How Much It May Storm by A.N. Willis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thank you so much to the author and Book Sirens for providing me with a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I apologise if this review is not up to my usual standards, but I have been having a bit of a hard time lately.
How Much It May Storm follows Millie and Dinah as they carve out lives for themselves in the midst of the World Wars. Millie, a caregiver for those close to death, and Dinah, a miner, live very differently, across different times, and yet they are each drawn into a mystery that must be solved before those involved can move on with their lives.
This story was very interesting, and kept me guessing right up until the climax. Seriously, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was happening, which was truly delightful. Dinah and Millie, in their own ways were amazing, strong characters. And the historical setting was appealing. Plot wise, I cannot say much for fear of spoiling it, but it was a delicious blending of genres that should please fans of mystery, thriller, and supernatural stories.
This book takes place on two timelines, with the chapters for each interspersed chapter by chapter, and clearly labelled, which I always appreciate. Even without the label, it was quite clear, but it is always excellent when they provide one anyway, just in case.
Millie’s story takes place in 1918, the year that WWI ended, and the year the Spanish Flu devastated nations. Millie is called to Powder Ridge to care for members of an affluent family who have fallen ill. Millie is a fascinating character, so in tune with the world and people around her, and yet so utterly baffled by her place in it. She is kind and compassionate, but also strong willed and daring. She feels a great deal of conflict within herself, but she never stops that from doing her best to do what she believes is right.
Dinah is a resident of Powder Ridge during WWII, when the Americans have become directly involved in the fighting. Her brother is drafted, and Dinah does her best to keep going as she had been before he left. However, she gets caught up in a generation spanning mystery that she is utterly compelled to get to the bottom of. Dinah was a tenacious, spirited woman who was an absolute delight to follow.
Of course, there are other characters who play their parts, as friends, confidantes, lovers, and antagonists. Each plays their role perfectly, and even better, you are often left guessing who to ultimately trust. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say there is some beautiful w/w representation here as well.
I enjoyed the historical setting of How Much It May Storm, despite the fact that Powder Ridge is a fictional location. In a lot of ways, this allows us to look at the events with a slightly more objective view. The Wars don’t really take centre stage here, but that works well. I obviously was not alive during either of the World Wars, but I often wonder how it would feel to have these wars raging, watching men and women I love head to the frontlines, while I stay home and try to keep the pieces together. I feel that this book did a good job of representing that feeling, and the surreal way life goes on, no matter what.
The Spanish Flu setting was also quite coincidental, considering. The author notes that they began writing this a year before COVID 19 reared its head, but as it provided her with a more personal perspective for writing Millie’s chapters, it also allowed me a personal perspective for reading them. I could easily empathise with communities rocked by seemingly insidious disease.
As I said above, the plot was one that kept me guessing as we moved toward the conclusion, which was rewarding and evoked emotion (ie I cried. I’m a crier). However, due to the way that this was written, with the intertwining stories, decades apart, in the first 40% or so, while we were still getting set up, the pace could drag a bit, waiting for more information to tie the two timelines together. I still enjoyed it, but it was a bit of a slow read, while I read final half of the book in one sitting. This may also have to do with my own personal issues lately, but I thought it worth mentioning as really the only thing close to a drawback for me here.
In the end, How Much It May Storm was a story that I am so glad I got to experience. It provided me with new perspectives, new thoughts about the past, and about humanity itself. I would recommend it if you enjoy strong willed female main characters, historical settings, mysteries, thriller, and light horror.
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Rebecka O'Malley 