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A review by n_asyikin_
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting and Fire/Fire injury