This book is unique, perceptive, and will draw you into the twists and turns of the story of Miracle Submarine. An searingly accurate portrayal of the complex and often dangerous relationships between not only members of the same family, but those that fall into orbit around them. I have to admit that the plot blindsided me and had me guessing about the 'bad guy' up until the last few pages, and it ended up being one of those books that you're trying to read over your cornflakes as you attempt to reach the end faster.

The story follows the Yoo family, a Korean mother father and daughter who recently immigrated to small town USA from Seoul. The dynamic between all the members of te family is so well written, showing those little nuances between people that often gets skimmed over. Their business, 'Miracle Submarine', is an alternative treatment for myriad illnesses, and attracts a number of varied characters to their therapy barn. When a terrible accident happens, it falls upon a court case to determine who perpetrated the crime, and what their motives were. As you can imagine, the intricate reasons and actions that lead to the accident unfold throughout, and will skew your judgement of the characters many times. The way she shows a variety of different 'crimes' from both sides of the coin can really make you think more carefully about how you view the characters she's created.

I found the portrayal of life as the carer of a disabled child really intruiging, and thought it was apt that at times it could make for difficult reading. It does make me wonder if Kim talked to any carers in the research of this book and if that helped in the creation of this dark, and at times problematic, feeling towards ones own child. Kim writes the breadth of human emotion so eloquently and incisively, and as a result this book really does yank unapologetically at your heartstrings. I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.

This was an unusual book told from many different viewpoints which I enjoy. It centres around an explosion in a treatment tank which led to fatalities, details of which are quite disturbing. Very moving story.

While the subject matter of a young single mother accused of killing her autistic son is pretty challenging to read, the novel certainly is engaging throughout. With a multitude of characters, it may be a slow burn for some but given the topic, Kim truly treats it with the credit and respect it deserves.

Angie Kim is a compelling new voice in contemporary fiction. This is one of the most unusual books I’ve read in that it covers numerous themes from the perspective of a Korean immigrant to the US.

The story starts off with a hyperbaric submarine set up in Miracle Creek by a Korean Dr and his wife . They offer therapeutic treatment. It all goes horribly wrong and the sub explodes. What follows is, in essence, a courtroom drama which explores events and culpability. It’s really well written and I found it difficult to put down. The characters are different, particularly the Koreans and I found their insight into how their life changed in the USA very plausible. Those involved are equally believable. There’s no deranged killer on the loose, it’s a tale of human frailty and the consequences.

Very different, well paced and I’d love to read more by this outstanding new author. My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Thanks to Net Galley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a superb debut novel with a lot happening. There is courtroom drama, family secrets and lies, a couple who also have secrets from one another. A web of lies lies and more lies.
The story also tells of the challenges and demands of having a child with autism and the strong female relationships that can be built between the mothers including envy and jealousy.
A Korean family are running an experimental treatment centre, a pressurised oxygen chamber where patients take dives twice a day in the desperate hope of curing autism, a young male doctor is also using the oxygen chamber in the hope of curing his infertility
A fire causes the chamber to explode with devastating fatalities, the death of an autistic child and the death of a mother of one of the other children.
Who started the fire, who was smoking and using matches near the oxygen chamber, who is to blame for this tragic accident? Was it an accident? A year later the mother of the boy who died is on trial for murder. The lies and secrets then start to unravel for all involved, stories keep changing as everyone has something to hide.
Very well written, a super read which keeps the reader turning the pages.

Although not a book that I could get into, it was a decently written book. Some suspense but few surprises.

This book started really well, but then somewhere around the 10% mark it fizzled out.

It was sloppy in its time shifts, the characters were all terrible, and (sorry to be blunt here) I was bored out of my brains. Felt for the victims, but could not care less about the result.

I was expecting a fast-paced courtroom drama, with zingy discoveries, leading to the finale...but yikes there was a lot of nothing on the way to the point.

I’m definitely in the minority on this one, but I just could not get into it. DNF around 37%

Many thanks to Angie Kim, Hodder and Stoughton, and NetGalley, for the invitation to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is based in the courtroom as Elizabeth, parent of a child who died in a horrific explosion, is tried for murder. Over the course of th book, different characters and their stories unfold, explaining why they have acted as they did. It amazed me how many people lied! And the reasons people give to justify those lies: this would be a great area of discussion for book clubs. Many parents will empathise with parts of Elizabeth and Teresa's conversations. It also taught me things I didn't know about immigrant families, and some of the traditions and values of South Koreans. I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.

I Loved this book!! I enjoy books that contain courtroom drama. This book was interesting because it dealt with immigrants and autism. I was really drawn into the book and look forward to more books by this author. i definitely ordered this book for the library!

Miracle Creek concerns a group of people affected by a tragic “accident” when trying an alternative medical treatment which ends in the tragic loss of life. This leads to a courtroom drama that slowly unravels how it has affected the people involved, what inspired those people to take part in the medical treatment and ultimately what happened the night of the explosion with everybody’s secrets coming to light.

This was an excellent debut read; but please understand, this is not your standard mystery as there's so much more going on that demands to be appreciated. This is one of those reads you need to know you're in the mood for reading – if you’re wanting to read a quick and high-octane mystery/thriller, this is not that. This has layers and layers of emotion piled on top of the overarching mystery-drama, that connects every plot development and character to make this story deeply engaging.

The characters, some more likeable than others, all play their roles in defining this as a stellar read. This is achieved by alternating perspectives, which illustrate the different angles of the book's mystery and sub-plots, the individual characteristics and lifestyles of said characters.
However, at times it was quite difficult to read through the personal chapters. I didn't find reading about the characters' personal lives to the extent they were explored, at all interesting. I had to fight the urge to skim read those pages – and it didn’t help that I felt the culprit was pretty obvious from the offset.

Nonetheless, this is definitely a book where you have to persevere with the dull bits, to appreciate and enjoy the great bits it has; such as the depth and exploration of humanity, family, friendships, cultures and so on. This, combined with the compelling courtroom scenes, massively compensates for any impatience with the book's fluctuating pace. Without a doubt, the payoff was well worthwhile for me because the story is well devised.

Overall, I read within a week and I'm rating this 4 stars. I cannot dismiss the early issues with my delayed investment, but by the story's end, I had shed tears. The chapters that mainly focused on the courtroom drama were exciting and lively. From the very start, to the middle, and then the end with the building climax, the story unfolds piece by piece, to cement the reader's appreciation. To use the analogy the author herself uses within the story; the plot comes together like jigsaw pieces; neat, correct and everything connecting to finish the puzzle and reveal a remarkable work. Miracle Creek is truly a profound and riveting read, that I recommend to those who like mystery-dramas.
Thank you kindly to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

A wonderful courtroom thriller. A gripping start with a surprising twist. As the court case evolves a collection of backstories arise all giving doubt to Elizabeth on trial for murder. I loved learning about Young and Pak, hard working, Korean immigrants looking to give daughter Mary a better life in America but is it really? A series of events leads to the most tragic result and all involved seem to have paved the way. A great read.

4.5 stars

Miracle Creek is a courtroom drama with a difference. The Yoo family, Korean immigrants, are owners of a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy business (HBOT) which explodes causing the death of two of the patients. The mother of one of the victims, Elizabeth, is accused of starting a fire with the intent to murder. However, her defence lawyer claims that Pak and the Yoo family caused the accident in order to commit insurance fraud. The court case which ensues attempts to find out what really happened to cause the fire.

Although it took me a while to process this book, I have arrived at the same conclusion as most - this is a must read! This is definitely not the kind of book that I would skim through in one sitting. It is quite a dense book as we get to know so many different characters and explore so many themes within the format of a mystery courtroom drama.

I particularly enjoyed the way the book dealt with themes of identity and belonging, and how this can really have a real impact on human behaviour. This is evident in how differently Young, Pak and Mary deal with fitting into their host country as immigrants. It is evident in how Elizabeth, Thresa, Young and Janine cope with the challenges of motherhood (or lack of in Janine’s case) and how being a mother becomes part of your identity. It is also seen in both Pak and Matt and how much of an impact masculinity has on their identity and need to dominate. There are discussions of the impact of caring for someone with a disability, and how this shapes an individual.

The only one criticism I could offer (and why it was 4.5 and not 5) is that because of the large cast of characters/narrators, I didn't feel a connection with any particular character. However, I don't think the book would have been able to adequately explore the themes it set out to if it wasn't written this way.

That being said, with discussions of race, gender, class and disability running throughout and a fantastic plot to get lost in, this is one of my favourite books of the year.


**I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FREE FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

This is without a doubt one of my top books of the year. Just amazing! Will be reviewing on my YouTube channel.

Miracle Creek. Young and Pak Yoo are owners of a submarine used as experimental treatment to help conditions such as autism and other disabilities. The submarine explodes and two people die including a child.

Lots of questions are asked what went wrong, who made a mistake who told the lies what secrets are exposed. This is a gripping story that will keep you hooked.

I really struggled with this book. Some of the reviews meant I expected an amazing read and unfortunately for me it wasn’t. The story seemed endless, it didn’t hold my attention for more than a few pages so it took far longer to read than it should.

It’s probably a great book for others but sadly this wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Initially this book hooked me, fast but then about halfway through things changed for me. Honestly, I ended up feeling irritated by all the possible options of 'who (possibly) dunnit'. All the presenting options (people) began to feel totally contrived and I lost interest. I couldn't wait for the book to end. I didn't really develop empathy for any of the characters and ended up not caring what happened to any of them. I know I'm in the minority with this one as people seem to love it but it just didn't work for me. I was so hoping to love it as many others loved it, sadly, not for me.

Review: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Miracle Creek focuses on an explosion at an experimental therapy site that leaves two dead - autistic child Henry and his mother's friend Kit. In the aftermath, both the patients and site owners wrestle with their feelings over what happened as the court case progresses. 

Angie Kim weaves a fascinating tale, offering the reader sneak peaks into each character's perspective on the tragedy in turn. We aren't trapped in the head of one unreliable narrator and this adds so much depth to the story. Moral debates such as whether Elizabeth's difficulties in parenting her son and hatred of the impact on her life make her a bad person underlie the central tale.  

Some characters, such as Young Yoo and her daughter Mary are incredibly likeable. Others you will quickly grow to despise and hope that they get their comeuppance. 

The twists and turns of this novel made it a great read, as well as a thought-provoking read. I'd recommend it to anyone who would like a fresh take on a courtroom drama.

Miracle Creek is available now from Hodder and Stoughton!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A gripping and memorable courtroom drama with many layers, that will stay with me for a while.

Courtroom and crime dramas aren't my usual fare, but this one was getting so many good reviews, that when I saw it available on Netgalley, I decided to try to get an ARC. I'm glad that I did. This was so interesting, and such an impressive debut!

"My husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn't even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first...."

[book:Miracle Creek|40121959]is set a year after a tragic explosion at a HBOT facility (patients were treated for various conditions through the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy) which killed two and injured others. It was set in a courtroom, but flashed back to the explosion and to before it happened as well. A mother was in court charged with the murder of her son, and the book is written from her Pov plus six others who were there on the day of the explosion.

You may think seven POV's?! But it worked! The writing was so well done, and the characters so well written, that I felt that I knew them all. They all felt so real, with their own secrets, lies and flaws. Each POV was distinctive and important, letting me piece together the many bits of information, and to try to figure out what actually happened on that fateful day. I basically suspected every character at some point in the book! The plot was so complex, but [author:Angie Kim|18035146] wove it all together masterfully, bringing it all to a great conclusion.

[author:Angie Kim|18035146] covered so much during the book, that its difficult to include it all! So many different types of readers will take so many different things from it. She managed to write about the lives of immigrants, struggling to settle in a new country, showing the cultural differences and the poverty and racism which they faced. I could see the sacrifices that the characters had to make for their family, and could tell that the author had been through it herself. The book also highlighted the difficult lives of parents of children with a variety of special needs, which was heart breaking to read about. It looked at marriage, and how important communication is between a couple. How harmful secrets and lies are to a marriage. It looked at disability and special needs, and how complex it can be. Family and how far you should go to protect your child was also a major theme.

The book was complicated and emotional. Every character was lying. Every character had secrets. Every character was hiding something. I felt great sadness reading parts of this, and a great revulsion at other parts, but it was so authentic. <spoiler>I did consider what Matthew did to Mary sexual assault, and it made me feel physically sick. It was assault.</spoiler>

This book was very impressive, and highlighted how different people see events in different ways. The writing was excellent, and both the characters and the plot were well developed. I do recommend it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy Miracle Creek after seeing so many 4 and 5 star reviews I expected great things. However for me, I just didn’t enjoy it. The main plot seemed to go on forever with not much really happening. I didn’t particularly gel with any of the main characters and found the whole book quite uneventful. Sorry but not one of my favourite reads of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

The premise of the book intrigued me. However, I found it hard to get into. Thank you for the opportunity read but it wasn't for me.