Miracle Creek Review

Miracle Creek is a debut novel written by Angie Kim. On the surface it’s a legal thriller (a mom is on trial for killing her autistic son in a hyperbolic chamber by setting fire to it). Butt there is so much more. There are strong themes of parenting, of immigration, of people with disabilities (particularly autism). f children)  have whether it be fecal smearing or headbanging or even infertility. Until one tragic causes the chamber to explode, killing two people and traumatizing several others. It’s a very complicated story but artfully told. I don’t want to get into it too much (enjoy it for yourself) but I included a character chart below. By the way it’s told by multiple points of view. In some ways it reminded me of a Jodi Picoult novel.

·         Pak: Pak emigrated from Korea and started Miracle Submarine, a place where people could heal. He was paralyzed from the waist down after the accident.

·         Young: Young is Pak’s wife. A lot of her story focuses on the relationship with her daughter. Young also emigrated from Korea and began working six days a week from seven to midnight  until her husband was able to join them.

·         Mary is Young’s eighteen year old daughter. After the explosion she was left in a coma and developed severe PTSD when she woke up. Her beautiful face was also all gashed up. She hates America where she feels she doesn’t fit in

·         Elizabeth: Elizabeth is on trial for murdering two fellow patients, Honestly I thought the evidence against her was very weak but that’s just me. Her son, Henry, perished in the fire. She always had a tumultuous relationship with Henry, resenting him for being like other kids. She decides death row will be an deserving punishment for herd

·         Henry: Elizabeth’s son who  died horrifically, burned from the neck up (I’m warning you it’s a little graphic). He was eight years old.

·         Kitt, a mother of one of the other children, who perished in the fire. She left behind four girls and an autistic son, T.J.

·         Matt, the only adult to receive treatment in the Miracle Submarine to cure his low sperm count, which is a source of extreme embarrassment to him. He lost several fingers in the explosion trying to save Henry’s life.

·         Janine, Matt’s wife who pushes him to try treatment in the Miracle Submarine.

·         Terese, the surviving mom in the  submarine. Nicknamed “Mother Teresa” for her warm, gentle nature.

One of the more interesting passages (although they are all interesting) is when the patients going to the dive are intercepted by dedicated (maybe too dedicated) protesters claiming autistic children should be loved just the way they are and that the patients are morally in the wrong for trying to make their children “well”. I don’t look at it that way. These mothers just want their children at a functioning level. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. My mom wants me to cope with bipolar disorder better but I don’t think she hates me or that I’m unloved the way I am. In fact, if there were a hyperbolic chamber around here I’d dive in myself.

            Please read this book. It deals with suicide, parental guilt, a sexual predator, and the difficulties of starting over in a brand new country/ culture. The writer really did an amazing job. I’ll let you know how Happiness Falls is once I’ve read that too.