My impression and thoughts about Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

It’s been about a month since my teacher assigned Happiness Falls by Angie Kim, and I’m still working my way through it. This is the longest book I’ve ever read, so it’s been a big challenge—but also a new kind of experience that I’ve slowly grown into.

At first, I was intimidated. The length alone made me feel unsure if I could stick with it. But as I kept reading, something changed. I started to care about the story and the characters, especially the narrator’s voice—it’s sharp, emotional, and full of thoughts that make me pause and reflect. That’s when I realized that Happiness Falls isn’t just a story—it’s a deep, thoughtful look at how complicated family, love, and communication can be.

My impression so far is that this book is honest. It doesn’t shy away from hard topics like disability, identity, or how people make assumptions without realizing it. The way the narrator talks about her missing father and her nonverbal brother really opened my eyes to how different people experience the world. It feels real, raw, and very different from any book I’ve read before.

This story has made me slow down—not just in reading, but in how I think. I’m learning to look beyond surface-level moments and think about what’s really going on underneath. That’s something I didn’t expect from a book, especially one this long. But that’s exactly what’s made it meaningful to me.

I’m not finished yet, but I know already that Happiness Falls has made an impact. It’s shown me that long books don’t have to be scary—they can be rich, rewarding, and unforgettable.