So beautifully written a fascinating look at Korean history I knew very little about.The characters were so well written I was drawn in and emotionally involved.Historical fiction at its best.#netgalley#eccobooks

One of my favorite quotes comes near the end of the book and it captures the pain of grief in such a beautiful succinct way. If you are a fan of stories that follow a full life this will be appealing, but if you like things to be left unfinished and ambiguous I wouldn't recommend this story. I am curious to see where readers fall on the spectrum when it comes to the main character's love interests.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I absolutely adore this book. I had a hard time putting it down so I also borrowed the audiobook to listen to it while driving. I love a historical saga that highlights how much the world can change within one person's lifetime. I also appreciate a romance that is heartbreakingly realistic. The epilogue was one of my favorite parts. I love seeing older women change their lives and pick up new skills.

Beasts of a Little Land is a historical fiction about Korea. The characters were well-built. The writing is flawless so that it paints a picture while you read it. A must-read for lovers of diverse historical literature.

This book is gorgeous and affecting. I had little knowledge of the events during the time this book is set, and these characters will stick with me for a long time.

Also special mention to the cover designer here- it it’s truly beautiful.

Mmmm. I did not expect this book to hold me as it has. I've grown close and protective of all the characters, needing to make sure each revealed thread finds its way tucked back into the whole silken piece, as we part ways. This skilled author has generously provided that courtesy, and my satisfaction is sufficient. The book has left me pondering and just a little wistful.

Set in Korea, starting in 1917, characters are introduced into a world transitioning as it is dragged into the 20th century by invading foreigners. War is hanging over the countryside and cities of Korea, class demarcations are as crystal clear as the ice clinging from the cold winter that blooms on first pages of the book. I was hooked. From tigers to brave hunters, to fierce women and beautiful blue skies, Beasts of a Little Land touched me deeply, about life, about inyeon. . .I've believed in it my whole life, and didn't even know there was a word for it until I read this book. A beautiful Korean word embraces the whole of it.

A Sincere Thanks to Juhea Kim, Ecco and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #BeastsofaLittleLand #NetGalley

I loved the historical aspects of this book. I learned a lot about the history of Korea & its people. The descriptions were so clear & thorough. The richly-developed characters all came together across the lengthy story. Read it - you'll enjoy.

I was sucked right into the atmospheric first pages of this novel and while that level of literary detail didn’t necessarily hold throughout, I continued to learn a great deal about Korea’s fraught history of war as I read on the treadmill daily.

What impressed me most about this book was the author’s juggling ability. She tossed an assortment of colorful characters into the air from the start – all of them seemingly disconnected – and ended up deftly catching them all in one hand, where each – as it turns out – fit together perfectly in her palm. Japanese soldiers, Korean businessmen, courtesans, movie stars, tigers, political protesters, zoo animals … this book has it all!

I was fortunate enough to watch a Zoom event during which the author discussed the novel, and she actually addressed my biggest sticking point – the writing. She indicated that she purposely doesn’t get hung up on the words or ‘trying to say something in a new way like so many MFA students.’ It’s all about story for her. Yet, for me, that was actually the downfall to this book. A five-star book, for me, is all about the language and writing, combined <i>with</i> the story, itself.

That said, some of the language really is quite lovely and evocative:

<i>Time was a winter fog – gray, shapeless, indifferent to his existence.

Everyone dreams, but only some people are dreamers. The nondreamers, by far more numerous, are those who see the world as it is. Then there are the few dreamers, who see the world as they are.

They were facing northwest, and to their right were the smooth dark green ankles of the Khingan mountains, sloping gently upward to meet the clouds.</i>


I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth to many of the relationships, but, overall, I found this to be an enjoyable and historically educational read, well worth my time as I burned some calories away! My overall 3.5 rating reflects a “3” on the writing and a solid “4” on the story. So I rounded up.

A deep and rich novel sure to bring new insights about the Korean Independence Movement to most readers, Beasts of a Little Land is an incredible story of the fate, circumstance, love, and interconnectedness that characterize humanity.

At the start of the novel, a young girl from the countryside is brought to the city as her mother hopes to sell her to a wealthy home as a maid. With no work to be found, the ten-year-old receives an offer that even a mother as desperate for food as hers cannot rightly accept. But Jade is fiercely independent and overwhelmingly generous and selfless. Recognizing the bind her family is in, and the likelihood of the misery that will await her in her future relationships if she returns home, Jade gratefully accepts the woman's offer to train her to be one of the most successful and sought-after courtesans. Following a violent encounter with Japanese occupiers, Jade is sent to Seoul with the woman's own daughters, where the story really begins to take off.

In Seoul, a young boy named JungHo is struggling to make ends meet. Only 12 years old himself, JungHo has no one to rely on but himself, ultimately falling in with a band of young boys who look out for each other the best they can, but still need to keep their own self interest in mind in a ruthless world. The son of a tiger hunter, JungHo knows how to fight to get what he wants, and has the drive to succeed that only abject poverty can instill. After proving himself to his new friends and becoming the fearless leader of his ragtag group, he soon sets his sights on something far less attainable -- the most beautiful courtesan he has ever seen. And while Jade has been nothing but kind and respectful to him, her aunt would never allow her to associate with a lowly street urchin. At the same time, the love of Jade's life is more than willing to accept her assistance - and pleasure - to improve his station in life, just to turn around and tell her he could never have a future with someone in her line of work.

As these love interests are brewing, the Korean Independence Movement and the formation of the Communist party are taking shape in the background. With ties to both sides, JungHo and Jade's family routinely find themselves enmeshed in political events they could little predict. Enduring substantial violence and deep interpersonal hurt, each of the characters has a strong role to play in the arc of the novel. And in fact, that is one of the things that I love most about this book. Despite there being so many side characters, each is well-fleshed-out and memorable, easy to recall and track, and incorporated with purpose. Similarly, while the perspective shifts at uneven intervals, it is always clear who is talking and often how their stories intersect. Those elements are masterfully written and incredibly seamless for a debut.

Overall, I felt very connected to the characters, but kept at enough of a distance to appreciate each of them for what they brought to the story. I loved all of the historical elements and feel like I learned so much from reading this. There are so many incredibly wise truths sprinkled throughout this novel as well. While it is perhaps not a traditional coming of age story, the characters do grow from adolescence to middle age and learn so much about themselves and the world around them along the way. Their insights are sure to resonate with lovers of coming of age stories as well. Highly and widely recommend.

My greatest appreciation to Ecco and Netgalley for the review copy.

Very informative read. I had no idea of the hardships of the Korean people during this time nor the involvement of Russia and the United States.

So much praise and publicity for this novel exists and justifiably so. I’m late to the party with my review but still would like to contribute because it’s an informative and entertaining story. I’m biased - I love historical fiction and this tale delivers – it covers several decades and focuses on the Japanese occupation of Korea (approximately 1917-1945ish) and its quest for independence. With such breadth - there are a lot of well-defined characters (some you love and hate (for a few, it’s both)). I loved the direct and overt inter-connectedness of the characters - this was a bonus to the reading experience for me. Despite the pressure to embrace political correctness, these were terrible, desperate times - and the author didn’t glaze over any of the atrocities and inhumane acts that occurred for decades. It was painful to read, but so very necessary.

Highly recommended to fans of historical fiction, epics inspired by real-world events, and just good storytelling. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review!

I really enjoyed this epic historical fiction set in the early to mid 1900's Korea. This country went through a a lot of change over these decades under Japanese rule, and Juhea Kim gave us a story from many different POV's over the course of this time. Jade, a beauty from a village sold to be a courtesan, and JunhHo, another village child who finds himself alone in the city of Seoul, find each other and become fast friends. Over the years, the idea of their friendship drives JungHo to be the best he can be, while it gives Jade the strength to become a sought after courtesan.

The small ways their stories connect through other characters gives the book its epic feel, although the way the author skips years and decades makes the characters seem woefully under-developed. It's rare to want a book to be longer, but in this case I did. I think it would have benefited from more pages of development, and less flash forward in the later years of their lives. I enjoyed the political background as well, and wish we had more time learning how the historical changes affected society through our characters.

I loved Beasts of a Little Land -- and happily so did the BookBrowse members assigned to review it (as agreed with Miriam). In addition to the First Impressions activity we ran for the book; because it was so well reviewed, we also did a "This Week's Top Pick" feature across BookBrowse for a week.

Links to review and article were sent to Miriam at the time:

Review:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/7w279680/beasts-of-a-little-land#reviews
Beyond the Book:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/btb/index.cfm/ref/7w279680/beasts-of-a-little-land#btb

This was a brilliant tale. Hard to read at times, but brilliantly written and very heartfelt. One of my favorites of this new year so far. Highly recommend

Filled with characters who will remain in your heart long after you’ve finished the book, Kim has created a story of Korean suffering under Japanese occupation before World War II. In writing the book, the author has made a complex Korean history understandable. While mainly following Jade, who was sold into a life of a courtesan, it also weaves in the story of a hunter’s family, who saved a Japanese general from being killed by a tiger. The reader will finish the story with satisfaction at the tenacity of the Korean people and society to survive.

Beasts of a Little Land was such a riveting piece of historical fiction, that covered so many different topics and genres. I loved the protagonist; young Jade is sold to a young courtesan school where she meets orphan JungHo, and the two become close friends. Their stories and lives are set against the political and societal complexities between Japan and Korea in the early to mid-20th century, and the turmoil that Korea undergoes during that time period.

There's a great deal of difficult topics - love, war, violence, rape, sexism, wealth - that are highlighted in their stories, but I appreciated the care that Kim handled these stories and interwove them across Jade and JungHo's lives. Kim's writing is beautiful, and flows well across the different time periods and pages.

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim follows a young girl, sold to a courtesan school, before the Korean independence movement. Ms. Kim, a Princeton graduate, was born in Korea – this is her first novel.

Jade, a young Korean girl, is sold by her family to Miss Silver’s courtesan school as an act of depression. Jade befriends a street boy named JungHo, and the two form a deep, lifelong friendship.

As they grow up, JungHo becomes a Korean revolutionary, while Jade becomes a star performer

One of the reasons I really enjoy reading historical fiction, is because I get to learn something new. Knowing very little about Korean history, I felt that Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim certainly delivered on that front.

The book is a rich, sprawling historical fiction with a cast of relatable characters, showcasing their virtues, as well as flaws. I especially enjoyed the theme of a lifelong interconnection between people we meet throughout our lives. The author did a masterful job writing that theme throughout the book, without pushing it in the reader’s face.

Ms. Kim does not pull her punches. For people living in industrialized countries, it’s difficult, if not impossible to imagine the heartbreaking choices parents have to make. Many don’t understand how parents can sell their kids, for example, a horrible choice but the other is to let them starve.

The novel takes place during a turbulent time in Korean history. The story takes place during the defining decades of 1917 to 1965. These are not only decades which defined Korea, but also the world as we know it. I was surprised to learn that Korea was annexed in 1910.

This is the second book, in a short time, I read about the Japanese occupation of Korea. The first one, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, takes a more current look at the aftermath of the occupation. The brutality of the occupation might be over; however, the psychological scars still exist.

The one issue I had is that this book is that there are too many current jargons, as well as American expressions. This, for me, distracted from the historical part of the book, but I do understand the difficulty of conveying something in a precise manner for the intended audience. That being said, I enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to Ms. Kim’s future books.

I absolutely loved the exploration of Korea during the Japanese occupation. It was enlightening both on time period, geography, and culture. My favorite aspect is the way the author gives the youths an adequate viewpoint and understanding of the situation. It seems entirely realistic and feasible and really hammers home some of the more heavy moments in this book.

This was truly an epic story of unrequited love, desperate poverty, and the brutality of Japanese occupied Korea. This book has trigger warnings for graphic violence and rape.

A sweeping, beautiful, and lyrically told epic. Memorable characters and so much detailed history about the fight for Korean independence. This is a nuanced examination of war and its impact on people of all walks of life. One of my favorite books of the year.