This is one of my favorite books of 2021. It's primarily the story of Jade and JungHo, two characters we meet as children with little to suggest they'll even survive, living in a complicated time (the Korean independence movement). What I really like about this novel is its sense of place--whether we're slipping through a snowy forest stalking and being stalked by a tiger, or performing at a courtesan's benefit, or taking the Trans-Siberian railroad to Moscow, the novel makes the experience feel real. Kim has a gift for writing convincing characters who happen to participate in major events, and while the plot sometimes feels a little overwhelming (so much happens and the novel stretches from 1918 to 1965!), the characters continued to pull me in. It is not always an easy read--this is a brutal and dazzling history, and events pictured in detail include a rape and a massacre at a peaceful protest--but I always found myself picking it back up. The writing is that good.

Expansive historic fiction set during the nearly half century long struggle for Korean independence. From courtesan chambers to the streets of Seoul ripe for change to war impoverished homes, Kim’s debut is a sweeping tale of love, desperation, longing, and expectation.

There is a depth to this narrative. Following a full cast of meaningful characters, Korea is the standout, main character. It’s evolution from struggling to thriving to impoverished to hopeful is well developed and evocative.

The meaningful cast of characters is developed around the Korean ideology of Inyeon, the belief that all human encounters and relationships are destined, creating ongoing ties to one another. That thread of connection is adeptly executed within each association in this novel from beginning to end, none going to waste or superfluous.

I particularly enjoyed watching Jade, the primary character, as she blossomed throughout this novel. Her gender and societal station put her at a disadvantage, but she never let that hold her back. Harnassing inner determination and resolve, Jade continually found a way to push past boundaries, fighting for happiness, survival, love, and purpose.

This book is exceptionally executed in all literary respects. It’s certainly hard to believe it is a debut. I will be on the lookout for whatever Kim does next.

In reading this novel, I partnered the text and audio, which worked incredibly well. The text allowed me to more easily keep track of the characters, while the audio created a depth, hearing proper pronunciations and character voices. If possible, I highly recommend combining modalities for this novel.

Thank you Juhea Kim, Ecco Books, LibroFM, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Beasts of a Little Land is a sweeping historical saga set in Korea beginning in 1917 during the Japanese occupation through 1965, well beyond its split into North and South Korea. We meet many different characters but focus mainly on the relationship between Jade, a courtesan, and JungHo, an orphan boy who leads a street gang.

Through Jade, JungHo and a large cast of characters, we learn about Korea’s fight for independence and the toll it takes on its citizens. If you weren’t aware of Korea’s history in the 20th century, Beasts of a Little Land is a good introduction to the subject.

Most of all, the novel is the story of relationships and how they develop throughout the years. We learn about the lives of courtesans, street orphans, Japanese military men and Communist sympathizers. It’s all weaved together with a wonderful tale of the hunter and the tiger.

Beasts of a Little Land is an engaging historical novel, yet can be slow in places and the writing a bit matter-of-fact. I was hoping the prose would be more lyrical considering the subject matter. Despite these issues, I highly recommend this book.

All in all, a wonderful story for a debut novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

A review will be posted to Amazon.com and Instagram on December 7.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. A sweeping, beautiful epic of inyeon, the threads that link some people together for a lifetime. It did take me a little bit to get into the book and figure out what was going on, but once you finish the prologue and a little bit of chapter 1, you're totally immersed.

Starting in 1905 and finishing in 1965, the story takes us from a snowy mountain in northern Korea to Shanghai, Seoul, Manchuria, and Jejudo. We follow Jade, a girl from a poor village who is sold to a courtesan school, and JungHo, an orphan who left his family and fled to Seoul so his sisters would be provided for by his new brother-in-law. Their lifelong bond explores the Japanese occupation, the independence movement, WWII, and the aftermath of the war in Korea. There are also a large number of tertiary characters, and they are well-developed as well. I do wish we had gotten a bit more of Jade and Lotus' friendship at the end of the story, but I understand people grow apart throughout life. I just wish their inyeon was given some closure as well.

I learned so much from this novel, including nuances of Korean history we don't learn in the U.S. I will also say that throughout, I was surprised Kim included the perspectives of Japanese military officers, but in her afterword, she essentially says she wanted to show that everyone is human and multi-faceted. I appreciate the thought she put into creating a story with no villainous caricatures.

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the absolutely beautiful prose. Incredibly moving and well-crafted.

I will leave you with the following quote: "The sun rose in the new Republic just as he was locked in his third-story cell. The window was not so high, and he could see the tiled roofs and bare-branched trees shimmering in the orange light, and the birds signing and gliding across the sky. This, the everlasting stillness of morning, brought him unbearable joy and sorrow. Tears flowed down his cheeks raked by time. Death was such a small price to pay for life."

This is a must read.

Though the descriptions and language were lovely, this story had too many plotlines overlapping and not enough happening in any of them for me to finish. I read to 25% and then set the story aside.

4.5 stars

Wow. What a sweeping, epic historical-fiction love story. This book taught me so much that I did not know about the Japanese occupation of Korea and Korea's constant fight for independence. This book covers several decades of Korean history and has a large cast of characters. I would suggest taking notes on each of the characters that are introduced if you have trouble keeping track of a multitude of characters in books.

As the spouse of a Korean-American man, I really enjoyed learning more about Korean culture. It was so interesting to learn about courtesans, political movements of the early 20th century, and the concept of Inyeon, which is the lifelong connection between two people.

I was really engrossed with the stories of Dani, Jade, Lotus, JungHo, and HanChol. I could feel the intensity of the emotions between these people and ached when they ached.

This was a really moving story that I will not soon forget. While slow-moving at times, it really weaved an intricate and beautiful tale that I think will be of interest to anyone that really appreciates historical fiction that strives to teach you something.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.

Juhea Kim's Beasts of a little Land not only tells an engaging story, but also provides a look at Korean history throughout nearly half of the 20th century.

Set in 1917, the author’s Prologue narrates an encounter between a weak, hungry Korean hunter and a group of Japanese soldiers. Desperate to feed his family, the hunter had once been the best marksman with rifle or bow in the Imperial Army, resulting in his being nicknamed the PyongAhn Tiger. Readers learn that "there were ferocious beasts in every mountain and forest in the little land that even the ancient Chinese had called the Country of the Tigers, but the name suited him more than the farmers of the South." Although the PyongAhn Tiger does not appear again, one of his children plays a vital role.

Following the prologue, Kim divides the novel into four parts: Part 1, 1918-1919; Part 2, 1925-1937; Part 3, 1941-1948, and Part 4, 1964. She tells the stories of three girls—Jade, Lotus, and Luna--sent from the North by Lotus and Luna’s courtesan mother to her courtesan cousin, charged with training the girls in classic poetry, music, and everything else they need to know to entertain the wealthy men of Seoul. Readers view events primarily through Jade’s eyes as the three girls grow and mingle with city-dwellers, including JungHo, a street boy; HanChol, the human power behind his rickshaw; Japanese military officers, wealthy businessmen, political activists, and more. Kim ably brings a cross-section of individuals to life while plotting the repeated intersection of those lives and revealing their effects on one another.

In her Acknowledgements, Juhea Kim speaks of her inspiration for the novel—stories she heard growing up about her grandfather who made mysterious trips to Shanghai during the many years the Japanese ruled Korea. Explaining that Beasts of a Little Land is not intended to “declare the triumph of one ideology or country over another,” she adds, “Suffering knows no borders, and all people deserve and yearn for peace.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for an advance reader copy of this highly recommended novel.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. This is a sweeping historical novel about Korea's struggle to be free and the lives of Jade and JungHo, who meet as young poor children and the different paths their lives take. It was very easy to get into and held my interest the entire way through. The courtesan system, the Westernization of Korea and the history of the fight for freedom was fascinating, but at the heart of it are two children whose lives turn out so differently, yet they are connected to the end.

I do not usually read historical fiction about Asia, but it is the second book I have read about Korea's struggles. The other was told from the point of view of Christian missionaries. I am now on the lookout for a good book about the history of Korea before Japan's occupation and its split into two countries. This has no religion in it. Trigger warning: There is some brutal violence, gore and rape.

Beasts of a Little Land is a debut novel about bonds and about how certain relationships throughout our lives shape us. Is a Historical Fiction book that takes place in Korea during the Japanese annexation.
The story spans from 1918 to 1965 and follows two main characters, Jade, a courtesan in training, and JungHo, an orphan who begs on the streets, while they both struggle to survive, grow up, and fall in love in the very harsh context of a country in turmoil due to the multiple attempts to fight for independence and the war. It all moves around the concept of Inyeon, which can be translated as Fate, but it also implies the ties between two people during the course of their lives. All the characters in the story are interconnected, and their lives are depending deeply on those of others until the very end.
It's an engaging epic, exquisitely written, full of interesting characters. The context is fascinating. I can't believe it is a debut novel. Looking forward to reading more by Juhea Kim in the future.

The story of an encounter between a man and a tiger, whether fact or fable, is a thread throughout the book and is beautifully acknowledged in the title. A good question for book clubs might be: "Who is the beast in this story?" The sweeping story of Koreans from 1917 to 1964 is a mixed bag. Much of the writing is quite lyrical and yet I found the structure a bit clumsy and abrupt. It was not a read that held my attention throughout. It started with great promise, introducing us to two very different classes of Koreans represented by Jade, the courtesan in-training and Nam JungHo, a street urchin. We follow their development and relationships as well as the challenges each faces because of wars, politics, social norms, etc. I especially appreciated Korea as the setting, a small country with a big history. But there was just something missing for me to consider it a really good read – it might have been the characters (who weren’t all that endearing) or the circumstances (very brutal and often sexist) or the chapter and decade transitions (which were abrupt). Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this advanced copy of Beasts of a Little Land from NetGalley, with agreement to do a review of it.

While this book is not exactly in my "wheelhouse" of preferred genres, I was held in its grip, pretty much the whole way through it. From the meager beginning, with the simple hunter who thought he was tracking a leopard, all the way to the stirring conclusion.

The way Juhea Kim paints with words frequently left me stunned, and every time I put the book down, I was left wondering what would be happening next in the lives of the characters within.

Beginning in the early twentieth century (around 1915), the book paints a picture of Korean life, as the country fought for its independence from Japan. The scope of the story is wide, as it covers a period of time lasting into the mid-sixties. The characters are well-developed, and the relationships . . . well, let's just say that I became quite attached to the people, as well as their various relationships.

The central person in the story appears to be Jade, whom we meet as a young girl who is being brought to a madam, not initially to become a courtesan, but to be a servant in the house of courtesans. For a middle-class white person in the USA, the events of this story are chilling and tragic. It is difficult to imagine the kind of life that people like Jade had to live. But she constantly accepts her lot in life and makes the best of it.

I want to give a few quotes from the book, with the disclaimer that, once again, this was a prepublication advanced copy, so they may not appear exactly as they are here. But I just wanted to give an example of the author's talent with words.

"She fluttered with the knowledge that certain words in a certain order could rearrange her on the inside, like moving furniture. Words changed and remade her constantly, and no one else could even sense a difference. So after their lessons, while other girls busied themselves with strolling in the garden or steaming their skin with rice water, Jade practiced her letters alone."

"Among all the courtesans and apprentices, Jade felt that she was the only person who understood this secret language taught by her mistress. Regarding the things her best friend couldn't understand, Jade spoke to books instead. She wondered if she would one day find someone who would speak it back to her."

In regard to a close friendship that Jade had with Lotus, "Jade felt that they each would have only half of a life, a single wing, which would not be truly complete unless they stood together side by side."

Later in the book, Ms. Kim writes this, which gave me great pause and caused me to even examine my own perspective on life. "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. . . . the dreamers are forever seeing hidden colors where others just see the top shade. The nondreamers look through glasses, and the dreamers through a prism."

Such beautiful words.

As Jade makes her way through her life and her world, things are constantly changing. She meets, and develops relationships with, many different people, and those people have their own relationships among each other, as well. It's quite intricate, and, many times, surprising.

I have not, admittedly, taken the time to check the history of the events in this book, but feel that they must be relatively accurate. The time line seems to be accurate, at least.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Kim's tale, and look forward to what comes next.

What an amazing story! I am pleasantly surprised that this is a debut book. I can't wait to see what is in store from this author.

This tale is tragic, beautiful and powerful. I learned so much even though this is a work of fiction. Some parts were tough for me to read, but for my own personal reasons. I couldn't put this down! I loved all the different characters and liked how the stories were woven together.

Thank you Ecco books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A novel of historical fiction set in Korea. I enjoy learning about history through fiction and this novel delivers on that count. Lovely writing and compelling saga. The plotting was a bit slow in parts.

To be published Dec 7, 2021

Received an early copy from BookBrowse, for which I thank BookBrowse, the publisher and the author.

The story takes place in Korea and starts in the mountains in 1917. We move to Pyongyang, currently the capital of North Korea. In that year, North and South Korea were not separated. A train ran between Pyongyang and Seoul.

I love historical fiction because references within encourage me to do research and I learn much. This book is a prime example of one that makes me want to look deeper. The characters seem real and are well described.

I loved what I learned and following the story of

Jade-a courtesan in training
Silver-her original teacher
Dani-her second teacher (Silver's first cousin)
Luna-Silver's love child
Lotus-Luna's younger sister
Nam JungHo-an orphan living in Seoul
HanChol-a rickshaw driver
Nam's Father-saved the life of a Japanese Captain

The story covers the years 1917-1964. Korea gains its independence from Japan upon the conclusion of WWII. The lives of those listed above change dramatically in the course of the 47 years.

Very good and compelling historical fiction.

5 stars

Beasts of a Little Land is a multi-POV novel that will appeal to readers of Memoirs of a Geisha and epic tales that span wars, unrequited love, and the quest to scandal and complex social-economic conversations. Overall the story felt lyrical and moving, like a swaying branch in a gust of wind. We start our journey in the mountains with a man so attuned to nature that he seems to speak to the animals with a glance, move to a courtesan school where a girl must master not only her looks but intelligence and candor as well and a boy fighting to survive hunger in the city, This story felt both traditional and fresh and it was a welcome respite and a good antithesis to the modern traumas we are all currently living in.

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim is an achingly beautiful epic historical fiction set in Korea spanning the Korean independence movement from 1917-1965. The story centers around Jade, a young girl sold into an apprenticeship and trained as a courtesan, JungHo, an impoverished street kid turned gang leader and eventually a communist sympathizer, and HanChol, a rickshaw driver with high aspirations. Their stories intertwine to show the devastation of Japanese occupation, the elation of an independent Korea, and torment of a subsequently divided nation.

I loved this book. I am largely ignorant of the history of Korea, but the author’s skilled weaving of folklore and history allows the reader to experience the characters’ culture and important moments in Korea’s history. At times the story is a slow-burn, at times you can’t resist the next page. The writing in this book is beautiful. A stunning debut novel.

“Life is only bearable because time makes you forget everything. But life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything”

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Highly recommend for any lover of historical fiction.
TW: brutality, murder, rape

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The writing was absolutely beautiful, but the plot was slow. There were also an extended network of characters that took away from the main story. I do wonder if a collection of short stories would've worked better based on the amount of characters.

Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An enthusiastic 5 STARS for Beasts of a Little Land! The writing style was captivating, beautiful, and just absolutely incredible right from the get-go. This is a masterpiece. I have read many historical fiction novels about Korea, especially during the time of the Japanese occupation. This was certainly one of, if not THE best one I have ever read. The characters of Jade and Jungho were the perfect vehicles through which to learn about daily life during the early 20th century in Korea.

Thank you to @eccobooks for providing a NetGalley ARC and @librofm for providing an ALC of this wonderful book!

Pub date: Dec 7
Genre: historical fiction
In one sentence: In 1917, deep in the snowy mountains of occupied Korea, an impoverished local hunter on the brink of starvation saves a young Japanese officer from an attacking tiger, connecting their fates and those of many others.

I love epic historical fiction, and this book delivered. The initial tiger attack evolved into a complex story spanning multiple wars with interconnected characters experiencing success, love, failure, and heartbreak. I think Jade the courtesan's story was my favorite - I could feel her emotion so strongly.

The ending of the book just wrapped everything up so perfectly - it's hard to create so many storylines and then bring them all together, but Kim definitely succeeded. This book reminded me of Pachinko, one of my favorite historical epics, and I'm really excited to see what Juhea Kim writes next!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publishing company for an ebook of Juhea Kim's BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND, out on December 7 🐅

(warning: general spoilers below)

Set during the Japanese occupation of Korea and spanning decades, BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND imagines a complex cast of characters whose fates are inextricably interlaced. The son of a local hunter who saves a group of Japanese officers, a young girl who is sold to become a courtesan, a revolutionary who later founds the Communist independence movement—all of these characters weave in and out of each others' lives, navigating love for each other and the little land of their fracturing country. As they become increasingly disillusioned with love as it becomes shadowed by politics and social standing, they also become increasingly disillusioned with their nationalistic ambitions as the Korea that they feel deeply for continues to change from global and national politics. The book begins with tigers, scarce but free and mighty deep in the Korean mountains; by the end, these tigers are extinct after being in captivity, paralleling the depressing fate of the characters.

(Am I the only one who had a very pessimistic reading of the ending? That the tigers symbolized the spirit of the Korean people during the independence movement, now rendered extinct?)

Despite Kim's undeniable skill in creating personas and settings, my reading experience was rather dispassionate; I admired Kim's portrayals but never quite felt for any of the characters, if you know what I mean. This I attribute to the author's writing style. It could work for some, but for me, it didn't quite settle.

Nonetheless, a solid epic for those interested in a historical fiction.