Book Review: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Rating: 4.5⭐️

On the surface, Happiness Falls by Angie Kim revolves around the disappearance of a fifty-five-year-old man and the events that follow as both his family and local law enforcement try to locate him and piece together the events that led to his disappearance and the impact these efforts have on his immediate family. Adam disappeared while on a walk to a local park with his fourteen-year-old son, Eugene, the only witness to what transpired. Eugene is autistic and nonverbal, having been diagnosed with mosaic Angelman syndrome (AS). His family is protective of him and initially hides the fact that he was found running on the road in a disheveled, agitated state with bloodstains on his clothes from the police.

The events are narrated from the perspective of Adam’s twenty-year-old daughter, Mia. The narrative follows Mia, her twin John, and their mother Hannah over the weeks following Adam’s disappearance as they search for him and take care of Eugene. Mia is intense and does not mince her words when talking about her Korean-American family. She shares significant episodes from her childhood, her dynamic with different members of her family, her feelings about her father’s disappearance, and the facts that are subsequently unearthed in much detail. From Adam’s notes, found in his belongings, Mia finds his research on quantifying happiness, the “Happiness Quotient," and his analysis on the same, drawing on events from their lives. It is also evident that Adam had been keeping secrets, some of which Eugene might know about. The narrative follows Adam’s family as they try to decode what Eugene might know, not fully able to comprehend Eugene’s frustrations with his family’s assumptions about his ability to express his thoughts and feelings. Her father’s notes prompt Mia to take stock of her own life, her family dynamic, and how she relates to Eugene both as a sibling and as a human being.

Part family drama, part literary mystery Happiness Falls by Angie Kim is an exceptionally well-written work of fiction. The author excels at portraying complex characters, emotions and sensitive family dynamics. The meticulous research that the author devoted to characterizing Eugene shines through. The depiction of a teenager who is neurodivergent and his dynamic with each member of his family is both profoundly moving and thought-provoking. The novel explores themes of family, trauma and healing, the importance of giving each other space and respect within the family unit, human connection, communication and kindness, bias and inclusivity, among others. The pacing of this novel is on the slower side, and the writing is detailed and descriptive. You need to approach this novel with more than a bit of patience, but overall, I found this to be an immensely satisfying read.

The brilliantly penned Author’s Note truly enriches the overall reading experience. While I did enjoy the deep dive into behavioral psychology and philosophy complete with researched facts, analysis and Adam’s proposed hypotheses, I felt that it did become a bit too heavy for a work of fiction.

This was my first time reading this author, and I look forward to exploring more of her work.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.