Genre Fiction
![Juhea Kim - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_juhea_kim.jpg)
Beasts of a Little Land: A Novel
"A spectacular debut filled with great characters and heart." -Lisa See, author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
FINALIST FOR THE 2022 DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE · FINALIST FOR THE BALCONES FICTION PRIZE · LONGLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN AWARD
An epic story of love, war, and redemption set against the backdrop of the Korean independence movement, following the intertwined fates of a young girl sold to a courtesan school and the penniless son of a hunter
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. In an instant, their fates are connected-and from this encounter unfolds a saga that spans half a century.
In the aftermath, a young girl named Jade is sold by her family to Miss Silver's courtesan school, an act of desperation that will cement her place in the lowest social status. When she befriends an orphan boy named JungHo, who scrapes together a living begging on the streets of Seoul, they form a deep friendship. As they come of age, JungHo is swept up in the revolutionary fight for independence, and Jade becomes a sought-after performer with a new romantic prospect of noble birth. Soon Jade must decide whether she will risk everything for the one who would do the same for her.
From the perfumed chambers of a courtesan school in Pyongyang to the glamorous cafes of a modernizing Seoul and the boreal forests of Manchuria, where battles rage, Juhea Kim's unforgettable characters forge their own destinies as they wager their nation's. Immersive and elegant, Beasts of a Little Land unveils a world where friends become enemies, enemies become saviors, heroes are persecuted, and beasts take many shapes.
A Recommended Read from: USA Today · The Washington Post · Entertainment Weekly · The Today Show · Real Simple · Good Morning America · Harper's Bazaar · Buzzfeed · Fortune · Vulture · Goodreads · Lit Hub · Book Riot · PopSugar · E! Online · Ms. Magazine · Chicago Review of Books · Bustle · The Oregonian · The Millions
FINALIST FOR THE 2022 DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE · FINALIST FOR THE BALCONES FICTION PRIZE · LONGLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN AWARD
An epic story of love, war, and redemption set against the backdrop of the Korean independence movement, following the intertwined fates of a young girl sold to a courtesan school and the penniless son of a hunter
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. In an instant, their fates are connected-and from this encounter unfolds a saga that spans half a century.
In the aftermath, a young girl named Jade is sold by her family to Miss Silver's courtesan school, an act of desperation that will cement her place in the lowest social status. When she befriends an orphan boy named JungHo, who scrapes together a living begging on the streets of Seoul, they form a deep friendship. As they come of age, JungHo is swept up in the revolutionary fight for independence, and Jade becomes a sought-after performer with a new romantic prospect of noble birth. Soon Jade must decide whether she will risk everything for the one who would do the same for her.
From the perfumed chambers of a courtesan school in Pyongyang to the glamorous cafes of a modernizing Seoul and the boreal forests of Manchuria, where battles rage, Juhea Kim's unforgettable characters forge their own destinies as they wager their nation's. Immersive and elegant, Beasts of a Little Land unveils a world where friends become enemies, enemies become saviors, heroes are persecuted, and beasts take many shapes.
A Recommended Read from: USA Today · The Washington Post · Entertainment Weekly · The Today Show · Real Simple · Good Morning America · Harper's Bazaar · Buzzfeed · Fortune · Vulture · Goodreads · Lit Hub · Book Riot · PopSugar · E! Online · Ms. Magazine · Chicago Review of Books · Bustle · The Oregonian · The Millions
Editorial Reviews
"Would you believe I read this 400-page epic story about war and love across decades of South Korea's history in a single sitting? A debut novel that opens with a tiger encounter in the snowy mountains, it's a twist on historical fiction that roars with life." - Entertainment Weekly, "Must List"
"Unrequited love, class warfare, scandal...this novel has it all." - Real Simple, a Best Book of 2021
"You wouldn't know from reading it that "Beasts of a Little Land" is Kim's debut novel. There is no shortage of ambition on display here, and fleet-footed narrative pacing to match it…. A book written with warmth [and] wisdom." - USA Today
"Accomplished.... As the paths of her characters twist and cross and their fortunes rise and fall, [Kim] keeps the weight of the personal and political in perfect balance. Beasts of a Little Land is epic in range but intimate in emotional depth, sure to appeal to readers of historical fiction who prize a well-wrought character." - BookPage
"Some people say that all stories are about either love or war. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Korea, Kim's epic debut novel is about both." - Harper's Bazaar, a Best Book of 2021
"Assured and textured debut...following a cast of characters whose fates are molded and linked together by the country's political forces and who, in the face of colonialism, violence and severe injustice, carve out spaces to live and love." - New York Times Book Review
"Kim delivers one of the dazzling debuts of the year with this epic story." - E! Online
"In Juhea Kim's debut novel, the land may be small but the scope is immense, as in a grand Russian novel complete with battlefields, intergenerational legacies and snarled love affairs... Everyone is extraordinary, a singular beast in exceptional times, and in Kim's capable hands this liberty pays off....Beasts of a Little Land is a stunning achievement. Juhea Kim wrestles with the chaos of a half-century of love, idealism, war and violence, and does so with courage and wisdom." - TLS
"[Beasts of a Little Land] is epic in scope, but it's also filled with intimate language and moments." - NPR
"Unrequited love, class warfare, scandal...this novel has it all." - Real Simple, a Best Book of 2021
"You wouldn't know from reading it that "Beasts of a Little Land" is Kim's debut novel. There is no shortage of ambition on display here, and fleet-footed narrative pacing to match it…. A book written with warmth [and] wisdom." - USA Today
"Accomplished.... As the paths of her characters twist and cross and their fortunes rise and fall, [Kim] keeps the weight of the personal and political in perfect balance. Beasts of a Little Land is epic in range but intimate in emotional depth, sure to appeal to readers of historical fiction who prize a well-wrought character." - BookPage
"Some people say that all stories are about either love or war. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Korea, Kim's epic debut novel is about both." - Harper's Bazaar, a Best Book of 2021
"Assured and textured debut...following a cast of characters whose fates are molded and linked together by the country's political forces and who, in the face of colonialism, violence and severe injustice, carve out spaces to live and love." - New York Times Book Review
"Kim delivers one of the dazzling debuts of the year with this epic story." - E! Online
"In Juhea Kim's debut novel, the land may be small but the scope is immense, as in a grand Russian novel complete with battlefields, intergenerational legacies and snarled love affairs... Everyone is extraordinary, a singular beast in exceptional times, and in Kim's capable hands this liberty pays off....Beasts of a Little Land is a stunning achievement. Juhea Kim wrestles with the chaos of a half-century of love, idealism, war and violence, and does so with courage and wisdom." - TLS
"[Beasts of a Little Land] is epic in scope, but it's also filled with intimate language and moments." - NPR
Readers Top Reviews
Krista RiesterKin
I wish the author had concentrated on fewer characters so we could get to know them better. She was going so hard for the “all the different stories interconnect in a twist ending” that she failed to address so many questions I had. The characters felt so one-dimensional, and the ending on Jeju Island came out of nowhere. The best written story, who was the only one to come back around in a satisfying way was Yamada’s. I bought this before reading based on Lisa See’s review, which is something I rarely do outside of my tried and true favorite authors. I’d be willing to give the author another shot, but this time I’ll check it out from the library before buying.
roam millsDeborah
Are there no editors anymore? This is a good story with well-drawn characters to lead the reader through years of personal and political upheaval. The main problem, which for this reader greatly disturbs the storyline, is the lack of decisions on either the writer's or the editor's part The story begins in 1917 and 1918. From the beginning there are trite phrases and modern speech that jar and break the continuity of the story. Surely there must be a way to express joy on a wedding night without saying "Like I wouldn't even be mad (if I died tonight). The word "like" used this way is modern slang. There are many examples of this kind and it's too bad because the writer's story deserved closer editorial attention.
Thierryroam mills
What a beautiful novel. On one level, it's a history lesson about Korea from the first part of the 20th century, but done in such a way that it makes history come alive. On another level, it's several loves stories done over a long period of time, and great insights into the Korean people. On another level, it's written so well, that it's a joy from beginning to end. I purchased a hardback of the book and intend to read it again in the future. Would recommend Beasts to anyone seeking un understanding of an important portion of Korean history from the vantage points of different people from different levels of society, and different viewpoints concerning what it means to be Korean. 5 stars, all the way.
Unok BrownThie
Of a life and time not often portrayed. 1918 to 1960s Korea. Even the most fanciful linkages in the story were believable and well told: the cigarette case and ring passed along throughout the story
