Blended families, mixed race heritage, and devastating secrets with the power to destroy families punctuate this compelling debut. The Keneally family is richly drawn, their individual narratives bolstering the idea that family is what you make it, as McHugh probes the prejudice, PTSD, and mental illness that haunts their bloodlines. The heavy material is delicately handled, portraying trauma’s ripple effect with a gentle voice, as McHugh writes, when POW Frank returns home at the end of World War II to Winn’s attempts to nurse him back to health, “Mother and son were in need of each other’s love, but the scars of recent years remained for both of them.”
McHugh’s reunions are emotional and moving, while still relatable, and the characters’ family struggles and personal awakenings will engross readers, whether it’s Dot’s mission to protect and empower the First Nations Peoples or Joe’s reflections on the violence of Vietnam: “I believe there is a certain spirituality that transcends death and our understanding of it.” Amid the family saga, McHugh crafts an intriguing mystery centered on war-driven PTSD alongside a reckoning between Dot and her family that, though readers may see it coming, still resonates.
Takeaway: Moving story that interlaces trauma, loss, and family bonds.
Comparable Titles: Claire Lombardo's The Most Fun We Ever Had, Candice Carty-Williams's People Person.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
McHugh succeeds in showing how legacies of violence permeate through families and societies, and how all people have to contend with their shadow selves, even as they try to live in the light. Making Shadows will appeal to readers who seek well-researched historical fiction that examines war and its aftermath through a psychological lens.
Review of Making Shadows: Amazon – Mr Bob.
Making Shadows is a strong fictional debut by Tony McHugh. It follows Joe and Dot's upbringing in inner-western Sydney in the post WWII era as they ride the highs and lows of not only the times, but the paths on which they have been born into - celebrating the successes of family and companionship, whilst persevering through life's greatest challenges.
The book starts with a bang, jumping through the turbulent early phases of Joe and Dot's lives for which they inherent, perhaps unknowingly, strong resilience that sets them up to push through the toughest of life's curveballs with the support of ever-loyal family and a mixed bag of 'friends'. Whilst at its core the book is a deep examination of Joe and Dot's unique paths, the book also delves into a 'who dunnit' subplot, whilst visiting influential moments in Australian modern history including First Nations, the Vietnam war and the Granville train disaster.
I must admit, I did find the first 10 chapters a faster pace than I expected (like I said the book starts with a 'bang'), however I relaxed into a flowing rhythm as the book and characters settle. The narrative moves quickly, reeling you in to not only see where the central characters will end up, but also to figure-out the 'who dunnit'.
There are too many events and themes to mention that may grab the attention of the reader (eg. post-war trauma, academic success, unspoken love to name a few), however I enjoyed just as much the detailed descriptions of the seasons and landmarks in inner-western and central Sydney throughout the 1940 - 80's through the eyes of Joe and Dot (for example the summers playing cricket around, and reference to the dental hospital near Central Station - no doubt a reference to the authors upbringing) and the overarching message of always moving forward with life, having relationships at the core of the process (including the unspoken understandings often held within family).
I thoroughly enjoyed McHugh's fictional debut, and highly recommend it for those looking for an easy-reading family mystery drama with heart.
On this sunny ANZAC day, we remember the members of the Australian armed forces, who were sent to different theatres of war in Europe in WWI, in Asia in WW2, and later in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Many of them never came home and many who did were scarred for life.
On this occasion, a book that I have just finished reading recently springs to mind. " Making Shadows" is written by a friend and Periodontist colleague Dr Tony McHugh. Some of the characters in the book experienced war combat in Vietnam first hand, which shaped the careers they pursued after returning home.
Some of the main characters in the book are dentists, and I can relate a lot to their progress during their training at the Sydney Dental Hospital. The upbringing of the characters reflects the predominant Australian culture more than half a century ago, where going to church and playing cricket were the norm. The story spans quite a few decades, following the paths of the main characters in adolescence, in university, in the swinging 60s, in the Vietnam war years and their professional trajectories after the war and beyond.
It is a fact that those who fought in Vietnam often received hostile reception when they returned. Although whether Australia should have taken part in the Vietnam war is still a highly contentious issue, there are again dark clouds in the horizon, with two of the biggest countries in the world now under totalitarian rule, and peace in our time again under real threats.Those service men and women who were sent to the other side of the world to fight for the country should not be forgotten. Without them and the sacrifice they made, living in peace and prosperity in this wonderful country is not something we can take for granted. Lest we forget.🙏
" Making shadows" is a thought provoking book but it is non-judgemental , as questions on religion, morality, racial discrimination, as well as the Vietnam war and care for veterans are raised. It is a great read and hard to put it down. Highly recommended !
