Miracle Creek: A Novel

If the reading public has any sense, Miracle Creek will top the bestseller lists this spring and summer and beyond, and I trust it will be optioned for a movie too. It's a psychological thriller that grabbed me in a Gone Girl kind of way, but without the GG plot holes. It's that most unusual find: an intelligently-crafted book that balances plot and characters, with language that's exquisite without being flowery or inappropriate.In the prologue, a therapeutic hyperbaric oxygen chamber operated by Korean immigrants Pak and Young explodes, killing Kitt, the mother of an autistic child, and Henry, the autistic son of Elizabeth, who has been charged with murdering both. Chapters are written, mostly in third person, from the perspectives of seven characters, unfolding over four days of Elizabeth's trial. Angie Kim's experience as a trial lawyer informs the courtroom scenes, letting the reader marvel at how malleable the truth can be depending on what facts are put forth and how they are interpreted.But there's more to this book than dazzling courtroom pyrotechnics. Miracle Creek also takes a deep dive into the special needs parent community and nails the angsty dynamics that play out among parents who are outwardly supportive of one another while also competing and judging. Having seen for myself the interpersonal dramas described in the book, I marveled at Kim's pitch-perfect descriptions.And Kim, herself Korean-born, slips in reminders of the multi-layered challenges facing immigrants: the conflict between old and new cultural behaviors, especially as they relate to family, the stereotypes, and the inability to distinguish Koreans from other Asians. A couple of pages in the middle of the book are thick with references to "Oriental fetishes," woks given as gifts by people unaware that the pans are associated with Chinese, not Korean cooking, and comments like "half of Berkeley's Asian now" (this casually racist observation has become commonplace, even and especially among people who should know better).All seven narrators have something to hide, and even the most innocuous secrets -- like someone who claims to have quit smoking, but still fondles cigarettes -- can take on ominous overtones in the context of a double murder. Once I started reading this book, leapfrogging over two other books I'd already started, I had a hard time stopping, and so I polished it off in less than a day. The denouement, which I didn't see coming (I thought Kim was going to aim for an Agatha Christie finish) finessed the material in a manner that was both satisfying and absolutely logical.Easily the most captivating piece of fiction I've read in a long, long time.

I had really high hopes for this book. After reading the reviews, I was sure it would be a fantastic read...not so. I have had to force myself to finish this book. It drags on and on and on. And astonishingly, there is not one relatable/likable character. The fact that all of this story takes place a year after, and everything is “revealed in court”, while having a whole year for, I believe the legal term in court would be “discovery”, paired with the fact that all of these characters totally believe each other, is not realistic at all. I give it two stars, and that’s a stretch.

What a pleasure to discover such an extraordinary first work. Angie Kim was able to pen the best courtroom drama I have ever read, as well as a superb mystery and domestic drama in her masterful debut novel. Miracle Creek starts with an arson/murder trial which keeps the reader mesmerized and quickly turning the pages. The ensuing tragedy encompasses a cast of characters, whose secrets and lies begin to slowly unravel as everyone has something to hide.Pak and Young Yoo have immigrated from Seoul Korea, in the hope of giving their only child, Mary, a better life. Their dreams are tethered to a hyperbaric oxygen submarine set up in their backyard in rural Virginia. The 100% oxygen is purported to aid in a multitude of diagnosis including autism and infertility. The Yoo’s had a packed schedule of clients, which included mothers with their special needs children, as well as a medical doctor, until the Miracle Submarine exploded. One of the mothers is arrested and charged with two counts of murder….victims are her 8 year old son Henry and her friend Kit from her support group. What appears to be an open and shut case makes the reader realize the ramifications of trusting in initial judgment...or can a good defense attorney simply distort the truth by placing suspicion on others? The chapters alternate between seven characters, predominately over four days of trial testimony…. one year after the explosion.I have had the privilege of working with children with autism and their parents for 30 years. There is no cure for autism, however, early intervention is key for progress. In my experience, suggest a viable intervention to a mother with a child on the autistic spectrum and within weeks many have done the research and are well versed. Angie Kim gives us a heart rendering glimpse into the challenges of life with an atypical child. Feelings of exclusion, toll on relationships, as two of the central characters are now single mothers, the competitive edge to discover the next best modality and the bond they form with each other….. Angie Kim simply nails it to perfection.Kim gets into the hearts and minds of all of her characters. The fine nuances between right and wrong blend until it is clear just how complex each situation is and how difficult the inner struggles are. The writing is superb, the plot totally unique, the pacing breakneck. Miracle Creek is a novel that people should be discussing for a long time. It will burrow into your memory long after the stunning conclusion. If you read only one book this year, look no further. Miracle Creek is that MUST read.

I love, love, love this book,. It really spoke to me. I have a severely autistic brother and I can see him in some of the characters of this book. All the characters are complex and the characters both good and bad. This story is a gripping mystery with courtroom drama, a study of what parents go through with their special children, a search for hope for something that works, and the joy of very small things. There are many secrets and the turmoil of all the characters. were going through to tell of not tell. Also ethical and moral questions that are in involved in the obstruction of justiceI do not want to give many details other than the main event concerns an explosion of a hyperbaric oxygen treatment that was designed to look like a submarine. I have decided to order a copy of this book for my closest friend because I know that she will be deeply inspired by it.

I'm a fan of British detective stories and American hard boiled novels so thought I was familiar with all kinds of twisting plots, but this compelling legal thriller is something else.The action occurs during a trial which follows from a fatal catastrophe in an alternative health treatment facility. I wouldn't want to give any spoilers away but a complex enthralling plot develops from this one incident.There are many themes in this involving novel. These include - the ambivalence and grief which may perhaps be felt by parents of children with disabilities; and also the ruthless ambitions of migrants who feel driven to succeed in their adopted homes regardless of any emotional cost to their families. All the novel's characters, even the most minor, are described in depth, so the reader is really able to understand their strengths and weaknesses. As their suffering is carefully revealed, we come to recognise their human frailties. This is a thought provoking truly original book, a genuine page turner - well worth reading.

This is a book that I picked up on a whim and I’m so glad I did as it’s such an excellent novel. This is a book that hinges around an horrific incident at the Miracle Submarine (a pressurised chamber that allegedly helps treat autism and infertility). It’s partly a courtroom drama but it’s also a character study following multiple people in the lead up to and fallout from the accident. You really get into the mindset of everyone and why they have done the things they did, and how they feel in the aftermath. I found this such an engrossing novel – one that I wanted to read slowly… but also quickly to know what happened. The writing it stunning and I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future! This is a book that has really stayed with me and I think it’s one that I will re-read.

I have mix of feelings on this book. Initially I felt it like a slow read, always waiting for the big event or a big twist.I did feel the reveal as to the truth wasn’t a big “oh wow!” But it did still keep me reading. It’s a very descriptive book and painter an excellent vision of the characters, places and situations.As a culture and subject I don’t really know much about, both in terms of medical and the Korean ways of life, I did find it interesting and I particularly liked the paragraph about life and how some things are down to chance and the chain of events before and after anything that happens in life.I left two stars off, one for the fact I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to anyone and one down to the book being quite a slow read at parts.

This book made for a great read and I enjoyed the differing perspectives and frequent changes in them which made misunderstandings all the more frustrating in this novel about the pursuit of truth. Underlying this is also the sometimes painful dynamic between a mother and a daughter.

I really enjoyed this novel which is an exciting courtroom drama with twists and turns, but also a honest look at human relationships, particularly between mothers and children. I can't comment on the accuracy of the portrayal of life as an immigrant or life with a disabled child, but I found the description of the contradictions, and struggles, particularly with Elizabeth and Henry to be very thought provoking. Possibly slightly far fetched the way that all the characters have some role to play and are connected by different secrets, but it works in the novel.