Miracle Creek is so much more than a courtroom drama. 

The trial itself is merely the impetus for weaving all the different strands of the story together. Not to say that what happens in the courtroom isn't important, but the true heart of the story is divided among so many viewpoints that the trial works as the hub, helping to differentiate what happened to whom and when. 

This character-centric novel isn't just about families and love. It's about all the ways families hurt each other because of, not just in spite of, that love. This book was so heartbreaking because of how honest it was willing to be. 

I was particularly taken in by the dynamics of the Yoo family, because I'm not very familiar with Korean culture, and it was interesting to struggle past seeing things through my very American lens and empathize fully with the Yoos. 

The prose is superb. My heart was being pulled in so many different directions, and I felt so many varying emotions, but most of all, I just loved reading it because it was so well written. It was as if I were truly seeing through the eyes of each person individually.

Miracle Creek is one my top ten books of the year, and certainly one of my top literary fiction books this year. I cannot recommend it highly enough. 

Just don't forget the tissues.

This book is one of the better books when it comes to courtroom drama. Some books use language that loses me but this one was very well thought out and made total sense throughout. It had great characters that I was able to connect to and that always makes for a great story! This is my first book by Angie Kim but it will not be my last. I enjoyed it okay. I didn’t love it but I didn’t dislike it either. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mark my words - this WILL be literary fiction breakout hit of 2019. Miracle Creek is a stunning novel, beautifully written, poignant & captivating from page one. Kim’s debut touches on so many relevant topics - autism, infertility, immigration and others that I will not mention for spoiler purposes - however, at no point does it ever feel like too much has been crammed in or that anything doesn’t fit. I was gripped reading this book - a mother on trial for murdering her autistic son because he was “just too much” to handle. But did she do it? The secrets that are revealed over the course of the trial are shocking but the discovery of what people are capable of is even more so.

While I was intrigued by this title, upon starting it I realized that it was not my personal cup of tea. It looks like an excellent book, just not "for me." The intensity of the subject matter was more than I expected.

Wow!!! This book is superbly written courtroom drama that examines Life's Big Questions with empathy and leaves you spinning. Trust me, this is one you don't want to miss—it's going to be huge!! Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

WOW what a book! I didn’t know what to expect from Miracle Creek as I have never read Angie Kim before but wow this def will not be the last book I read from her!
Miracle Creek is a beautifully written complex story dealing with autism and the after math brought on by a horrible, tragic “accident”. Angie Kim’s writing is so amazing. I was instantly drawn into the story and didn’t want to put down my kindle.
Miracle Creek is a must read! I look forward to reading more from Angie!

*Many thanks to Angie Kim, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
When I requested this title, I had no idea what to expect. After eading Miracle Creek I know one thing: I'll follow Angie Kim and reach out for her next book.
Miracle Creek is a courtroom drama and a thiller telling a story of an explosion that kills a child and an adult, and leaves several people injured. The tragic circumstance is that Miracle Submarine provides an unconventional treatment for several chronic diseases, autism among others, and is operated by Korean immigrant family who, having lived in the USA for some years, still are trying to find their way in the new surroundings. There are several characters and we learn gradually the truth, which is a perfect way of narrating a story, at least for me. I enjoy discovering new threads with every page, and Miracle Creek leads me meandering beautifully.
Truly unputdownable!!

Miracle Creek is a gripping, psychologically complex novel about the unintended consequences of a person's mistakes.

I could not put this book down.

"Miracle Creek" starts with, what appears to be a simple mystery: Miracle Submarine is a pressurized oxygen chamber and is meant to help people with autism and infertility. In 2008, someone lit a match underneath the oxygen tank during a dive and the result was catastrophic: a child, and an adult death.

One year later the trail starts and the case seems straight forwards. However, as the story progresses things become more twisted. At first, you are on the side of the Yoo family and, of course, the defendant must be the guilty! Then it becomes apparent that the Young has lied, it changes little in the overall story but you begin to wonder as more and more cracks become visible.

In the end, you don't know on which side you are on anymore: When you hear the accusers sides it makes perfect sense but then the defense, it makes perfect sense as well. Halfway through, you don't even care about picking a side because it all became a mess and you can't find your way through it.

The different point of views do not take anything away from the mystery. It often adds a little piece of information to the riddle until everything falls into place at the very end. Even though, the ending is unexpected, it is not a plot twist that feels unnatural.

In addition, it adds another layer to each character. While Elizabeth may seem heartless through Young's eyes, when reading her story line she turns from a heartless monster who killed her child into a mother who is exhausted and at the brink of losing her sanity when the trail starts.

Not one person seemed to be underdeveloped as a character to me. We are given an insight into what motivates them or holds them back. Especially in the Yoo family Korean norms play a big role: Young had always been thought that as the woman she has to be quiet and a background character while Pak is the leader of the family and his orders need to be obeyed.

Korean norms, immigration and the racism that, sadly, goes along with it also play a role in "Miracle Creek." It does not set out to be a political book but neither does it beautify the toxic ideas surrounding Korean women and the hardship of immigration.

What caught me off guard was how beautifully written "Miracle Creek" is. It is eloquent, emphatic, and heartfelt. The story is not a bright one, and not a page-turner in the traditional sense. Instead, it is like a painting that depicts a tragic scene but the brush work is stunning and you can't help but stare.

This is "Miracle Creek" - a beautiful and sad painting but you spend hours in front of it because it casts a spell over you.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Miracle Creek is an immersive, complex, psychological courtroom drama. The author peels back the characters and their motivations in layers, each one revealing more of their part in the initial tragedy until you reach the end. At each turn you think you know who is involved and why, but the author is masterful in taking you down the road only to send you off in a new direction. A great debut!

I struggled a bit in the beginning to really get into Miracle Creek, i wasn't gripped by any of the characters a the start.
However, as the story unfolded i was drawn in and unable to stop reading. So many lies, by so many people, for such different reasons.
Each twist of the story line was unpredictable and i would never have guessed the outcome.
well written and original plot.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Sarah Crichton Books for this e-ARC. I posted a review for a different book here by mistake and now can't delete it. I have read Miracle Creek and love it very much, but I haven't written a review yet. Thank you so much for understanding. And thank you again for making this wonderful book available in advance of publication. I'm very much looking forward to the book's publication date! Thank you again.

I was riveted all the way through this tragic and tightly woven courtroom drama. I can't say I've ever seen a book that blends legal intrigue and character development so seamlessly. The author mentioned she would be able to Skype with book club at my library - MIRACLE CREEK is sure to be a favorite! I'm rooting for a LibraryReads pick!

This is probably one of the best courtroom dramas I've ever read. Having hardly any idea of what the book was about, I found myself totally engrossed after only a few chapters in.

Elizabeth, a mother of an autistic boy is on trial for setting a fire to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber 'Miracle Submarine', causing the death of two people, including her son, and seriously injuring 4 other patients. The miracle submarine clinic is run by a Korean family who moved to the States for a better life. When the tragedy strikes, their wealth is destroyed and the father of the family ends up in a wheelchair. It becomes obvious very quickly that the case is not as straightforward as it first appeared. Each person involved in the fire tragedy is hiding something, protecting their own interests, not realising that the things they are hiding are crucial in uncovering the truth.

The chapers switch between different POVs slowly revealing new bits of information to gradually piece together the events preceding the tragedy. This is done in such a clever way that with each chapter I thought I knew who the criminal was, only to completely change my mind a chapter later, and then do it all over again!

I was very impressed with Angie Kim's ability to handle difficult subject matters with so much authenticity. The portrayal of the hardship of a Korean family moving to the States was heartbreaking and felt very real as the author was drawing upon her own experience. Reading about the struggles of the mothers with children with autism was emotional and again it felt very real.

I think this is a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Angie Kim.

4.5* Great debut novel. Excellent character development. I loved the way the author pulled treatment of autism/special needs issues into the conversation- keeping it real, as well as the issues of an immigrant family from Seoul making their way in America.

AS far as the mystery went... I was never sure til the end and actually, there was so much blame to go around, it kind of didn't matter who lit the match.

Looking forward to more from Angie Kin.

Miracle Creek is the story of struggle which as we know, comes in many forms. Immigration, integration, fertility challenges, inter-racial marriage, special needs parenting, loss, financial struggles, and marital issues. These issues are all explored and part of the big picture in Miracle Creek. My favorite aspect of this book is the courtroom drama which we see unfold one year after the tragedy at Miracle Submarine. The lawyers are fiery, and the secrets they reveal are explosive. The characters in this book all have secrets which makes it so much fun to read even when you are reading about tragic events.
I loved this book so much, that when I finished it at 2am, I sent Angie Kim a message to tell her how amazing it was. I don't give my 5 Star ratings out too often, but Miracle Creek deserves every one of those stars.
* I loved how each character had their own back story.
*I loved how the courtroom drama writing was intelligently written and kept me wanting more.
*I loved how I couldn't figure out what the heck actually happened the entire time I was reading so that FINALLY a book ending surprised me.
*I loved how Angie Kim wove details about the struggles immigrants face and the reasons that they choose to come here in spite of the challenges they know they will face. It really puts into perspective just how tough it must be to uproot your life and move somewhere when you can't even speak the native language.
*I loved how rich of a story this was. I was hooked from the beginning, and never felt let down.

"Miracle Creek" is one of those books that I piqued my interest based on cover and title alone. When I found out it was a court room thriller, I kicked myself for requesting it from the publisher. I don't like thrillers! What was I doing with this book?! After I was approved for a e-book of the novel, I perused the reviews to mentally prepare myself. So many said it was a fantastic book that I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be a decision I don't regret at all. 


Reasons you should read Miracle Creek:
1. It's a court-room thriller, so the book spans a week-long trial via different perspectives of the players involved. There are a number of flashbacks that are perfectly timed to slowly piece the "who dunnit" together. The book is never boring, and you will find yourself quickly turning the pages. 

2. The further I got into the book, the less I actually cared about who committed the crime. I simply wanted to know what was happening with each character during the explosion and what their inner dialogue and motives were for the events that took place before and after. In other words, I really cared about the characters. I had sympathy for all of them and rooted for them. That's pretty impressive to do in a 300-page book with a bunch of different perspectives! 

3. The author clearly knows her stuff: the entire trial felt authentic (...which it should, the author is a lawyer!) and all of the autism discussion was thorough, interesting, and again, felt real (the author has personal experience with hyperbaric oxygen chambers and their use with autism). It made the read not only exciting, because you wanted to solve the mystery, but also interesting, because I was able to learn something. 

4. There is a raw honesty to the perspectives in this book, and I loved it. Thoughts we all have had (or thoughts I can believe people would have) are explored and laid bare. And the best part is, you can't hate the characters for their flaws. They're just too human. Instead, you feel a strong sympathy.


Final rating: 4/5 stars
The only reason it's not 5 stars is because thriller/mystery isn't my genre. I will never love a thriller as much as my favorite genres. That being said, this is by far one of the best thrillers I have ever read and would HIGHLY recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim, was a book that I didn't want to put down because the author made me care about these people who are nothing like me. It's the story of Korean immigrants, Young and Pak Yoo, who run the Miracle Submarine, a pressurized oxygen chamber that is used by young patients with a variety of health issues. It's also being used, unwillingly, by an adult doctor, Matt, whose Korean wife railroads him into being the first adult to go through the treatments, in an effort to cure his infertility. Although there are other treatments each day, the book focuses on a group that is undergoing twice a day treatments, for 40 days.

One of the patients is Henry, an 8 year old autistic boy, son of Elizabeth, who has tailored very hour of their day, full of treatments, therapies, camp, and very restrictive eating and sensory input, to give her son the best chance of being a "normal' boy. When there is a fire that kills Henry and Kitt, the mother of TJ, and severely injures Matt and Mary, the daughter of Young and Pak Yoo, Elizabeth is charged with the crime of starting the fire and murdering Henry and Kitt. Pak loses the use of his legs as he run in and out of the chamber, trying to save the lives of all the people under his care, people who he feels he is responsible for and is willing to give his life to save.

This book is about lies, big lies, little lies, and the belief that it's ok to lie because telling the truth can't bring back the dead, that maybe the person accused of murder might not have murdered anyone but she had thoughts of wishing her son dead at times, as might other full time caretakers, with no relief in sight from care taking a helpless "forever" child that will outlive them. Even though each of the characters had secrets, most of them also had my sympathy. The Yoos were weighed down by traditions from their homeland that didn't allow them to "discuss" things with each other, that kept them trying to protect the pride of the father, even though some of those archaic ways caused the daughter to dislike her mother for not fighting against those traditions.

The many lies of the story started long before the day of the fire and so many of the people involved, once they start telling tiny bits of the truth, continue to lie, hold back information, allowing others to believe things that are false. A large part of the book is in the courtroom and I really enjoyed the courtroom drama. Both lawyers are willing to do anything to either get their client acquitted or get the accused convicted, even if they find out or know truths that make what they are doing extremely wrong and unethical. At any time, many of the characters could have told what they knew and turned the entire case around, inside out, and shed light on what really happened but they didn't, even when they had moments where telling the truth would have been the easiest thing to do.

The hardships that the Yoos endure in the years before they begin their chamber business are overwhelming but even once they are together again, after years of being apart while waiting for their family visa, the family is not happy. The mothers of the children using the chamber had a lifetime of hardship ahead of them and each mother fights with the guilt of sometimes wishing they could have a minute to themselves, dreaming of a 'normal' life, a life so many of us take for granted because we aren't full time caretakers, for life. There seems to be no relief in sight for most of these people and it's clear that once this is all "over", that no one will really be able to let go of the fact that they lied...their lies will always be with them.

As we meet the various people involved in what happened that day and as we go through the trial, we are flooded with the extent of the lies that have led to the fire. So many things had to come together to allow the fire to happen and any one of those things could have happened differently or not at all and then this tragedy would not have happened. In the end, this book is about facing ones role in what has happened, acknowledging one’s part in the tragedy, big or little, taking responsibility in how we hurt others even if we did not mean to at the time and how we continue to hurt others by holding back the truth.

So much that happened, could never be "fixed" but I do like how the story is handled at the end. I think the ending has a realness to it that we sometimes don't find in crime stories. The ending doesn't make what happened disappear but instead plays out in a realistic way that allows the characters of the book to make amends and have room to breathe in a life that could seem unbearable otherwise. I can see a way for these people to heal and move on, even if they never forget the past and even though their lives are changed forever.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for this Advance Read Copy.

Thank Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This was a great read. Different type of suspense, and still very suspenseful. The characters were well thought out, and easily relatable! The ending felt rushed, or rather just abrupt. Still a great court room suspense story!

Straight up I loved this book! The description hooked me in because it sounded interesting and I love anything that sounds like it might have a twist in it. When you start you’re thrown right into the main plot point and just as the situation must be confusing for the characters, it’s confusing for you as a reader, BUT that’s a good thing because as the story starts to unravel you start to make sense of it. As it’s a book based around a medical condition/s it can be a little technical in places but not in a way that would alienate anyone and just enough that you can understand their significance to the story line.

All in all it’s a story of intrigue, relationships, secrets and lies all with a crime wrapped up in the middle. You’ll get to the end still trying to guess who did it and why. I’d highly recommend it as I couldn’t put it down and was so happy to find a book where I couldn’t fully work out the twist until it happened.