Wonderful Story of Love During Political Turmoil in Korea
This was a great read, particularly if you are a lover of historical fiction. Throughout the book, you are immersed in the lives of the characters, their relationships, and their circumstances during the Korean political conflicts from 1917 to 1965. The reader follows very young girls that are sold by their families to become courtesans and how their lives evolve and relationships they form (for good or not so good) as they grow into adults. Definitely a good read!

This was a book that pulled me in to some complex, albeit imperfect, characters, and to a better understanding of the culture and history of Korea, a land exotic to me. Our main character, Jade, is sent as a child to become the servant of a woman who is a courtesan, and as one might guess, she becomes one also, and a well-known actress also. Her tale encompasses a bit more than the first half of the 20th century, which means she experiences Korea’s subjugation by Korea prior to World War II, and Korea’s independence and civil strife following the war. The book does a good job of bringing to light characters who depict many of the historical themes of the era. We see Jade’s loves, her insights at times and blindness at other times. I recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially that which transports one not only to a different time, but also a different place. It should generate a good discussion for book groups.

Told in a epic sweeping style this novel centers on several characters as they experience real historical evens revolving around the Korean independence movement. Beginning in 1917, the story concludes in 1965. This book is perfect for fans of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.

I really enjoyed this book. The interwoven history was fantastic. I did struggle to remember who everyone was, and the story lagged quite a bit at times. Overall, it was an achingly beautiful tale of struggle as a country, and as an individual to find their place in the world.

Beasts of a Little Land spans fifty years, 1917 to 1965, years in which Korea was a Japanese-occupied territory through World War II, and its later division into the North and South Korea. Over this timeframe, author Juhea Kim explores family, love, loss, politics, and Korea’s struggle for independence.

Kim introduces two primary characters, Jade, a peasant girl sold to a courtesan school and JungHo, a street orphan. As children, their lives touch, then, as they come of age, they are exposed to everything that the struggle for independence—as well as the struggle to modernize—has to offer. Even the supporting characters are complex, nuanced and impact the resolution.

This was a worthy read. The prose is gorgeous, tragic, tender, and with lovely motifs stranded throughout. Even the supporting characters are complex, nuanced and impact the resolution. I learned a bit about Korea and enjoyed reading about the its history from World War I era to the Cold War. Beasts of a Little Land doesn’t read like a debut novel at all.

Strong on the History/Not So Much On the Romance:
This work offers some great historical insight into Korea in the years of the Japanese Occupation and beyond. For an American audience, it will offer accounts of actions that few know about and fewer understand. There is an element of romance, but the stronger aspect of the work is the historical environment. A ok read that might inspire further study of the Japanese Occupation, but not much beyond that.

The author writes beautiful descriptions of Korea, the people, elements of daily life etc. I loved the main characters; Jade and JungHo but other characters were hard to like and there were way too many of them. I was disappointed with some aspects of this novel; I found the story disjointed, with too many peripheral characters. The pacing was erratic and choppy. At times the dialogue felt too modern and not at all appropriate to the era and place. I also felt there were some important aspects of the war and occupation by Japan that were skimmed over and many times less important scenes went on and on. The author relied on coincidence a great deal, and there was too much of the "males rescuing females" theme. The last chapter was jarring for me with Jade's change of location, easy transition, and other aspects feeling random and unbelievable. I do feel this writer has talent and perhaps a bit more constraint would have made this novel a better read for me.

This book was SO good. I enjoyed learning about the life of a courtesan in 1917 Korea. This book was poignant and heartbreaking. I was invested in the characters and I wanted to spend more time with them even after I turned the final page. Now that is what I call an epic story. 5 Stars!

Beasts of a Little Land
Set against the backdrop of Korea’s fight for independence and spanning five decades of the 20th century, Juhea Kim’s Beasts of a Little Land tells an absorbing story. Most of the characters in the story are Korean peasants or working-class people, and most of them must figure out how to get basic necessities under the oppressive rule of the Japanese. We follow two main characters, Jade and JungHo, along with a large cast of supporting characters, as all try to make of their lives something more than just the attempt to survive. Their successes and failures at advancing their dreams, their choices and the resulting consequences, their acts of selfishness and of self-sacrifice comprise the plot of the novel, which kept me reading in pleasurable suspense till I reached the end of the story. I found many of the author’s descriptions of natural and urban surroundings vivid and at times quite lovely. And her themes of loyalty, friendship, love, disillusionment, and loss will provide me much food for thought in the coming days.

I did, however, have one issue with the book, an issue that for me constitutes a major flaw. The writing itself is marred by diction that is imprecise or unidiomatic; and by the occasional jarring presence (in this historical novel) of 21st century American colloquialisms. While much of the descriptive writing is beautiful, much also is overwritten, with too many adjectives, metaphors, and images piled on, detracting from the desired effect.

That being said, I would emphasize that I enjoyed this novel and would like to read more of this author’s work.

Beasts of A Little Land is a beautiful saga following characters that are all linked by their pasts.

The main characters are Jade, a young girl who was sold into a courtesan school, and JungHo, who has a boy is an orphan before joining the revolution. While their lives are woven into each other, they are also completely independent. Each of these main characters is surrounded by a well written and developed cast that pull at the reader's heart.

One of the main things I liked about this book was the juxtaposition of family and solitude. Both Jade and JungHo are at some point abandoned in their life. Yet, throughout their entire lives they strive to build meaningful relationships with both the people around them and each other.

This is a heavy but beautifully written book about a tumultuous time in history. The depth of both the plot and the characters make it feel like a book written by an experienced author. Juhea Kim certainly has a talent for storytelling.

Historical fiction fans that have enjoyed Pachinko, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, or The Book of Longings will enjoy epic story.

BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND was a wonderfully engaging read. The best word to describe this beautifully written story is "inyeon". Juhea Kim debut novel portrays the lives of multiple characters during Korea's fight for independence and how they remain intertwined until the very end. What a wonderful concept of living a life with a "human thread" of connections that affect who and what you become in the "end".

I love historical fiction and this novel has the perfect amount of history to make me care and connect with every character and the events that informed each of their decisions. Though the amount of storylines can be hard to follow for some, it all serves a purpose that becomes clear as you continue reading. And so it is with life itself.

I will definitely be buying a copy for myself and recommend it to other readers!

Thank you to Ecco and Netgalley for the opportunity to ready this great novel in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

When I finished reading Juhea Kim’s debut novel Beasts of a Little Land, the first thought that came into my head was that this did not read like a debut at all. From the story structure to the development of the characters, to the historical details as well as the various themes and motifs incorporated into the narrative, the writing flowed so well and so seamlessly that I was completely immersed in this epic story from beginning to end.

The story spans a time period from 1917 to 1965 — a half century that bears witness to Korea’s evolution over the years, as a Japanese-occupied territory up through World War II, and later divided into the North and South Korea that we are more familiar with in modern times. Against this backdrop, we are introduced to two characters whose fates become inexplicably intertwined — JungHo, an orphan who roams the streets as a beggar, later becoming a revolutionary fighter for Korea’s independence, and Jade, a peasant girl sold by her family to a courtesan school who later becomes one of the most sought after actresses in Korea. As Jade and JungHo come of age amongst the changing landscape of their country, they experience moments both glorious and harrowing, but all have a profound impact on them in some way. This is a story where all the supporting characters play vital roles in the narrative, but not only that, all of the characters – whether good or bad, endearing or despiscable – are all equally unforgettable. One of the things I love most about this story is the complexity of the characters and the mixed feelings that evoked – for example, with the Japanese generals Ito and Yamada, they are supposed to be the enemy and majority of their actions are indeed abhorrent, but then, at certain points, they reveal their humanity through certain acts of kindness or a redeeming factor that made it hard to despise them completely. By the same token, there were also moments where I found it hard to root for some of the “good” characters, even with the understanding that some of the morally questionable actions they take are out of a need for survival. I also found it interesting the way nearly all the characters that appear in the story are connected in some way, whether directly or indirectly, that is apparent to the reader, but not necessarily to the characters themselves. This aspect, coupled with the atmospheric nature of the historical setting and time period, made for a truly immersive reading experience.

With all that said, my one complaint would probably be that, given the epic nature of the story, I was expecting more emotional depth, which I felt was a bit lacking in this instance (hence the reason why I rated this 4.5 stars instead of 5). Nevertheless, this was absolutely a worthwhile read, especially for historical fiction fans. In addition to learning a lot about Korea that I didn’t know before, I also appreciated the time period being one that isn’t commonly covered in many historical fiction works. I definitely recommend this book and at the same time, look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Received ARC from Ecco via NetGalley.

Recently, I've started stepping away from books before reviewing them. I used to review them immediately after finishing them, only to realize that I didn't fully agree with what I had to say. This is one time where I knew I loved the book and my love has only grown over time. This complex novel has characters I truly cared about (a feat I'm finding less common as I age). As far as I'm concerned, this novel exemplifies what historical fiction can be at its best: captivating and oh-so-difficult to put down!

I struggled finishing this book even though it has great historical setting and interesting characters. I mostly had issues with the uneven pacing of the story.

This is a complex book with a complex cast of characters. Ostensibly this book follows Jade, a girl born to poverty who finds her way to a life of riches and fame, and JungHo, a street urchin who has a fated run-in with Jade and the two become fast friends. Together, then apart, then together again, the two cross and re-cross paths repeatedly throughout this complex story taking place during the Korean independence movement in the early 1900s.

There's a good story here for someone, unfortunately I never found it. The cast of characters is large and unwieldy, and even though each character's story is woven into the larger story of Jade and JungHo in some way, it was still hard for me to keep track of what was going on and who was who sometimes. I also never really connected with the story, such as it was. To me, the story felt like it was moving at a glacial speed, with large stretches where nothing really happens. I know lots of people love books where the pace is a little slower so they have time to get to know and understand the characters, but it felt extremely slow for my tastes.

This was a very enjoyable and informative historical fiction set in North and South Korea and spans the years 1917 through 1965. This debut novel by Juhea Kim has a great storyline - starting out with a vivid encounter in the snowy mountains of Korea that captures the imagination. The story revolves around several characters whose fates are intrinsically intertwined as they live their lives under Japanese occupation, the struggle for Korean independence, and through the second world war. From the courtesans, young orphans, and those struggling to make ends meet to the military officers, businessmen, and politicians, this book is about relationships, survival, history, culture, and much more. It traces the course of Korean history through the lens of its characters and is a wonderful way to learn more about North and South Korea. The characters are well developed and the writing is excellent and vivid - particularly for a debut novel - hats off to the author for a great job. I especially liked the characters of Jade and Captain Yamada - both so different yet possessing the essential traits of humanity, integrity, and decency. Overall, an excellent and recommended read. And by the way, I loved the cover of the book! Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this early copy.

Beginning in 1918 in a Japanese-occupied Korea, this epic historical sweeps through over fifty years primarily through the eyes of some beautifully drawn characters. There was much to admire -- well written, a solid rendering of the thorny relationship between the occupier and natives, and struggles for survival. The star-crossed would-be lovers, Jade and JungHo, who always seem to be there for one another but remain separated due to circumstances and the forces of history. Jade's life forms the core around which the events revolve, and her resilience as she is sold early on while living in the North, making her way to Seoul under the protection of Dani, an influential courtesan, and the fate of the country. I don't usually choose historical epics, but found this well researched and literary, and totally involving.

This engrossing novel portrays the movement for Korean independence from a variety of perspectives including a group of courtesans, communist revolutionaries, a rural hunter, and the Japanese occupiers.

This book has a fairly good plot line but often the characters are left lacking- a problem with multiple points of view over many years. The depiction of how relationships fall apart, often with simple miscommunications and assumptions as well as instant write offs of people felt pretty accurate and simultaneously heart breaking. Simple miscommunications set relationships on the rocks for years to come and continued to compile the gap between two beings multiple times in this book.

I have little knowledge to this period of time in Chinese/Japanese/Korean history so have no idea if the historical portrayals are accurate but it was quite interesting because most of my knowledge of history comes from U.S. perspective. For a book about the wars impact, there is limited war talk and instead focused on the human connections or lack thereof which made for a more digestible read. There are some sad and triggering events but this book doesn’t spend too long going into graphic detail when it doesn’t have to which aided to making the book digestible as well.

I wish that some of the messages that were directly pointed out were not. A couple big ironic full circle moments were shown and then explained such as Jade’s quasi love triangle. It was a painful reality that the reader could see exactly how much work and effort one character put into building a life worthy of Jade while she fell for someone low in society. It didn’t need to be directly said and sort of cheapened that plot line.

A peeve I had with this book was how the depiction of who became successful and who became haggard by life was. While almost everyone suffered in this book, women were the ones to suffer the most and often in ways lasting longer than death while whatever men were left were blessed with insurmountable amounts of luck. Even main character Jade surviving through the war was more than once at the hands of men helping her and being the savior. When men did suffer it was often the “good guy” rather than objectively horrible people. Maybe that’s the reality of life too but it made it a little bleak and felt like I somewhat wasted a lot of time getting to know these characters throughout the whole book.

I really enjoyed this book which is an epic piece primarily revolving around the life of Jade, a young Korean girl which spans her lifetime in early 1900 Korean. The elegance and then war and hardship and finally redemption are portrayed well in this novel. Very well written with wonderful character arcs.

Before reading this I was completely unfamiliar with Korean culture, specifically I had not heard of courtesans. After looking up what they were, I was very eager to read this novel.
More and more, historical fiction is becoming my favorite genre for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that it actually gives voices to people and families that lived through particular points in time. It’s not always enough to know what significant historical events happened, sometimes we need to “feel” them. For those of us who have never seen war up close and personal or witnessed exactly how devastating it is to the people living or who have lived within war zones, I think that historical fiction is an excellent and effective way to communicate that. Especially when it is written well.
Juhea Kim has masterfully told the story of Japan’s occupation of Korea before and during World War 2. I feel like these events often get muddled in history lessons or glazed over due to Hitler and the uprising of Nazi Germany that was going on at the same time. This story focuses on how Japanese imperialism impacted the lives of Korean citizens that were already struggling to make it.
The novel focuses mainly a group of people that fates become inextricably intertwined- Jade,Nam JungHo, KimHanchol, and Yamaha Genzo.
There are so many things to unpack from this novel, but one thing that sticks out the most for me is the strength and resilience of the Korean courtesan women. They were viewed as the lowest of the low in their social class publicly, but privately they had a tremendous amount of influence. Though I have not had the chance to study and do a lot of research, I would assume that given the nature of their business that a lot of these women were a lot more financially independent than a lot of the men with “respectable” jobs though they were not all wealthy. It’s interesting to me how courtesans both very young girls and women seemed to have had a semblance of a safe place to live, an education, and food- but these were things not guaranteed if they were married, especially not education. As terrible as it is to me that a young woman had to make her living this way, I also recognize and respect that it was part of a culture that I do not completely understand.
The story was a very relatable one of family, love, loss, war, injustice, human brutality and greed. From 1917-1965, the political unrest and wars that are happening in the background throughout this entire novel are the reasons for everything that happens in the lives of and all of the decisions made by the characters.
Beasts of a Little Land, to me, is the story of the extremely traumatic and violent times that shaped Korea into what it is today. This book has left me wanting to know more about Korean culture and its history, and also I wanting to read more novels by Korean authors.