Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

77 reviews

theresablue's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

This book is incredibly ableist against autistic people. It perpetuates harmful stereotypes and promotes abusive behavior towards autistic children, framing it as 'a mother's love'. It also perpetuates the myth that vaccines cause autism and promotes the use of autism 'cures' like Miracle Mineral Solution (BLEACH). Both autistic characters within this book are young boys, one of whom is killed in a incredibly horrific way, the other's defining characteristics are that he smears his shit everywhere and ends the book institutionalized. None of this is substantially addressed in narrative and the book continually perpetuates the idea that autistic children are a burden to their parents, that the parents of autistic children are somehow special and worthy of admiration for loving and caring for their children despite them not being 'normal' and that autism can and should be cured. 
 I think the one redeeming factor of this book is the mother/daughter relationship between Young and Mary, but beside that, even ignoring the harmful and offensive ableism, this book's plot and characters are boring and repetitive. I don't know why it's so popular or why so many reviewers are so blind to the ableism within it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

emmareadseverything's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow. This book was incredible, and what a way to start 2022!

I have a thing for books where the characters share thoughts that society deems inappropriate. Similarly to The Push, this novel takes these incredibly raw characters and emotions and puts them in vulnerable, high pressure situations. What is created is so powerful. 

If you want a breakdown of what I love about this novel, checkout my review of The Push, as I love this story for all the same reasons.

This is what Where the Crawdads Sing wishes it could be. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Murder and Racism

Minor: Suicide

darthizzy's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

girl this was i ride! i really sad one tho

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, and Ableism

Moderate: Infertility, Suicide, and Cursing

Minor: Car accident

peeshpish's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Differing POVs & unreliable narrators help keep the mystery going until the end without completely misleading readers or being too obviously a misdirection.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicide, Child abuse, Ableism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit and Addiction

andycroll's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Emotional abuse

beauty_andbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had such high expectations for this book since it's been recommended so much over the past few years. I can't say it was a bad book, but it just didn't keep my attention like I expected. With such a dark premise, I thought that it would keep me wanting more as I read. It's a heart-wrenching story and I think it deserves all the accolades, but it just wasn't my favorite. I love a much faster paced thriller story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, and Child abuse

professorbadger's review against another edition

challenging sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Miracle Creek would make a GREAT choice for book clubs. The characters and their motivations were all complicated, opening up a range of topics for discussion and leaving room for divergent views. 

Other than that, though … I found it well written but a little dull. The characters were complex and the plot was complicated, so in theory it should have been great. But it felt like a slow read all the same. I would definitely try another book by the same author, though. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

gabbo's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Child death

Minor: Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

patriciadm's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide and Adult/minor relationship

ellepalm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Such a gripping mystery, I couldn’t put it down. Really great court scenes and interesting cultural aspects. I liked reading multiple perspectives. However this was super depressing and I don’t feel great after reading this. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide