest of her family? What happened to all the missing boys? Is Abel's disappearance because of Cecily? Is Cecily's family safe with the Japanese forces everywhere? Do the colonizers stand a chance of surviving the occupation? We will find out! Read with us and find out what happens next.

Have a good day.

Sincerely,

-Donna