Thank you for the ARC! Sadly unable to read as this was downloaded onto an old device I no longer have access to and the book has since been archived.

Reading Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim was an immersive journey into 20th century Korea, rich with history, passion, and resilience.

The novel begins in 1917, when a penniless hunter saves a Japanese officer from a tiger, setting off a chain of events that intertwine the fates of many. Through the lives of courtesans, revolutionaries, and soldiers, Kim paints a vivid tapestry of love, betrayal, and survival against the backdrop of Japanese occupation.

What captivated me most was the depth of the characters. From Jade, the orphaned girl groomed into a courtesan, to Jung ho, the hunter with a complex past, each character's journey was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Kim's prose is lyrical yet unflinching, capturing the nuances of human emotion and the harsh realities of war.

This novel reminded me of Pachinko in its exploration of identity and survival, yet it stands uniquely on its own. Beasts of a Little Land is a testament to the enduring spirit of those who live through history's most tumultuous times.

Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the approved copy.

I find Japan's control of Korea, and Korea's eventual independence, to be a very interesting, though tragic, aspect of history that I don't know enough about as it isn't a common topic of history taught in the UK, and in seeking out Beasts of a Little Land as a narrative interpretation of people's experiences during that time, I found out so much, and in such an approachable way. Although quite clearly fiction, the lived experiences of each of the characters portrayed how this time was experienced in such differing ways, from Jade's turbulent childhood to Jungho and his fight for his country's freedom. I did find the story to drag at times, especially when reading about the characters that I didn't care for as much as Jade, and I found the pacing of the story and its timeline to be a bit confusing towards the end. Whatever little gripes I had with Kim's storytelling were only small, and I do think this story as a whole portrayed a very important message.

This is such a heartbreaking story. I was so invested in both the story and the characters. It is written so well. It’s so emotional and raw

Sometimes you're in the mood for 'sweeping epics', sometimes not. I'm afraid to say that I just didn't connect with this or the characters, and found myself skim-reading huge chunks just to get through it. Fear not, there are many 5 star reviews raving about this, so I put it down to just not for me and move on.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

“In prolonged destruction, there was no spirit of unity such as the one they had shared in the face of a quick and heroic death”.

TW: rape, murder.

Kim is a highly talented writer, producing a final product similar to something I'd expect from Min Jin Lee or Lisa See. Beasts of a Little Land follows Jade, a young female peasant sold into the life of a courtesan in her hometown of Korea and her journey from Pyongyang to Seoul and back, during the time of war.

I adored the way Kim discussed the idea of ‘inyeon’ or threads between people and how we are all linked in one way or another, but also how helpless we are to maintain the threads because “if it’s not meant to be, you can’t hold onto people no matter what’.

The way one individual can impact another's family and future transcends generations and she displayed this perfectly between the characters, who took it in turns to help one another in a domino style effect.

The other prominent theme that really stuck out for me was the emphasis of resilience, placed mainly on, but not only on female characters. They would build up their counterparts, only to be torn down in return, left behind and later left at the mercy of another and have no choice but to begin the cycle again. The almost cyclical nature of the disappointment and misfortune the characters faced reinforced my expectation of events, yet still killed the little bit of hope I had at every corner.

The book is politically charged, given the timing of the story, and could have been slightly more fleshed, but overall it's a fantastic read to understand Japanese-Korean relations during the war from a more personal perspective.

Jade, is a young girl who is sold to a courtesan house for money that would help her poor family. JungHo, is an orphan living off the streets and struggling to survive with nothing but a few mementoes left to him by his late father, The lives of Jade and JungHo and the people they meet in the course of their lives takes us on a journey spanning almost 5 decades.

This story is a gripping read with the pacing keeping you reading. The plot is smart and intricate with the paths of the characters crisscrossing throughout.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC..

Absolutely fantastic! Beasts of a Little Land is a portal to a whole world teeming with life, so full of wonders. Fascinating… A beautiful story that captures your attention and your heart from beginning to end.

Unfortunately I was quite sick these last months and couldn't actually read more than some pages of this.
I liked what I did read and I am sure to pick up a physical copy of this, as well as stocking it for the store.

This was a really enjoyable, engaging saga. Set in Korea over a period of nearly fifty years, it tells the stories of Nam and Jade and their different paths and experiences throughout their lives. While the history of the Peninsular and its interactions with Japan determine behaviours, it does not over dominate the story. One of the best books I have read this year.

When I read that this book was being compared to Pachinko, it was a no-brainer for me to request it on NetGalley. I was thrilled when I got approved for it.

This book begins in the year 1917 where Korea is yet to be divided into North & South. With the threat of famine looming, Jade is sold by her family to Miss Silver’s courtesan school in a cosmopolitan Pyongyang. However, a Japanese invasion is coming and Jade flees to Seoul and befriends an orphan boy called JungHo. As Jade becomes a sought-after performer with unexpected romantic prospects, JungHo is swept up in the revolutionary fight for independence. Soon Jade must decide between following her own ambitions, or risking everything for the one she loves. 

It took me quite a while to get into a groove with this book, I’m not going to lie. It is definitely a slow-paced read. I found it difficult to get into mainly because of the jumping perspectives. When I wasn’t familiar with the characters at the start I found it slightly confusing to begin with.
Yet once I did get into it, I was mesmerised by it and unable to put it down. I think if you’re looking for a full-on historical fiction, this might disappoint slightly as it is very character driven. The history seeps into the background in parts besides where it is relevant in the author’s writing. However, the characters are so beautifully developed. Once you get into the plot, it becomes a captivating read. It is a story of love, heartache, circumstance and friendship above anything else. The historical-fiction element, in my opinion, is only really peppered throughout the book. It only really kicked in towards the end for me.

Nonetheless, Beasts Of A Little Land is lovely debut and I think anyone who enjoys a character-driven plot and history will like this book.

Thank you to @oneworldpublications and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A rich and soaring tale of love, loss, violence and Korean history. Great characters who I enjoyed getting to know a lot, despite the fact that the plot itself was perhaps lacking in some places.

Enjoyable in that I didn't ever feel the need to skim or that I was going to DNF, and I finished it fairly quickly but there are many other titles I would recommend in this vein before this. It mainly suffers from debut novel syndrome I think, it was a bit too big for its britches. It could've done with knocking out a few of the more secondary or infrequent point of views to spend more time giving depth to its main characters. It felt like a lot of character development and plot progression would happen in the time skips, so often I was left feeling like I was missing the most important parts of the story as they were happening off page. For both of these reasons it was hard to have any strong connection to the characters or their stories. I also think it suffers a bit from a need of 'show don't tell' it felt like everything was spelled out so plainly, and sometimes clumsily, on the page as far as characters feelings or motives it left no room for me as the reader to think or interpret for myself. It would be better if the author assumed a bit more intellect on their readers' parts and then could depict things in a bit more nuanced way. As it was I felt I was handheld through the story.
Inevitably this will draw comparisons to Pachinko in subject matter, themes and style, and I will admit Pachinko is one of my favourite books and one of the reasons I picked this up because i thought it would be the 'next Pachinko', but it falls short of giving any of the depth or emotional connection of its predecessor.

An expansive and compelling narrative following various characters as they navigate 1910s-1920s Korea under Japanese Occupation. This book undoubtedly offers a satisfying insight into an era of history that is altogether shocking and interesting, yet rarely explored outside of the region, and does a great job of highlighting the competing forces of Japanese vs Korean nationalism, Communist vs Capitalist ideologies and ideals of tradition vs modernity that gripped Korea during this time. At times the alternating perspectives of multiple characters across chapters did seem confusing, however I thought Juhea Kim did a brilliant job of portraying how this period in history was experienced differently across classes, locations and ethnic groups. For me, Jade and her fellow Courtesans absolutely stole the show in this book, though the development of her friendship with JungHo was also a tender aspect of the novel. I’m so glad I read this and I would definitely recommend this to anyone interesting in historical or political fiction.

This sweeping saga tells of the lives of a young girl sold to a courtesan and the son of a poor hunter in Korea from 1917 to the 1960s. Annexed by Japan in 1910, life is becoming more difficult for the Koreans as their land is given to Japanese migrants, their taxes are raised, most of the rice harvest is sent to Japan and it is impossible to find enough to feed their families.

Jade considers herself lucky to be sold to a courtesan who has several pupils she clothes and feeds and educates her in the arts and music they will need as courtesans. Her ability to act and dance will later see her playing starring roles in silent movies and leaving her profession of courtesan behind her. While still children, Jade meets orphan boy, JungHo, son of a peasant farmer and hunter, outside her house in Seoul where he makes his living as leader of a street gang of child thieves and pick pockets. He will later become swept up in the Korean movement for independence.

Juhea Kim’s debut novel and epic tale is a fascinating look at Korea under the brutality of Japanese rule. The history is well researched and blends in well with the lives of the characters. I never felt particularly invested in any of the characters and their relationships which seemed to lack emotional depth, perhaps because there was so much story to be told in one novel. However, it is an immersive and satisfying read, particularly if you enjoy historical novels.

Amazing! I was on a mission to read more Asian literature and this has absolutely hit the spot. I didn’t know anything about Korea in the early 1900s, but I have learnt so much just through enjoying this book.
Highly recommended.

I think this will be one of the hottest reads of 2022.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read the book early in exchange for my feedback.

An enjoyable read altogether. I like to learn history while reading and the novel certainly managed that, but the dialogue and characters suffered in return. I never rooted for the main characters and it all felt really distant to me. Sexual assault scenes and other highly emotional situations were told too matter of fact for my liking.

If you enjoyed The Exiles, The Island of Sea Women or Pachinko, you might want to check this out.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book, could not put it down. Will definitely read more by this author. .

I absolutely loved this! What a fantastic plot, beautifully written, intertwining the relationships between the characters in such an ingenious and realistic way.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While the setting in this novel is certainly well rendered the dialogues just do not ring true to life. They are full of anachronism that really took me out of the story. I'm sure this will appeal to other readers who aren't too fussed about whether the dialogues in a book with a historical setting sound authentic or not.