Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Miracle Creek

I'm a sucker for mystery books with an element of character-psychoanalysis (basically Celeste Ng's books lol), so when I read the description of this book I knew I had to pick it up.

And ohhhhh my godddd this book was INSANE. There were several points who I couldn't stop reading, and at the same time there were chapters that I had to pause because I couldn't possibly stomach what was going on. (TBH there's a ton of really triggering content in this book and I would def check out the trigger warnings before reading because this shit is HEAVY.)

The story touches upon immigration narratives, disability, and parenting. I kinda expected more analysis on Asian-American-ness (it's one of the main reasons I was drawn to the book in the first place). Knocking off 0.5 stars because I honestly found the Yoo family kind of disappointing. I have really high expectations when it comes to fiction that explores ASAM issues, and I felt that some of the backstories of the Korean-American characters felt a bit one-dimensional and cookie-cutter.

The other characters though--Elizabeth specifically--oh my god they ripped by heart out. Elizabeth's story is an incredible exploration of motherhood, and the incredible sacrifices that come with raising a neurodivergent child. Kim really does not hold back; she really digs into the psyches of her characters, and while some characters felt more compelling than others, the book overall was just an incredible(ly difficult) read.

Overall, I'd say this is book shines for its analysis and exploration of disability and parenting--and while POC/immigration/ASAM issues are definitely one aspect of the story, I didn't find that to be the most compelling part of the book.

Kim's language is also relatively straightforward--she does have some more lyrical sentences towards the ends of each chapter, but I found the language really accessible. I almost wish Kim wrote with a bit more *flowery* prose, just to make me ache even more :')

Miracle Creek is a "whodunnit" courtroom drama, blended with a slow-burn character exploration that really digs into each character's backstory and personality. I flew through this book in like 3-4 days and I look forward to reading more from Angie Kim in the future!

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n_asyikin_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

A classic thriller with twists-and-turns that will leave you hooked to the very end. Told through the perspectives of multiple characters, whom themselves were uncertain about the answers, meant you'd be gripped into a constant game of whodunnit; the unravelling given to you in crumbs. Moreover, having the narratives filtered through each individual character provided a layer of mystery, and a dash of foreshadowing through character study.

That being said, the book did explored difficult themes - which may send the wrong message to those naive on the topic.

Strong warning that ableism was hugely depicted in the story, & I have certain qualms about that contributed to my hesitancy to give this book a high score. I don't have the type of disability/conditions shown in the book, but I've personally experienced some of the ableist treatments & the challenges resulting from that; Henry's forced masking, & his feelings about himself, felt too close to home. It was infuriating to read, & by no means do I think Kim was supporting that view; there was a counter-narrative, criticizing & rightly calling out how abusive ableism is. But I did think that it could be addressed more explicitly at the end.

The primary theme explored through the plot was the complication (i.e. mess) of one's action & intent (& even, unintentional consequences). Although the act of criminality was accounted for, I thought the story arc relating to ableism ended rather abstractly; very little tangible discussion about how it affect its primary victims: disabled people. Perhaps, that's also the issue I have, the heavy focus on the guardians instead of the individuals experiencing it.

I hope that when people read this, they would realise how disgustingly dangerous ableist views are; literally, abusing & dehumanizing disabled people, no matter the "good" (i.e. selfish) intent one has. Also, any criticism relating to "burden of care" should lay in the system; although I sympathize with the parents & acknowledge the emotional toll they may face in consequence of the systemic failure, I felt like the children were "blamed"; again, the centering of the guardians erased the effects of ableism on its primary victims. If Kim was to extol more on that, it would've made the story stronger, & more just.

Another theme I thought interesting was how abstract & theoretical the court proceedings (i.e. justice system) could be. One of the highlights was how "science" was manipulated by and/or towards science illeterate people & system; note that forensic "science" techniques aren't standardized with many being not valid and reliable in their methods & interpretations. Also, the injustice that can results in the semantics of things, specifically when they were discussing about abuse. Then again, I liked how that scene implied how we, as a society, often normalize abusive interactions (e.g. parent(s)-child(ren)).

Overall, Miracle Creek would suit a fan of mystery. Kim's approach in terms of the story-structure & narrations made for a highly engaging read. Although, I think readers should educate themselves on ableism (especially relating to autism) to fully grasp the story.

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flordemaga's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

This is a book that took a lot of talent and thought to write. It’s clearly very thought out, all the threads weaving together. The writing is strong. The metaphors work. And it kept me interested.

But I can’t like it. I can’t like the characters, except for Mary, and later on, Young. I can’t like their views, their thoughts. I can’t like Matt in any way possible and can’t imagine anyone liking him.

I’m glad I read it. But I wouldn’t again.

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