I love being introduced to new (to me) Canadian authors that expand my emotional and intellectual perspectives…I want to feel and learn something from every book that falls into my lap. Making Up the Gods is a quirky yet heartfelt exploration of life’s deepest themes—tragedy, healing, and the delicate balance between past and present relationships. Marion Agnew skillfully intertwines moments of quiet reflection with life-altering choices, creating a story that resonates on both personal and universal levels.
Marion Agnew, known for her personal essay collection Reverberations: A Daughter’s Meditations on Alzheimer’s (Signature Editions, 2019), brings a rich sense of introspection to her fiction. Her work has been recognized with nominations for the Pushcart Prize and the National Magazine Award, and Reverberations was shortlisted for the Louise de Kiriline Lawrence Award for Nonfiction. Agnew resides in Shuniah, Ontario, near Lake Superior, on Anishinaabe/Robinson-Superior Treaty territory.
The novel centers on Simone, a widow who, despite her best efforts, can’t quite escape the lingering presence of her deceased family members. When Martin, a man claiming to be her long-lost cousin, appears with a tempting offer to buy her lakeside cottage in exchange for a Florida condo, Simone is intrigued, yet suspicious. His sudden reemergence feels as puzzling as it is convenient. Where has he come from, and why now?
As if this weren’t enough, Simone has also agreed to care for Chen, a precocious nine-year-old grappling with his own grief after losing both his father and stepbrother in a tragic accident. Chen and Simone share an unspoken bond—each haunted by their own ghosts, literal or figurative. His arrival, along with Martin’s proposition, forces Simone to confront difficult questions: Can she trust Martin? Can she protect Chen, both from external threats and from the shadows of her past? And most crucially, how can she reconcile the presence of her family ghosts with her desire to live fully in the present?
I like to ask authors for their favourite recipe and Marion stepped up to the challenge with a blueberry scone recipe that Simone would have made from fresh blueberries found in northern Ontario. You too can be enjoying these delectable scones with your morning coffee while reading her book. Go to our Recipe section and start baking!
Agnew masterfully blends humor with sincerity as the characters navigate grief, healing, and the messiness of human connection. Making Up the Gods is a compelling story about when to hold on and when to let go, with characters who feel both familiar and deeply complex. Get your e-book or paperback copy of the book at https://store.latitude46publishing.com/products/making-up-the-gods-1 or go to our Giveaway section and win the book (sorry, no scones included!).
Contents and images used with permission by Marion Agnew https://www.marionagnew.com/ and Latitude 46 Publishing. https://latitude46publishing.com/
