Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

When a father goes missing, his family’s desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another–both a riveting page-turner and a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis from the award-winning author of Miracle Creek.

“We didn’t call the police right away.” Those are the first words of this extraordinary novel about a biracial Korean-American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing.

Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything–which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.

What follows is both a ticking-clock investigation into the whereabouts of a father and an emotionally rich portrait of a family whose most personal secrets just may be at the heart of his disappearance. Full of shocking twists and fascinating questions of love, language, race, and human connection, Happiness Falls is a mystery, a family drama, and a novel of profound philosophical inquiry. With all the powerful storytelling she brought to her award-winning debut Miracle Creek, Angie Kim turns the missing person story into something wholly original, creating an indelible tale of a family who must go to remarkable lengths to truly understand one another.

Published by Hogarth
on August 29, 2023

Review:

This was a book that I didn’t know much about when I went in. I’d seen a handful of mixed reviews, which actually prevented me from adding it to my book of the month box in August when the book was first available to members, but when September rolled around, I went ahead and added it on a whim, and I am so glad I did!

The story revolves around a biracial Korean-American family of five living in Virginia and is told from the first-person point of view of twenty-year-old only daughter, Mia. Due to the COVID pandemic, Mia and her twin brother John have been living at home with their parents and 13-year-old brother Eugene, who has a rare genetic disorder known as Angelman syndrome, which causes developmental delays and problems with speech.

One day, Eugene and his father go for a walk, and when they don’t return on time, Mia doesn’t think much of it. There are a million reasons they could be late. Even when Eugene comes running through the yard – alone – with blood on him, Mia doesn’t think much of it. Eugene can be a handful, and she assumes her father won’t be far behind him. But he isn’t. Soon, the police are involved, and her father is missing and not answering his phone. And the only one who might be able to tell them what happened is Eugene, but he can’t communicate.

As the family grapples with their father’s mysterious disappearance, they are forced to confront long-held secrets and question everything they thought they knew about each other. Was Eugene responsible? Did Dad just up and leave? Was it murder? Suicide? Something else? What follows is a race against time to find their missing father while also delving into the depths of their own emotions and relationships.

As far as characters go, I loved the entire family. Mia is a bit of a spitfire – full of life, funny, and completely relatable, with her sharp wit and insightful observations about the world around her. John, her twin brother, is a fixer and a doer and full of empathy and wants to make sure everyone is taken care of and doing okay. Their mother is a sweet and caring woman who is trying to hold it together for her kids and doing everything she can to protect Eugene, who is a suspect in all of this.

In addition to the compelling characters, the novel also delves into thought-provoking themes. Kim explores questions of love, race, communication, and human connection. The author seamlessly weaves these themes into the narrative, adding depth and complexity to an already engaging story. While it has elements of a mystery and a family drama, it also profoundly explores the human condition.

As we work alongside the family to discover what happened to their father, no stone is left unturned. We, along with Mia and her family, want their father to still be alive, and we want this to be nothing more than a simple misunderstanding, but as hours and then days pass, we begin to fear the worst. Suspicions surface, and we wonder if some of the players know more than they are letting on. With Eugene at the center of it all, we want nothing more than for the family to find a way to prove his innocence.

I also enjoyed learning more about Angelman syndrome. I’d never heard of this disorder before, and the author does a wonderful job of educating the reader without it feeling technical. There’s a lot to unpack here, especially around human development and communication, that I found absolutely fascinating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I am so happy I decided to check it out. The author’s exploration of complex themes elevates this book from a simple mystery to a work of profound depth. With its gripping storyline, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys mysteries and family dramas.