Miracle Creek

I didn't like how ableist this book was. I tried giving it a chance, but the way it talks about autism and other disabilities really made me feel uncomfortable.

This book really bummed me out.

starts off a little heavy handed, like what she's trying to convey is so obvious (esp when it's a courtroom drama murder mystery), but the pieces are interconnected in a way that people's lives invariably are. and everyone is so understandable, even when they fuck up. it made me cry a bunch. and want to smoke a cigarette.

I feel like some of the twists were a little obvious as I was going through, which in a thriller is disappointing for me. But the characters were incredible, the plot was a wild ride, and the ethics discussed here were also deeply interesting to me.

Perhaps closer to a 3 but rounding up. I think the author graciously maneuvered with her writing on having emotional elements but without going over in terms of clear manipulation in pulling on your heart strings. I felt invested in the outcomes. This book would be easy to recommend to many people, especially people who don't read a lot or are newer to reading.

This book accomplished exactly what it set it out to do. The execution was spot on and after listening to the author's interview at the end of the audiobook, I can definitely see that the author communicated what she wanted the reader to understand impeccably.

Two ideas stood out to me from the interview that I could clearly see in the execution of the narrative - one: “litigator's dream” and two: “multiverse”.

Miracle Creek is essentially a fictionalized court trial and during the proceedings, we get alternate POVs from essentially everyone affected by the tragedy that happened a year prior. All the victims start out with a strong conviction against the defendant but during the trial, more secrets come to light that sway their thoughts and opinions. Where the author's intention and experience as a litigator with the idea of “litigator's dream” comes into play is truly when the lawyers go back and forth revealing with evidence and witness testimonies crucial information that impacted not only the trial but the victims' perspective of the defendant. The many revelations were expertly uncovered and theatrically displayed for the jury, essentially extracting the information that would corroborate all of each opposing counsels' arguments.

The “multiverse”, on the other hand, was subtly overplayed throughout the book and this took me a while to decipher because it's ultimately why I wouldn't give this book 5 stars. The author incorporated the idea that if there were one deviation from the chain of events that led to the tragedy, there would be a less tragic outcome. Through the characters, the author explored the many variations that could have occurred if one decision by any of the characters was made differently. I think it was through this idea that it was decided Matt should get more chapters than his wife Janine because of the sordid relationship angle. However, Matt is a despicable character as he exhibited all the white male privileges with zero recognition and Janine was a much more nuanced person whose flaws could have been further investigated and would have made a better read.

The nuance of all the characters (except Matt because he was too one-dimensional, a coward that hid behind his ego with zero redeeming qualities) was the main reason I enjoyed reading this book overall. Elizabeth was probably my favorite character because it was made clear from the beginning that the suspicions about her actions the day of the tragedy were justified, but the unraveling of her personality and feelings throughout the trial spanned from cringe-inducing and sad to tragic and understandably heart-wrenching. Her interactions with her son were clearly hurtful and wrong, but her last chapter revealed so much lost potential of their relationship the day of the tragedy and vividly portrayed her extensive character development. Through her chapters it was hammered in how the unforeseen consequences of the actions of a collective group of people are out of control.

Book was nuanced and thought-provoking but a little drawn-out. Also, let's not:

(Spoilers)
1. Pretend the criminal punishment system provides a just and healthy avenue people can use to take accountability for their actions
2. (CN sexual assault) Tell the story of a sexual assault from the POV of the assaulter

Recensie van audioboek (via Scribd)
Goh, deze was wel ok, maar blijft niet echt nazinderen. Het verloor wat aan stoom naar het einde toe en de ontknoping is een beetje meh. Toch 3 sterren voor de schrijfstijl.

Good mystery, but I felt there was not enough dialog from the book's characters. It got a bit boring at
times and really tested my patience. It was much better for me toward the last 20% of the book. This was my opinion and I'm sure others will disagree! David N.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
This book begins with a bang, an explosion at a hyperbaric oxygen clinic in Virginia. Elizabeth has lost her son to this explosion and she seems to be the key suspect which leads to the books main focus, her trial. Elizabeth has been taking her son Henry to a hyperbaric oxygen clinic to help improve his autism, through this she knows a group of people from the town and as the story goes on we learn more about the other characters in order to shed light on the explosion.
The concept of this story will have been done already at its core elements, an unexpected murder or accident and a court case that follows. However I found this book so engaging, well written and interesting because the details in the story make it feel unique. I found myself excited to pick the book up and even though I was having a difficult week to fit reading in I still had managed to finish it within that week. I would highly recommend this if you like crime, court room dramas and well realised characters.

A lot to discuss with this book.

Fascinating mystery thriller, a real page-turner. An arson murder investigation is conducted and a tight group of people involved in the accident and their actions are being examined and analysed. As each layer of lies is shed we are shocked at what we find, but feel like being closer than ever to solving the mystery. But all what was revealed turns out to be lies as well with the next shocking revelation.

Angie Kim demonstrates how subjective the truth can be, how each fact taken out of context can be twisted in any amount of ways, how biased we are as people. The lawyers manage to present the same set of facts in such contradicting ways they make the same person look in turn like a villain and like a saint.

A lot of difficult emotions and complicated family situations give depth to the story. There's unconditional love for one's children, but this love has it's limits and boundaries. There's the pain of not fitting in, loneliness, jealousy, obedience, loyalty.

I wonder how realistically the American judicial system is portrayed here. After reading this book I got the illusion they gather just enough evidence to make a case and sit on it for a year-while the rest of the evidence rots away. When each party finds new evidence, which might be part of a bigger puzzle and lead to more evidence, it is kept silent about so it can be thrown into the other party's face in court at an unexpected moment. I sure hope it is not always like that.

This is tough to review. I am not a big fan of courtroom dramas, but I really appreciated that this is a novel about many other things. There is a centralized incident, but it is a novel about an immigrant family, a couple having trouble conceiving, several mothers with special needs children, and more.
Honestly, I was so very impressed with how Kim kept all of this moving along and I really loved her character development. My heart just went out to Elizabeth. I have a feeling that I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

Korean immigrant, trial lawyer and HBOT mom Angie Kim pens this incredible debut. Legal thriller wrapped in an incisive story of outsiders and immigrants. The lengths parent will go to for their children and the use of legal rhetoric to manipulate our sympathies. We have an explosion at the beginning of the book that kills two people but culpability is not so easily sussed out.

We jump from character to character as they slowly begin to fill in the blanks. Pak Yoo, the wild goose father who lived in a closet sized apartment in Seoul trying to save enough to join his family in America. Feeling less in a new country where language sets limits on what he might do. Emily, her life consumed with trips to countless therapy sessions, holistic organic stores and alternative treatment centers. Hours spent researching new medicines, medical advances and innovative research - everything focused on her child at the expense of her own life. Characters motivations and secrets leading to a satisfying but no less heartbreaking resolution.

Jaw dropper of a debut. Worth checking out - video review and ramblings here: https://youtu.be/WvyOeIsKUS4

Honestly, 4.5 stars; interesting, absorbing story told effectively from multiple perspectives.