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miacasey16's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
2.0
juno_b's review against another edition
mysterious
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
3.75
madzzisrad's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
5.0
syrieestes's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ladydrini's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
Big time recommend this one. The book is about a family whose father goes missing. While them trying to figure out what happened to him keeps you turning the pages, the true beauty of the storyline comes not from that compelling mystery, but of the characters and their relationships with one another. A mom, a set of twins, and a son with Angelman Syndrome make up the remaining members of the family. Under this immense pressure, they are forced to come together and learn more about each other in a few short days than they ever have … and my goodness, it’s a gut-wrenching and touching experience. So so so so good.
vshah's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cbar's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
j_lynn_a80's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ynmdatlm's review against another edition
5.0
You don’t become obsessed with happiness, trying to maximize it and experimenting to calibrate it, unless it’s a mystery. If you’re already happy, if it comes easily to you, you don’t need to ponder it. It’s only if you can’t attain it that it consumes you.
Going against the grain here to say I actually enjoyed this book a lot more than Miracle Creek. I LOVED this book (as much as you can love a book about a missing person and his traumatized, nonspeaking, disabled son who witnessed his disappearance).
Listen, I’m a sucker for a good introspective family drama, but this book was so much more than that.
The way Angie Kim so expertly wraps such important conversations and fascinating questions up into stories of family secrets, betrayal, and discovery is genius. It’s done with such care as to draw you in and make you ask your own questions, and think about misconceptions you may have had before reading.
Angie Kim is so adept at getting into the nitty gritty of human thoughts and emotions, at biting through the skin of the apple to expose the rotten core. I loved Mia, how raw and open and unafraid she was as a narrator. Reading from her point of view, as someone who can be occasionally judgmental and pretentious (but ever painfully self aware), is somewhat of a challenge at times, but it makes her character that much more sympathetic. I was at times frustrated with her but eventually my frustration would melt away as I realized how much I could relate to her. I’m afraid many of the Mia haters may be put off by her earnestness, or perhaps their inner monologue is perfect and free of overthinking and judgement towards others at all times (/s).
I’m not saying this ten minute talk with Mom made everything okay and turned that awful day into a good one. But it was a good moment. It felt like forgiveness. It didn’t occur to me until later that she might have been asking for ours.
This book, similarly to Miracle Creek, masterfully breaks down issues of sexism, racism, ableism, issues in the justice system, and society’s obsession with true crime stories (myself unfortunately included). Often, the narrator asked blunt and unforgiving questions which spurred self-reflection on my part. I was fascinated and intrigued the entire time. Mia’s scientific mind made for a very interesting read, and I appreciated the resources listed in the author’s note. All in all I would absolutely recommend this book, 5 stars!
Going against the grain here to say I actually enjoyed this book a lot more than Miracle Creek. I LOVED this book (as much as you can love a book about a missing person and his traumatized, nonspeaking, disabled son who witnessed his disappearance).
Listen, I’m a sucker for a good introspective family drama, but this book was so much more than that.
The way Angie Kim so expertly wraps such important conversations and fascinating questions up into stories of family secrets, betrayal, and discovery is genius. It’s done with such care as to draw you in and make you ask your own questions, and think about misconceptions you may have had before reading.
Angie Kim is so adept at getting into the nitty gritty of human thoughts and emotions, at biting through the skin of the apple to expose the rotten core. I loved Mia, how raw and open and unafraid she was as a narrator. Reading from her point of view, as someone who can be occasionally judgmental and pretentious (but ever painfully self aware), is somewhat of a challenge at times, but it makes her character that much more sympathetic. I was at times frustrated with her but eventually my frustration would melt away as I realized how much I could relate to her. I’m afraid many of the Mia haters may be put off by her earnestness, or perhaps their inner monologue is perfect and free of overthinking and judgement towards others at all times (/s).
I’m not saying this ten minute talk with Mom made everything okay and turned that awful day into a good one. But it was a good moment. It felt like forgiveness. It didn’t occur to me until later that she might have been asking for ours.
This book, similarly to Miracle Creek, masterfully breaks down issues of sexism, racism, ableism, issues in the justice system, and society’s obsession with true crime stories (myself unfortunately included). Often, the narrator asked blunt and unforgiving questions which spurred self-reflection on my part. I was fascinated and intrigued the entire time. Mia’s scientific mind made for a very interesting read, and I appreciated the resources listed in the author’s note. All in all I would absolutely recommend this book, 5 stars!
gabriellerza's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0