Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

20 reviews

njhokie14's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Ableism

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, and Suicide

Minor: Terminal illness, War, and Racism

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

this was such a surprise to me because I could NOT PUT THIS DOWN. It isn’t a thriller or all mystery, but it was a page turner. A father goes missing and only his non verbal son witnesses what happens… mystery ensues! Except so much more because it’s a portrait of grief, general family dynamics, etc. I loved it so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Terminal illness

rainbowfairie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

4.75

I have so much I want to write about this book. This is one of the best literary fiction novels I've read, packaged in an informative and digestible story. The author is very societally aware and presents a wealth of information to readers on various concepts that may very well be new to them. The author's note at the end references any real-life resources or info the reader may want to check out. Very science-y with vocab and concepts, so beware there will be lots of new language and it's not a light read. As an autistic person myself, who struggles with spoken communication, this was an enlightening and empowering read that touches on many important issues. I'd read it again in a heartbeat and appreciate Angie for writing this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Suicide

Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Police brutality, Rape, and War

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Ableism

Minor: Suicide

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

challenging hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Literary fiction (one of my favorites 🖤) + missing father + police investigation + legal proceedings + ANGIE FREAKIN' KIM.... you know you're getting a good book before you even start reading. Dad is missing, and we must find him. But what if the last person who saw Dad is our little brother, Eugene, who is nonspeaking due to his dual diagnosis of autism and mosaic Angelman syndrome. That's right. Our only witness to Dad's disappearance cannot even tell us what happened. Like that in Miracle Creek, the writing here is truly incredible. I can understand why it took four years for Kim to release another book, as you can tell this novel was a labor of love. It is packed with facts and experiences; Rome was not built in a day. There is a loose end that is never revealed, and although Kim clearly explains to the reader the reason for this conclusion, damn it, I wanted to know the truth! Hopefully we don't have to wait another four years for her next book, but I will if I have to. My overall thoughts: impressive and informational without being the least bit boring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cancer and Cultural appropriation

noladawnreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, and Ableism

Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, Bullying, and Racism

Minor: Police brutality, Suicide, and Rape

emily_pns's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Unique perspective on special needs families, a topic I am not at all familiar with. Especially how it can intersect with immigration. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Suicide and Cancer

Minor: Rape and Racism

jj_tj's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Ableism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Bullying, Suicide, and Cancer

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

i loved the narration. i understand why it isn't for everyone, but my brain works in the same way so i felt at home. i also appreciated how this book advocated much more strongly for the humanity of its characters with disabilities than Miracle Creek (Angie Kim's debut novel) did. and that it took place during covid times. my main issues were that, compared to Miracle Creek, the plot:

1. wasn't as gripping. it started to drag three-fourths of the way through, and i got fed up with all the cheap foreshadowing of the form "looking back, i wish [x] hadn't happened".
2. didn't feel as expertly-crafted. though i recognize that's kind of the point—
   not all mysteries, especially missing person cases, have neat solutions; that's life
   —it was still somewhat disappointing. i'm trying to
   learn the lesson Mia did and
   accept an open ending—
   i choose to believe that her and John's mind-meld recreating the accident was a display of fraternal jeong, just the tiniest bit of magical realism.

nonetheless, this has cemented Angie Kim as an author on my radar, and i'm looking forward to her next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Ableism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Cancer, Violence, Infidelity, Police brutality, Sexism, Suicide, Bullying, Blood, Hate crime, Murder, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexual violence, Confinement, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Rape, Car accident, Deportation, and Gun violence

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.75

Thanks to Hogarth Books for the free copy of this book.

 - With HAPPINESS FALLS, Angie Kim once again gives us a page turner, this one a legal drama, missing person case and possible murder mystery all wrapped up together.
- I was so intrigued by Mia as the narrator of this story. She's bratty and bitter and thinks she knows everything (at first, at least). Her unique voice and the frequent detours to tell us important backstory made the book feel like a friend was relaying the story to the reader personally.
- There are some aspects of the book I wish were different - the pacing slowed way down in the second half, the footnotes felt mostly extraneous, etc. - but overall I was invested in the mystery.
- A through line of Kim's work is to make clear that disabled people are people, not childlike burdens to be pitied, which is sadly often rare in novels, especially mysteries and thrillers. I will be interested to see what disabled and neurodivergent readers have to say about this book, since I am neither of those things and neither is Kim, though she is the parent of a disabled child. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Police brutality, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Grief

Moderate: Cancer and Racism

Minor: Suicide and Rape