Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

AUTHOR: Marion Agnew

GENRE: Contemporary Fiction

PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023

RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel.

Plot Preview:

Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow.

Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will discover her family ghosts, literally. How will this strange trio traverse the next week together?

The story comes to us in the first-person perspectives of Simone and Chen, and in the third-person perspective of Martin.

The blurb calls this book “equal parts quirky and sincere”, and for a change, the blurb is right!

Bookish Yays:

🤩 Simone: A senior citizen who has her quirks and doesn’t act like a typical geriatric. I love how she was shown to be independent in her work with subtle references to age-related issues. At the same time, her vulnerable side is also depicted realistically. It was nice to read about a senior character still trying to figure out life and other humans.

🤩 Coming to think of it, the whole book is subtle in its storytelling. You don’t even realise how effectively it raises points to ponder upon. Love this mellow approach! It is so much better than being bombarded with agenda on every page.

🤩 Simone’s habit of talking to her “family ghosts” is crazily endearing, though the ghosts proved how some humans don’t improve even after death! The fun part is the manner in which the ghosts are written into the plot events. In fact, I didn’t even question Simone’s sanity; her habit and the ghosts are integrated so well with the real narrative. The approach is a strange combo of fantastical and grounded.

🤩 Chen’s character is adorable. I love it when authors get the age-rep right. Chen sounds just like a nine-year-old would, what with his mood swings and endless chatter and odd spellings and his fascination with bears and his silent handling of his grief. Of course, he is a bit too obedient, which makes him an exceptional boy. Chen works as the perfect counterfoil to Simone. Their bond is a treat to read!

🤩 The uniqueness of the story. Actually, ‘unique’ isn’t the right word. The best way I can describe this plot is with the Hindi phrase ‘zara hatke’, which loosely translates to ‘a bit different’ but means so much more. It is refreshing to read a story that is predictable yet unconventional.

🤩 The book covers a few intense themes, but there’s a casualness to the writing that somehow makes the darker themes also grounded. Personal redemption, dealing with grief and trauma, and found family are the key themes you will find handled well in this book. There is much emotion in the pages, but the plot isn’t emotion-oriented.

🤩 The setting of North Western Ontario and the banks of Lake Superior is used wonderfully.

🤩 The small town is also utilised well in the narrative, especially the interconnect between church and community, and the way everyone rallies together when a major accident leaves devastating consequences.

🤩 Though there are two characters written in first person, I was never confused about who was speaking, thanks to the distinct voice the author gave each of them. For a debut novel, this is a big achievement!

🤩 I loved the ending! Though the resolution of one key conflict point was a bit too smooth, it worked quite well for the plot. A book that ends well makes the reading journey worthwhile.

Bookish Mixed Bags:

😐 Martin is a con man with a conscience, so his arc should actually have been the most interesting thanks to this inherent dichotomy. But the third person voice distances his true thoughts, and hence his chapters were not as impactful to me. However, his character is unlike typical fictional conmen (who are either too smart or too clumsy), which is a plus point.

😐 The pacing of the book is quite slow but most of the way, it progresses steadily. The third quarter feels a bit repetitive and dragged, but the ending makes it worth the patience.

Bookish if Onlys:

😕 In the very first chapter from Martin’s pov (the second chapter of the book), we learn that he is hired by someone to act as Simone’s cousin in order to get her to sell her prime lakeside property. So there’s no suspense about Martin’s identity in our mind, though Simone is somewhat unsure. Of course, this isn’t a suspense novel, so this point isn’t a negative. But I wish there had been some uncertainty at the start about Martin’s true identity.

😕 Chen is Indigenous, so kudos for having indigenous rep. But I wish the rep had been utilised better. His indigenous roots hardly ever show up in the plot.

All in all, this is not a story of action and thrills but of contemplation and hope and even some fun. Will such a plot appeal to everyone? I don’t know. But I do know that the characters and the premise merge beautifully to make this an impactful read. Simone and Chen are the stars of this show.

Definitely recommended. Some novels are just tough to promote, even when you enjoyed the reading journey! But I hope this review convinces you to give this whimsical indie novel a try, especially if you enjoy character-oriented fiction.

My thanks to River Street Writing for the DRC of “Making Up the Gods”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.