Last Updated on November 11, 2023 by Louisa
Is Miracle Creek by Angie Kim the book of choice for this month’s book club? Then go to your meeting prepared with some insightful book club questions for Miracle Creek!
In this guide, I’ve listed some of my top book club questions for Miracle Creek so you can have a thought-provoking and engaging conversation about the novel with your book club members.
Of course, when discussing books at a book club, often organic questions come up based on what people have to say, so use these Miracle Creek book club questions as a guide to get you started and to inspire the conversation should it be dwindling.
I’ve also prepared a small list of suggestions for what to read next if your book club is stuck for ideas.
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Synopsis of Miracle Creek
Miracle Creek is an Edgar Award-winning novel for the Best First Novel and has been described as a “gripping page-turner” by Time Magazine.
Set in a small town in Virginia, the story follows a group of people who met as part of a special treatment center.
The hyperbaric chamber is said to cure various conditions such as infertility and autism. But when the chamber explodes and two people are killed, it turns out the explosion was no accident.
Told through the perspectives of each character, who each has secrets and betrayals to hide.
As you go through each chapter, alliances change, and evidence is gathered.
Who do you think is behind it?
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Spoiler Alert!
Please note that the questions below contain spoilers of the book.
Generic Book Club Questions for Miracle Creek
Let’s begin the list with some generic questions to get the ball rolling. These book club questions for Miracle Creek are designed to encourage every member of your group to say something about the book.
Perhaps you have a shy member of the group or a newbie? These will help give them the confidence to speak up.
- What did you think about the book? (obvious, but I have to say it).
- What were your expectations before reading Miracle Creek?
- How did Miracle Creek make you feel?
- Which was the most interesting or disturbing scene in the book, in your opinion?
- Were there any characters that you felt you can relate to in any way?
- What are the key principles you have learned from the book? What have you taken away from the story?
- Did you feel this was a slow-burning novel or a real page-turner?
- Would you recommend this book to others?
- Let’s talk about the cover. What do you think it represents?
- Let’s talk about the ending. Were you shocked?
Miracle Creek Discussion Questions
Once you’ve gone through the general chit chat, it’s time to open up a deeper and more meaningful discussion. Here are book club discussion questions for Miracle Creek I recommend you bring up…
- What do you think about the idea of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)?
- The opening chapter is written in the first person, and the rest of the novel in the third person. What effect does this have on the book? What is the significance of the first chapter?
- Which character developed the most?
- Why do you think the author chose to set the story in 2008 – 2009 and not the present day?
- What do you think about the relationship between Pak and Young? What about the relationship between Michael and Mary? Did that seem disturbing to you?
- Who did you think set the fire at the beginning of the book, and did that change as you continue reading?
- Did you think Elizabeth started the fire? Or was she wrongly accused?
- At one point, Matt implies that Pak is faking his paralysis. Do you agree?
- Let’s talk about Elizabeth and Henry. How would you describe the relationship?
- The author is a trial lawyer, so has experience in the legal elements of the book. Did you find the trial believable? Were there any scenes left out of the trial?
Educated Book Club Questions for Miracle Creek
Want to dive deeper into the philosophy and hidden messages of the book? Then you’re going to want to ask some of these educated book club questions for Miracle Creek.
- Let’s talk about the chamber. The way the chamber works is to administer pure oxygen. Do you think the goal was to “cure” illnesses or just lessen the symptoms?
- The author writes about autism as something the chamber can “cure”. Do you think the author portrays autism as something to be fixed, or do you think she approached this sensitive topic in a “love is love” and non-biased way?
- Why did the writer choose Elizabeth to die? What was the significance of her suicide? Would she have made this decision if she knew about Mary and Pak?
- Do you think the chamber should have been destroyed? If it existed, do you think it is right to fix everything?
- Who is most to blame for the fire?
- The author writes: “Tragedies don’t inoculate you against further tragedies, and misfortune doesn’t get sprinkled out in fair proportions; bad things get hurled at you in clumps and batches, unmanageable and messy.” What do you think about this?
- The characters come from both American and Korean cultures. Do you get a sense of the differences in their cultures from the story?
- The story is told through the perspective of parents with special needs children. What do you think about the parents in the book and their approaches and emotions toward their children?
5 Suggestions for What to Read Next
Now you have a list of Miracle Creek book club questions for your book club meeting, it’s time to plan the next one. Here are some suggestions for books to read next.
1. American Dirt – Jeanine Cummins
Perhaps one of the most popular book club books is American Dirt, a riveting New York Times bestseller and Oprah Book Club pick.
The novel follows Lydia, a wife and mother of one living in Acapulco with her husband who works as a journalist.
But the cartels are beginning to threaten their comfortable lives and things escalate when her husband publishes an exposé about the town’s newest drug lord.
Now Lydia and Luca, her son, must team up with other desperate migrants on a journey towards the United States in search of safety and refuge from their pasts.
Along the way, they will confront innumerable challenges while trying to answer the ever-present question – what lies ahead?
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2. The Lost Girls of Willowbrook – Ellen Marie Wiseman
In The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, Sage Winters embarks on a life-changing journey in search of her long-lost twin sister.
Following the tragic loss of her mother in a car crash and the mystery surrounding her twin sister’s sudden disappearance at age 10 due to an alleged bout with pneumonia – Sage discovers that Rosemary is in fact being held at the notorious Willowbrook State School on Staten Island, New York.
As Sage sets out on her mission to uncover what truly happened to Rosemary, she soon realizes that she must be brave as this place has been exposed by the 70s as a dumping ground for unwanted children.
This powerful story recounts is sure to captivate readers until they reach its stunning conclusion.
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Related post: The Lost Girls of Willowbrook Book Club Questions
3. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
One of the most compelling books to read in a book club is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
Alicia Berenson appeared to have it all – a successful career as a renowned painter, a marriage to a well-respected photographer, and a beautiful home in one of London’s most desirable neighborhoods.
But everything changes when Alicia’s husband is shot five times upon returning home from work, and she abruptly stops speaking. In the aftermath of this horrific act, Alicia’s case becomes one of the most puzzling mysteries in London.
Determined to unravel the truth behind that fateful night, Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, takes it upon himself to investigate the case.
As he begins to dig deeper, Theo becomes increasingly consumed with unlocking the secrets of Alicia’s past and uncovering the missing pieces of this intricate puzzle.
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Related post: The Silent Patient Book Club Questions
4. Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro
With Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro takes readers on an emotionally-charged journey. As Klara, an “Artificial Friend” or AF for short, is brought into the home of Josie, a bright young girl diagnosed with a potentially fatal health condition – it’s evident that this isn’t your ordinary science fiction novel.
Behind every family lies their secrets and it soon turns out that Klara was right to be untrusting.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is sure to make you look at technology in a whole new light – through themes of hope, fear, and the lengths people are willing to go for those they love.
It will make you question what it really means to be human.
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Related post: Klara and The Sun Book Club Questions
5. The Guest List – Lucy Foley
The Guest List is a riveting tale revolving around Jules Keegan and Will Slater’s wedding, where old friends and family members gather to celebrate the special day on a stunning beach.
The wedding ceremony is described in great detail as guests revel in the beauty of the morning. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when a guest is found dead, and the wedding day quickly turns dark.
With the wedding cake barely touched, guests are left in shock and confusion, trapped in an unforeseen predicament.
As the investigation uncovers more, the question arises as to who would want to ruin the young couple’s wedding day.
The guests are left questioning why someone would choose that day to commit a murder, and the suspenseful search for answers begins.
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Related post: The Guest List Book Club Questions
Final Word on Miracle Creek Book Club Questions
So there you have it, those were the best book club questions on Miracle Creek. I hope that these helped you start and drive the conversation at your next meeting.
If you had any interesting questions come up about this book, let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.