A review by thekatreturns
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I am absolutely blown away that this comes from the same author as Miracle Creek, which has been thoroughly critiqued for its intense ableism. But I guess this book is proof that people can learn and grow and change their behavior with more information and more relationships with those most affected. Because, my goodness, this book is everything the general public should be reading about nonspeakers with regard to disability politics. The difference between the two is ridiculous and near unbelievable, and yet, the trajectory of Angie Kim’s learning is very clear me as someone who has been immersed in autistic community since the mid aughts. I know exactly how she got here, it’s clear as day, she even names specific people she learned from in the authors notes, and yet I’m still astounded that she got there at all when so many don’t. Thank you, Angie, for listening to neurodivergent people, autistic people, and most specifically nonspeakers. For broadening your horizons from the people at the center of Miracle Creek, who mean well and yet do so much harm. For addressing the nonspeaking community’s relationship with pseudoscience, testing, and disbelief directly, in the text, in an incredibly thoughtful and empathetic way. And also, for writing a damn good literary mystery. 

Yeah, aside from this being a book that I’m heartened is doing well in sales and reviews because its message is so crucial for the world to understand- this is a great book and it is not at all too preachy about said message. 

Many other reviewers found Mia annoying, but it was extremely easy for me to get into her head. Probably because we have pretty much the same personality and thought patterns. I didn’t find anything annoying, but then again I am a huge sucker for footnotes in literature. I enjoyed the morphing of her observations
“we should have done this” “I wish this had happened this way” from being like “if this had happened differently maybe we’d have solved the mystery” to “if this had happened differently maybe I would feel differently.” It’s subtle, and maintains the tension longer than it could have otherwise.


The other criticism I found in reviews of the book was that it went too deep into philosophy and the mystery of the
dad’s Happiness Quotient experiments.
I disagree with these reviewers, because, well, the idea of Welcome to Holland (a seminal essay by Emily Perl Kingsley) is constantly on the mind for disabled people and their families. The philosophies presented are a natural fit, and their hyperlogical presentation by the characters is one of many signs of autistic traits in the rest of Eugene’s family and therefore quite realistic.

Which brings me to my final point. This is not a 5 star book for me, and it so, so easily could have been. I desperately wanted to
switch into Eugene’s perspective for an epilogue. Not to get answers to Mia’s burning questions, because I think it’s beautiful and metaphorically resonant that the family doesn’t have answers to everything. But to spend some time in his head, to give him the chance to write the ending to this chapter of his story. I can see how that would feel weird for Angie as she’s not nonspeaking herself, but I maintain it could have been done in collaboration with a nonspeaking cowriter. I can also see how that would be seen as indulging doubters by saying, “yes, this kid can write, here, look at him!” But he’s not real, so no real child is being made into a self narrating zoo exhibit. Plus, the line this book walks with presenting very conclusive proof of spelling for Eugene, and acknowledging the pain of doubt, is so deft that I trust Angie and her brain trust of nonspeaking people in the acknowledgments to have handled it. If this book ever gets a sequel about some other mystery happening to these characters, I want Eugene to narrate it.
My second criticism is that Matthew Rushin should be in the acknowledgments, given that
autistic young people navigating the legal system in Virginia
is a huge plot point. Was any of this story directly inspired by him? Probably not, the details are very different. But I seriously doubt the relevant laws in real life would exist without his story.

Also, sorry if it seems disrespectful that I’ve referred to the author as Angie throughout, just a habit in transcribing my previously orally expressed thoughts. I mean full respect when I say that everyone who’s ever been criticized for something they write should listen and learn like she has very clearly done. 
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