"Han.
There was no English equivalent, no translation. It was an overwhelming sorrow and regret, a grief and yearning so deep it pervades your soul - both with a sprinkling of resilience, of hope."

This is a quote from the arc edition. I hope it is in the published version because it so very well sums up the book. Right at the start the reader knows two people have died and others are permanently physically injured. And those that may not be physically injured are emotionally scarred. The entire book is a train wreck of heartbreak. And while theoretically the book is a mystery about who caused the explosion, it is more about unlayering the massive amounts of lies told and secrets kept, even well before the fire. Is there any way the tragedy could have been avoided or was it destined to happen one way or another? Ms. Kim throws the reader into the messiness of the aftermath as everyone involved tries to reground themselves and face their new reality. A very enjoyable read! My only critique was that witnesses were in the courtroom during other testimonies. This wouldn't happen in a real trial, but I understood the need for purposes of the story.

"A court room drama full of tragedy and personal shortcomings"
 
Miracle Creek is a small town that is home to an experimental medical procedure which exposes patience to 100% oxygen for a set period of time. The Yoo family immigrated in America in search of a better life for their only child, Mary.  They made their lively hood orchestrating these theoretic dives in hopes of providing treatment for a spectrum of patience. The Yoo's were not expecting the terrible explosion of the facility which left two dead and numerous injuries. All fingers point at Elizabeth, the mother of one of the deceased patience. This is her murder trial.
 
This novel dips in and out of multiple perspectives giving the reader insight into the thoughts and feelings of each character, while maintaining the cohesiveness of the story. The pace is lovely and the story easy to follow. The story begins as a mystery but too soon the guilty parties become apparent to the reader. However, this does not take away from the plot nor does it deflate the depth of the characters. The author does an exceptional job at creating the trail atmosphere and staying true to the legal system. I wish that Kim that stuck more towards an big unveiling and given more gusto to certain characters, but all in all this was a very enjoyable read that kept me engaged and wanting more.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well crafted court room drama.

Every chapter in this amazing debut will change your mind about who is the person who set the fire which killed Kitt and Henry. Every chapter. Told in alternating third person perspectives, it's the story of the Yoo family and their hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which they use off label to treat autism and, in Matt's case, male infidelity. An explosion upends everyone's lives - those of the Yoos, Matt, Elizabeth, Teresa, and the rest. Each narrator is more unreliable than the next and there are so so many lies. You honestly don't know who to trust here. Kim has created some indelible images- what Matt saw with Henry and then the impact on Matt's hands come to mind in particular. The subject matter is tough but the writing sings through. It's a taut, tense read that keeps you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This deserves the praise it has received- it's a true page turner. I'm looking forward to Kim's next.

WOW!!! Add Miracle Creek to your NOT TO BE MISSED list now; I mean right now – go on, do it now, I’ll wait… This is one of the best books I’ve read this year, no, I take that back – it’s one of the best books I’ve read. Period. It deserves every one of my five stars and more.

In Miracle Creek, Angie Kim has written an extraordinary contemporary novel/courtroom drama/suspense/character-driven book. It’s a book you won’t be able to forget easily.

I won’t repeat the details given in the book description, other than to say strangers are brought together by hope for a miracle cure (via a hyperbaric oxygen chamber) for a wide range of conditions and face unexpected horror and tragedy instead when the chamber explodes with six people inside it. While telling this fascinating story, Kim covers a wide range of topics including immigrants trying to make a place for themselves, the availability and cost of medical care, societal prejudices, the rawness of being a care-giver to a special needs child and the toll it takes, relationships of all kinds, and moral and legal ethics. Each subject is handled very well.

This book grabbed me on page one and held me spell-bound throughout. I love how deep and fully-developed each character is, how very real and relatable Kim makes each of them, showing their good traits and flaws, and their secrets. I love that the reader gets to know the back story of every character.

The courtroom drama of the trial is extremely compelling. Just when you are convinced you know who is responsible for the incident, something is brought up that turns your head in a different direction altogether. You will find that happening again and again. It turns out that there are several of the characters with viable motives to destroy the chamber.

I love watching how the characters internally process information as it is presented to them, and how they deal with their moral dilemmas.

I love that I was surprised by the ending. That’s hard to do, but I love it when an author carries it off!

In truth, I love everything about this book. This author is now definitely on my watch list. I’ll read everything she writes.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Sarah Crichton Books for allowing me to read an ARC of Miracle Creek in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Courtroom drama? I'm in! What a fantastic book!

Pak, Young and Mary Yoo, immigrants from Korea, open a wellness clinic called the "Miracle Submarine", a Hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, believed to cure a variety of health issues, autism, infertility, etc.
Elizabeth, the mother of Henry, an 8 year old boy with autism, is on trial for setting fire to the oxygen chamber causing the death of two people, including Henry, and injuring 4 others. Mary is left in a coma, while Pak is left paralyzed and in a wheelchair after trying to rescue his patients. Accident or murder ?

The trial and courtroom scenes along with the attorneys battling it out made for an entertaining read. I loved Shannon! It is now a year after the tragedy and the trial has begun. As you hear from the different characters, secrets are slowly revealed. Everyone seems to have a different story to tell and secrets they would rather keep hidden!

A great book! 5 stars! I would love to read more by this author!

Thank you so much to Farrar, Straus, Giroux and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, greatly appreciated! 5 stars!

Wow, what an amazing book! I'm not a big fan of courtroom drama but I could not put this book down. It was absolute stunning perfection in every way. My heart is just overflowing with emotions. Kim's writing is hauntingly beautiful. She created flawed, realistic characters and family relationships that were far from perfect. So many twists that you have no idea how it is going to end. It personally made me think about my own parenting style. If you can make it through this one without shedding a tear, hats off to you.

I definitely recommend this book to all and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for a copy of Angie Kim's "Miracle Creek" in exchange of an honest review.

I initially thought the courtroom literary thriller type plot sounded intriguing. Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental submarine called The Miracle Submarine and one day, after leaving Young in charge of the session, Pak disappears and the submarine explodes with people in it. Was this intentional? If so, who would have the motive to do this and why? While I was interested in finding out these questions, the narration of the story, from various points of view came across as mostly a whole lot of telling. Each person told the story of their pasts, how they came to be in the Miracle Submarine program etc. While there was an underlying question of who's telling the truth, I found the structure boring, the courtroom scenes underwhelming, and overall just couldn't connect with any of the characters. This one wasn't for me.

4.5 stars

Wow, what a story! This book surprised me in so many ways, which is something I didn’t expect going into it after reading the summary. On the surface, this looked like a typical mystery / thriller but with a unique premise – a hyperbaric oxygen therapy procedure gone horribly wrong and subsequently a young single mother gets put on trial for murder – yet a few chapters in, it became apparent that there was nothing “typical” about this story. In fact, I had a hard time categorizing this book, as it’s one of those stories that starts off with a crime committed – in this case, a fire that was set, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries – but as the facts about the case are debated in court and each character gets to tell their side of the story from their perspective, the narrative evolves into much more than just an exercise in determining guilt or innocence in order to solve a case. Rather, the story becomes a deeper exploration of various issues and experiences that many of us deal with in real life: the complexities of relationships, the obligations involved with marriage and parenthood, the bonds of family, morality and ethics as it pertains to how one deals with incurable medical conditions, etc. – throw into that mix a truly resonant immigrant story, one that gets to the heart of the Asian immigrant experience in terms of culture, acceptance, identity, and the effect this experience can have on those who live it every day. There was a lot of depth to the story as well as to the characters, all of whom I felt that I could relate to and connect with in one way or another, despite coming from a completely different background and, with a few of the characters, not sharing any experiences in common.

This was a book that I found very hard to put down, to the point that I very nearly finished it in one sitting except for the fact that I needed to sleep for a few hours in order for my brain to properly function so I reluctantly had to finish reading in 2 sittings instead. It still amazes me that this is the author Angie Kim’s debut novel, as this was so well-written and the individual threads of the story were woven together so seamlessly, there’s no doubt in my mind about her talent as a writer. I’m typically not a fan of books where courtroom dramas are front and center, as I tend to find them too drawn out and confusing, but this one was very well done, with a perfect balance of twists and turns as the trial went on with the cleverly placed backstories that kept me constantly second-guessing each character’s involvement leading up to the incident. The ending was surprising and not anything at all like what I expected, yet made perfect sense with the way the story played out.

In interviews and articles, the author talks about her family’s own experience with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which she incorporated into the narrative alongside additional research that gave the story an altogether authentic feel. At times, I felt like I was reading about a real-life court case involving real-life people — a criminal case written so convincingly, I had to remind myself time and again that this was a work of fiction. The realistic nature of the story compelled me to immediately go online after I finished the book so I could find out more about the author and also get some additional background on what I had read.

This is a book you want to go into knowing as little as possible and just let the story take you where it leads. With that in mind, I don’t want to say too much more other than give yourself sufficient time to read this one because once you pick it up, you most likely won’t want to put it down!

Received ARC from Sarah Crichton Books (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) via NetGalley

Well-paced novel that centers around a crime but isn't crime fiction. (Also is not yet another Gone Girl imitation!) Wonderful use of rotating points of view and a very rich exploration of family dynamics.

This is definitely perfectly described as a literary, legal drama. This book took me a little longer than normal to get into, only because I am a criminal attorney and sometimes reading about what I do in my job was exhaustinggg. However, that aside, this book was completely beautiful and engaging. It gave me Little Fires Everywhere vibes in how we got to see so many glimpses into the lives of the people surrounding this trial and tragedy; also in how the book really made you think in terms of "what would I do in this situation" and "what is the right thing to do." Overall, a strong and thought provoking book!!

“Miracle Submarine” is a smart, perceptive, highly addictive courtroom procedural that offers much more than the customary plot of the whodunnit novel. At its center is a Korean immigrant family struggling to make its American dream come true in a small Virginia town by marketing a pressurized oxygen chamber – the Miracle Submarine – to people desperate for a cure of a variety of medical issues. Most are parents of autistic children, and one of them is accused of murdering her 8-year-old son and another mother by causing an explosion at the experimental facility.
The novel deftly seesaws between the trial and the experiences of the main characters, exploring issues of race, immigration, disability, marriage, family, and even smoking as drivers in the evolving mystery. It offers particularly compelling insights into the challenges faced by the mothers of autistic and disabled children, who are not always the heroines society presumes them to be.
The overarching theme is how complicated lies are to maintain – big lies, little lies, lies about relationships, money, identity, and yes, even smoking. But staying silent is just as bad, as becomes clear when all the pieces fall into place. It is the silence that destroys friendships and families and becomes a cancer eating away at the central character’s soul.
Angie Kim is a gorgeous writer, and her background as a Korean immigrant, trial lawyer, and parent elucidates this taut page-turner. She takes her place in the literary crime genre right alongside Celeste Ng and Kate Atkinson.
Thank you Sarah Crichton Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ERC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It excels on several levels. First and foremost, as a courtroom drama. This was probably my favorite part. I loved the drama. And many times, as the reader, you didn't know what the person testifying was going to say until they said it. Kim did a great job revealing just enough to the reader throughout the story to let you know what's going on and keep you interested, but yet she withheld enough that time and time again there were surprising revelations. That's a hard line to walk but she managed it! Kim also did a great job with character development. There are many key characters in this story and I feel like she did an excellent job at fleshing them out - giving them depth and making them feel real. Really well done!

<b>Miracle Creek</b> is set up as a court room drama, with added mystery and quite a few families under Angie Kim's literary microscope. Central to the story are the Yoos, a Korean immigrant family. Pak, Young and their daughter Mary run Miracle Submarine - a hyperbaric oxygen tank used to treat different diseases. Most of their patients are young children suffering from autism. The only adult is Matt Thompson who is being treated for infertility. One evening there is a terrible explosion at Miracle Submarine that leaves two dead and many more injured. Pak is paralyzed. Matt loses the use of his hand. Mary's face is permanently disfigured. These physical burdens are nothing compared to the emotional scars of the victims or the secrets and lies that threaten the fabric of their families.

On trial is the mother of the young boy who died that day. What would possess a mother to kill her only son? Was her motive attention or freedom? Elizabeth's suspicions of the protesters may be well founded but are they correct? Did Pak commit this heinous act in an attempt to defraud his insurance company? Kim keeps you guessing and questioning until the bitter end. Usually this is a recipe for a very good mystery. But what makes <b>Miracle Creek</b> exceptional is that Kim manages to give depth to a host of characters exposing their flaws and revealing their secrets so that at the end no one is blameless and all bear some of the guilt of this tragic event.

I was pleasantly surprised by this debut.
I understand why <b>Miracle Creek</b> is garnering so much critical acclaim and media attention and look forward to reading more works by Angie Kim.

<i>Special thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux Sarah Crighton Books and Angie Kim for advanced access to this book.</i>

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

This was so-so for me. I didn't really get into it and figure out who was who till about 30/40% in, there are a few people to try and keep straight. I was able to figure out the who (so that was a bummer) but not the why so that was good. I loved the courtroom setting!

Miracles are the stuff people dream about, for love, money, freedom, and often cures for serious illness.
A Korean family were dreamers, for a better life in America and they made it happen. Young and Pak Yoo worked hard to get to the USA, and their dream was for their daughter, Meh-hee-yah, to attend a good college and live a good life. Meh-hee-yah changed her name to Mary early on to fit into her school. The family worked tirelessly to succeed.

Eventually, Young and Pak opened an alternative treatment center known as the HBOT, a vessel that delivered hyperbaric oxygen therapy. People desperate for solutions to conditions not responding to traditional scientific methods like autism and infertility turned to oxygen therapy for help. Some people thought it was working, and others did not.

On a hot summer night in August 2008, the chamber caught fire and blew up, killing two patients and severely injuring others. The novel describes the court trial that followed. The story with background on each person involved is a heartfelt story of disappointment and loss. Beware of miracles; they could become nightmares. Nina Kim has succeeded in bringing me into a complex courtroom drama.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Miracle Creek checks a lot of boxes for me - family drama, a whodunnit, court room proceedings, great characters and excellent writing. The family featured is a Korean immigrant family who runs an experimental medical business that people seek "treatments" for who have autism, infertility and other life altering "ailments". This course of treatment is highly controversial for some and when a fire is responsible for killing two people during a treatment, a murder investigation begins and fingers are pointing everywhere.

It took me about 100 pages to get into the rhythm, but once I found my footing I couldn't tear my eyes away (unless I was forced to since I can't read all day and night 😉). The court room scenes were <b>riveting</b> and I felt like I was there. Picture your favorite court room drama on TV - this was just as good. When the reader wasn't in the court room, we were treated to flashbacks that delved into each characters side of the story, which gave new information to what we already knew. Angie Kim was very clever in her writing, which made it difficult to figure out who started the fire.

If court rooms scenes, or criminal investigations don't quite pique your interest, there is plenty here in the likes of literary fiction, where we go behind the scenes to parents who are literally a slave to their children's lives. There are plenty of discussion pieces here, which make this a perfect book club choice. I highly recommend this and can't wait for Ms. Kim to write her next book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Angie Kim for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Review Date: 4/7/19
Publication Date: 4/16/19

Three stars for Miracle Creek by Angie Kim. There’s plenty of twists and turns in this book to keep you guessing until the end. Each of the characters has a piece of the story, and most are withholding the truth for their own personal benefit. Where I struggled with this story was the obvious gimmick of withholding the truth from the reader specifically to litter “aha” moments throughout the story - it felt less organic to the narrative and more like the book was being written for shock value. I started and stopped reading this for months before finally finishing, and ultimately I felt a bit unfulfilled.

What an impressive debut! This legal drama gripped me immediately and kept my attention throughout many twists and turns. It's told from the perspective of a variety of characters connected to the fire and explosion at Miracle Submarine, an alternative therapy that involves breathing in pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Elizabeth Ward, whose son died in the fire, is charged with setting it, but as we follow the other characters during her trial, it becomes clear that everyone is keeping secrets. Besides the mystery, this book addresses a number of heavy issues, and is full of feels, especially near the end. Highly recommended!

Move over John Grisham and William Landay, there is a new girl in town, her name is Angie Kim and she can write a court room drama just as good or possibly better than you, plus I haven’t read a mystery who dun-it as good as this one since Cormoran Strike hit the stands by Robert Galbraith and we all know who Robert Galbraith is.
I was absolutely blown away by this new author, read this book in just a couple days cause I couldn’t wait to get back to it and didn’t want to put it down when I did. Pak, Young, Mary, Matt, Janine, Elizabeth, Teresa, Henry, TJ and all the others. Wow oh Wow. “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
This is just about as close to a perfect story as it could be, we follow along on a cat and mouse chase with just a few little tidbits to make us think we are on the right trail, and then she changes the game and we are off on another tangent. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, read this novel, it will be well worth your while and you could learn a whole lot about the emotional roller coasters of parents with autistic or mentally challenged children and the lengths they may go to for help. Plus the ramifications of what can happen with just a little white lie.
Do we ever take the time to sit back, look at our lives and think about those pivotal moments that changed the course of our destiny, was it a missed turn in the road, or was it really supposed to happen all along unbeknownst to us.
Highly recommend!!! I was given an advanced copy from Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Sarah Crichton Books through Net Galley for my honest review, this one gets a HIGH 5*****’s.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim is a clever courtroom drama that goes between past and present with each chapter a different perspective. When a "miracle submarine" that is supposed to be an oxygen therapy tank to cure everything from infertility to autism starts on fire two people are killed. The fire is confirmed arson but who set the fire and why is the story that unravels throughout the book.

It has been awhile since I read a good courtroom thriller so I was excited to read this book. I felt like the story was complex and interesting. I wouldn't say this was a quick read for me but I enjoyed how all the pieces slowly came together throughout the book and I didn't mind that it took me a little longer to read it. I liked how the characters seemed realistic and how the author explored how parents of children with special needs feel during day to day therapies exhaustion that goes along with their care. I would recommend this book to people who like complicated family relationships, mysteries, and courtroom dramas.