A review by pineapplebunnies
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Book 1/3 for psych residency application season 🎉

Happiness Falls is riveting, heartbreaking, funny, and incredibly insightful. 

Mia is such a unique and clever narrator, and I genuinely enjoyed being inside her head throughout the story. In fact, I fell in love with the whole Parson family. - Mia and her intellectual cynicism, Eugene and his fervent desire to communicate, John’s never ending empathy, Hana’s advocacy for her family, and even Adam, despite all the mistakes he made. By the end, I truly felt like I knew these people and the journey they had gone on together. 

The author’s writing style was beautiful, blending the literary, YA, and thriller/mystery genres masterfully. By the end, I felt that Mia’s coming of age journey had been completed, the mystery had reached a realistic conclusion, and the larger themes of the novel had been fulfilled. As for the representation, it’s clear that the author had really done her research. 

Genuinely such a wonderful book, I can’t recommend it enough.