Happiness Falls

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim is a mystery focused on the disappearance of Mia Parkson’s father. One day during deep lockdown in 2020, Mia’s dad takes her younger brother Eugene to the park and never comes home. Eugene is 14, but cannot communicate what happened, because he is a non-speaker with Autism and Angelman Syndrome.

This book got a lot of buzz, and honestly? It’s fine. It absolutely did not rock my world, but it was a pleasant-enough way to pass the time. The positives: Mia is a prickly narrator, and we’re forced to reconsider who her father really was multiple times. The cons: The detective investigating the case wants to blame everything on Eugene—which is honestly an accurate portrayal of the laziness of the police, but the narrative comes dangerously close to the trope of the Bad and Evil Disabled Person. It doesn’t go there, but it brushes against it in ways that might make other readers uncomfortable.

Also, let me just spoil the ending for you: There is not a clear and definitive answer to the central mystery. So if you’re looking for a straightforward, old-fashioned mystery novel, this is probably not for you.

All in all, I’d give this a 3/5, because again, it’s fine. Just not personally my cup of tea.