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Beasts of a Little Land: A Novel Paperback – Large Print, December 7, 2021
by Juhea Kim (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 720 ratings
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"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
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Print length
576 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
"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
"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
"Absorbing, sweeping.... Throughout the novel, observations about world politics remind readers of that greater history.... Complex and interesting characters." — Los Angeles Times
"Powerful, romantic and wholly unforgettable." — Ms., a Best Book of 2021
"A potent and immersive reading experience, alive to the particulars of its place and time. Intimate but politically resonant, it’s perfect for fans of Min Jin Lee and Isabelle Allende." — Chicago Review of Books
"We see what each of these characters is willing to risk or sacrifice, whether for survival or some other purpose...remarkable." — Ploughshares
“Gorgeous…. This transporting and elegant tale of complicated characters whose lives intertwine during the Korean independence movement of the early twentieth century is not to be missed.” — Departures
"[A] rich sweep of a story [s]et during the decades of Japan’s brutal takeover of Korea... 'People are brave in different ways,' affirms Jade’s lifelong admirer JungHo, a sentiment that infuses the book." — Christian Science Monitor
“Beautiful…. The writing has a dreamlike quality that immerses the reader in a fascinating world….. Not only is this a gorgeously written story, but Kim also gives us insight into a historical period with which many Westerners will be unfamiliar.” — Historical Novels Review, Editor's Choice
"For fans of far-reaching epic sagas that pinpoint human experience, readers will relish the narrative that chronicles the lives of the characters from childhood through old age, reminding us that although different, our lives are all connected by our fears, hopes and the quest for steadfast love." — Book Trib
“An epic novel brings complex 20th-century Korean history to life…. Extraordinary…. Gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters combine to make a literary masterpiece.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A magnificent, mesmerizing story of love and war...an evocative and emotive historical novel...characters are so sensitively and carefully drawn that even the 'enemy' can be seen to have a human side. Cinematic in its scope, this is the type of novel that the reader finishes both with pleasure (for its satisfying dénouement and pleasing circularity) and sadness (at having to leave the story behind)." — New Internationalist
“Kim’s debut novel wondrously reveals broken families and surprising alliances created by uncontrollable circumstances…. [A] richly alluring and significant first novel.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Captivating…. The times the characters must survive are often violent and harsh, but they maintain a surprising tenderheartedness, along with a deep need for love and purpose. Readers should expect to be swept along themselves by the waves of passion and tragedy that make the novel so appealing.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"Beasts of a Little Land is a stunning chronicle of the Korean peninsula during the tumultuous decades leading to independence and partition. Told through the lives of a rich cast of characters—courtesans, Japanese generals, and revolutionaries—whose stories intertwine in the most unexpected ways, it is by turns political and sensual, epic and intimate. It is also a profound meditation on place; Kim evokes the urban and natural landscapes of Korea with transporting beauty. This novel will devastate you and then still you with its wise meditations on love and loss. I couldn’t put it down." — Alexis Schaitkin, author of Saint X
"Beasts of a Little Land is as much a story of love—requited, unrequited, imperfect, fleeting, dogged, romantic, platonic, familial—and the knocks of time on our bodies and spirits as it is about a moment in history for one country struggling against colonialism." — Portland Monthly
"With marvelous prose and immersive storytelling, “Beasts of a Little Land” shows that Juhea Kim is an author to watch. You won’t be able to put this book down." — Apartment Therapy
“[A] dreamy, intense debut…. The prose is ravishing and Kim demonstrates remarkable control of a complicated narrative. Even those with little knowledge of Korean history will come away struck by the way individuals shape and are shaped by the political and cultural changes of the first half of the 20th century.” — Publishers Weekly
“Beasts of a Little Land is an emotional, raw, and moving novel about friendship and the struggle for Korean independence. It is a novel unlike anything I've read. Most importantly, though, it is a novel about love. Juhea Kim writes beautifully in a way that makes it difficult to put this novel down. I loved it.” — Brandon Hobson, National Book Award finalist and author of The Removed
“In Beasts of a Little Land, Juhea Kim has taken the concept of inyeon—human thread—to weave a beautiful story in which human connections and encounters are preordained. She explores the ideas of fate, fortune, and destiny against the backdrop of the great turbulence and historic events that transpired on the Korean peninsula during the twentieth century. A spectacular debut filled with great characters and heart.” — Lisa See, author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
"In Beasts of a Little Land, Juhea Kim has created a magical, intricate and compelling world in which readers will be enchanted and swept away by unforgettable journeys of survival, hope, and love. This is historical fiction at its very best!" — Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, internationally best-selling author of The Mountains Sing
“Juhea Kim’s sweeping debut is pure reading pleasure. Rapturous, ravishing, and gorgeously rendered, Beasts of a Little Land is a portal to a whole world teeming with life, so full of wonders I wanted it never to end.” — Catherine Chung, author of The Tenth Muse
"Elegant and wise, lush and immersive, Beasts of a Little Land is Tolstoyan in its sweep and ambition as it brings to life the Korean struggle against Japanese occupation and the making of a modern nation in the first half of the 20th century. Juhea Kim is a conjurer of rare ability whose magnificent debut utterly enchants." — Keija Parssinen, author of The Unraveling of Mercy Louis
"Jade is a courtesan, sold into the trade by her family when starvation is the only other option for her. JungHo is a beggar on the streets of Seoul. Together, they are the compelling protagonists of an exciting debut that takes us through a vast arc of 20th-century Korean history, lending an achingly human lens to sweeping historic events that still reverberate today." — Globe and Mail (Toronto)
About the Author
Juhea Kim was born in Incheon, Korea, and moved to Portland, Oregon, at age nine. Her writing has been published in Granta, Guernica, Catapult, ZYZZYVA, and other outlets. She is the founder and editor of Peaceful Dumpling, an online magazine at the intersection of sustainable lifestyle and ecological literature. She earned her BA in art and archaeology from Princeton University. Beasts of a Little Land, her debut novel, will be translated and published around the world. After a decade in New York City, Kim now lives with her two rescue cats in Portland, Oregon.
Product details
Publisher : HarperLuxe; Large type / Large print edition (December 7, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 576 pages
ISBN-10 : 0063119692
ISBN-13 : 978-0063119697
Item Weight : 1.01 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 1.3 x 9 inchesBest Sellers Rank: #1,183,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)#1,477 in Asian American Literature & Fiction
#3,912 in Cultural Heritage Fiction
#13,201 in Family Saga FictionCustomer Reviews:
4.3 out of 5 stars 720 ratings
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Juhea Kim
Juhea Kim was born in Incheon, Korea, and moved to Portland, Oregon, at age nine. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Art and Archaeology and a certificate in French. Her debut novel, Beasts of a Little Land, was named a Best Book of 2021 by Real Simple, Harper's Bazaar, Ms., and Portland Monthly, and will be published around the world in 2022.
Her writing has been published or is forthcoming in Granta, Slice, Zyzzyva, Catapult, Times Literary Supplement, Joyland, Shenandoah, Guernica, The Massachusetts Review, Sierra Magazine, The Independent, Portland Monthly, and Dispatches from Annares anthology. Her translation of Yi Sang Award-winning author Choi In-Ho was published in Granta. She is the founder and editor of Peaceful Dumpling, an online magazine covering sustainable lifestyle and ecological literature. She has received fellowships from Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and Arizona State University, where she taught a class on ecological fiction as a 2020 Desert Nights Rising Stars Fellow.
She is donating a portion of the proceeds of Beasts of a Little Land to the Phoenix Fund, a Siberian tiger and Amur leopard conservation nonprofit based in Vladivostok, Russia.
www.juheakim.com
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Top reviews from the United States
Thierry
5.0 out of 5 stars A history lesson about Korea over a recent 35 year periodReviewed in the United States on June 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
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.
3 people found this helpful
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roam mills
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Story Marred By Poor EditingReviewed in the United States on June 4, 2022
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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.
6 people found this helpful
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Krista Riester
3.0 out of 5 stars Decent first effort, but certainly room for improvementReviewed in the United States on June 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
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.
2 people found this helpful
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Deborah
5.0 out of 5 stars The Story’s Still ReverberatingReviewed in the United States on March 2, 2022
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I finished this book a few hours ago. Since I’m still fully immersed in the story and people, I wanted to jump in to add my own five stars. What a full, fascinating story! Ms. Kim has given life to nearly a dozen different characters, and despite my unfamiliarity with Korean and Japanese, I had no trouble keeping people straight. Her inclusion of both positive and negative traits within one character is wonderful. It gave me a lot to sit with, particularly given all the political turmoil going on in the world today. Ms. Kim really shines in subtly showing the ongoing influence from how we are raised, and including the points of view of different characters is fascinating. By the time the story comes to a close there’s no doubt that the tiger isn’t the only beast.
4 people found this helpful
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Anna
5.0 out of 5 stars beasts of a little landReviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022
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This book was incredible. It pulled at my heartstrings in more ways than one. I followed these characters from start to finish. Seeing how their lives played out so differently than what I imagined kept me reading all hours of the night. I highly recommend this book and author.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, But Not GrippingReviewed in the United States on March 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
The book is interesting, but it does not flow as smoothly as I had hoped. I did, however, gain insight into the difficulties between the Japanese and Korean cultures and how the characters had to deal with these issues to survive and prosper.
2 people found this helpful
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Steven E. Sanderson
5.0 out of 5 stars odd title, lovely bookReviewed in the United States on March 27, 2022
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Ms. Kim writes beautifully, conveying mood, temperature, season, and life conditions with strong imagery. The story of 20th century Korea sets the stage for a saga reminiscent of Ha Jin: horror, helplessness, and enduring human spirit. The novel gives a deeper take on Japanese-Korean affairs than does Pachinko, in my view, and I cared more for the characters.
3 people found this helpful
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Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars "...life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything."Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2022
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Reading "Beasts of a Little Land" was an immersive whole-body experience in which my heart followed almost every character and rooted for their goodness, however small. My emotions heightened at how Juhea Kim illustrated each scene, mood, and character with elegant brushstrokes. This novel transports and transforms the reader into a hungry, silent observer in all the characters' lives.
I'm quite choosy with the books that I keep in my modest literary collection. "Beasts of a Little Land" is a must-have!
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
bev 19
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous storyReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2021
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I have read many stories centred around Korea at the time of the Japanese occupation and wars, this one is absolutely divine. I would love to read more from this author.
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JAP
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable at timesReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the writing but at times not the story but am still glad I read it. I did not want to put it down, such brave men and women. But there were also disgusting people to, like life I suppose.
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Aug 07, 2021Juhea Kim rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition
Beasts of a Little Land is my debut novel, and after years of hard work I'm incredibly thrilled to see it out in the world very soon! I love it very much (biased!) and I hope it resonates with readers, too. (less)
Mar 13, 2022jessica rated it it was amazing
oh wow. this is not a happy book. its honest and raw and shows how life doesnt always work out the way we might want it to.
and its because of that, because nothing happened the way i wanted it to, it made for such an infuriating and heartbreaking story. but thats life. its messy and complicated and doesnt always result in a happy ending. and this story showcases perfectly the specific challenges and difficulties the people in koreas history had to face.
and even though im walking away from this disappointed, its only because of how invested and connected to the characters i felt and how differently i wish their lives had been. im going to be thinking about them for quite some time.
↠ 4.5 stars (less)
and its because of that, because nothing happened the way i wanted it to, it made for such an infuriating and heartbreaking story. but thats life. its messy and complicated and doesnt always result in a happy ending. and this story showcases perfectly the specific challenges and difficulties the people in koreas history had to face.
and even though im walking away from this disappointed, its only because of how invested and connected to the characters i felt and how differently i wish their lives had been. im going to be thinking about them for quite some time.
↠ 4.5 stars (less)
‘Everyone dreams, but only some people are dreamers.’
The 20th century was a whirlwind of change in Korea, from being annexed as a Japanese colony in 1910, to American occupation post-WWII and the Korean war and division along the 38th parallel in the 1950s. Beasts of a Little Land, the stunning debut from Juhea Kim, is a sweeping epic that takes us from 1917 to 1965 as it follows the lives and loves of many characters such as Jade, a young courtesan, and her childhood friend and potential love, Nam JungHo as their lives harmonize across the timeline and endure the whirlwind of history. Though this is less a romantic love story and more about the concept of inyeon (인연), the ties that bind people throughout their lives, Juhea Kim harnesses these interconnected fates to take us on a moving saga where fighting for freedom and survival seems a continuous struggle in the ever changing political landscapes. Deeply moving and with a rich historical context that propels the narrative and sends lives into action or disarray, this is a gorgeous meditation on fate, freedom and the ties that bind us and make life the bittersweet, emotional journey that it is.
‘Now that I’m older I know that life is not about what keeps you safe, but what you keep safe, and that’s what matters the most.’
I love a sweeping epic, and the criss-crossing lives of exceptional people during exceptional times of revolution and strife and decades of history culminating into important moments of love has a flair to it akin to Les Misérables or even Doctor Zhivago. The novel begins with an important lesson: ‘never kill a tiger unless you have to…. And that’s only when the tiger tries to kill you first.’ This comes as hunter Nam Kyunsoo is stirred into a moment of bravery where he saves the life of the occupying Japanese officers from a tiger who in turn allow him to live. This moment reverberates through the whole novel with these characters returning and their interconnected fates playing out over the course of history. Years later the ‘observant, intelligent, and hardworking’ Jade is sold by her family into the life of a courtesan and becomes fast friends with the ‘spirited, disarming, and confident’ Lotus, a friendship that redirects their lives as it intersects with the hunter’s now orphaned son, Nam Jungho as he arrives in town with nothing but a few personal effects of his late father. While just children, the stirrings of revolution can be felt around them.
‘Life is only bearable because time makes you forget everything. But life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything.’
The coming-of-age stories, with Jade making headway into the world of courtesans and her education and Jungho organizing a band of orphans into a bit of a low-level organized crime ring, are mixed into a rather textured political drama that sees revolutionaries and local merchants butting heads or begrudgingly working together (jealousy of one another of a woman being a large impetus in one pivotal scene). Juhea Kim details a complex and varied political discourse of the times, with many factions disputing or trying to coalition build with the aim of Korean independence helping them set aside their ideological differences:
There are scenes of violent uprising, brutal prison sentences that later give way into scenes of war as freedom is paid for in blood over the decades. Characters are courted by various ideological members, threatening to tear apart friendships and lives.
‘Everywhere around them, life was happening without their knowing, and their lives were also happening in the presence of all else. All existences were touching lightly as air and leaving invisible fingerprints.’
There is a great deal of symbolism present in this book that intersperses well with the attention of Korean mythology and folklore. The aforementioned tiger is brought up at various moments, a symbol of strength but also something elusive, symbolizing the idea of a united and free Korea. The cigarette case kept by Jungoho, given to his father by the Japanese officer Yamada, is a foreboding symbol that hints at the destruction of foreign forces and reappears late in the novel to close a fate. The image of a divided country comes alive in the many divided pairs that exist within the novel, such as rich vs poor, divided siblings, warring ideologies of capitalism and communism, and most notably, Japan and Korea.
The class divide is particularly investigated, and there is a parallel of Jade being on both ends at different points of relationships thwarted by one party being of a social standing that would defile the reputation of the other. Much of this novel is heartbreaking, with lives pulled apart, yet there is the bittersweet romance of two souls ricocheting across history and continuously returning to each other's orbit. ‘The only thing she felt sure of was the firm grip of JungHo’s hand,’ Juhea Kim writes, ‘not letting go.’ The ground beneath these characters, both socially and politically is endlessly unstable and they feel like pieces on a gameboard where national identity and freedom are the stakes.
The historical framework functions well to give context and weight to these characters experiences, but the author herself cautions against reading historical fiction for a history lesson and reminds us the narrative is the purpose. In an excellent article she wrote for LitHub, Juhea Kim questions why authors of color are expected to be a history lesson in a standard that seems less expected of white authorssuch as how she notices reviews seem to expect this book to be a dynamic history lesson of 20th century Korea in a way not asked of, say, Lauren Groff’s (quite wonderful) Matrix to be a working education of 12th century France. She writes ‘authors who write a non-white book must brace themselves for some serious othering,’ adding that ‘Asian female characters in a historical era can pigeonhole a book into a weirdly salacious mould and label it primarily as Asian Historical Fiction rather than Literary Fiction, with profound critical and commercial consequences.’ It should be noted that this is less a book about history and more an testament to humanity in the face of history and the emotional resonance far outpaces the historical lessons. The latter is the stage for which the performance takes place, but don’t overlook the actors for the scenery.
‘Death was such a small price to pay for life.’
This is a gorgeous novel that covers a lot of territory. It can be a bit dense and plodding at times, and it does unfortunately tend to tell more than show through the storytelling. That said, the prose is beautiful and cuts straight to the heart. This is a sweeping epic that lets you feel the weight of history and the passing of decades to paint a moving collage of lives caught up in the timeline of major events. Juhea Kim has delivered an impressive debut, bound in quite delightful cover art, and I look forward to anything she will write.
3.75/5
‘There are just two things in the world that give you true confidence. One is overcoming difficulties on your own, and the other is being deeply loved. If you experience both, then you will be confident for the rest of your life.’ (less)
The 20th century was a whirlwind of change in Korea, from being annexed as a Japanese colony in 1910, to American occupation post-WWII and the Korean war and division along the 38th parallel in the 1950s. Beasts of a Little Land, the stunning debut from Juhea Kim, is a sweeping epic that takes us from 1917 to 1965 as it follows the lives and loves of many characters such as Jade, a young courtesan, and her childhood friend and potential love, Nam JungHo as their lives harmonize across the timeline and endure the whirlwind of history. Though this is less a romantic love story and more about the concept of inyeon (인연), the ties that bind people throughout their lives, Juhea Kim harnesses these interconnected fates to take us on a moving saga where fighting for freedom and survival seems a continuous struggle in the ever changing political landscapes. Deeply moving and with a rich historical context that propels the narrative and sends lives into action or disarray, this is a gorgeous meditation on fate, freedom and the ties that bind us and make life the bittersweet, emotional journey that it is.
‘Now that I’m older I know that life is not about what keeps you safe, but what you keep safe, and that’s what matters the most.’
I love a sweeping epic, and the criss-crossing lives of exceptional people during exceptional times of revolution and strife and decades of history culminating into important moments of love has a flair to it akin to Les Misérables or even Doctor Zhivago. The novel begins with an important lesson: ‘never kill a tiger unless you have to…. And that’s only when the tiger tries to kill you first.’ This comes as hunter Nam Kyunsoo is stirred into a moment of bravery where he saves the life of the occupying Japanese officers from a tiger who in turn allow him to live. This moment reverberates through the whole novel with these characters returning and their interconnected fates playing out over the course of history. Years later the ‘observant, intelligent, and hardworking’ Jade is sold by her family into the life of a courtesan and becomes fast friends with the ‘spirited, disarming, and confident’ Lotus, a friendship that redirects their lives as it intersects with the hunter’s now orphaned son, Nam Jungho as he arrives in town with nothing but a few personal effects of his late father. While just children, the stirrings of revolution can be felt around them.
‘Life is only bearable because time makes you forget everything. But life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything.’
The coming-of-age stories, with Jade making headway into the world of courtesans and her education and Jungho organizing a band of orphans into a bit of a low-level organized crime ring, are mixed into a rather textured political drama that sees revolutionaries and local merchants butting heads or begrudgingly working together (jealousy of one another of a woman being a large impetus in one pivotal scene). Juhea Kim details a complex and varied political discourse of the times, with many factions disputing or trying to coalition build with the aim of Korean independence helping them set aside their ideological differences:
‘ It tied together groups from all points of the political spectrum under the one banner of independence: the Anarchists, the Communists, the Nationalists, the Christians, the Buddhists, and the Cheondoists. He was one of the senior leaders of the Communists, but among their ranks there were those who saw the struggle as primarily between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, the rich and the poor, and not between Japan and Korea, as MyungBo had always believed. The Anarchist credo was that any social order was destructive and oppressive. The Nationalists were the conservatives and some of them put more faith in America than in Korea itself. They also opposed the Communists almost as often as they fought the Japanese. Then some of the Christians were Pacifists, although a few of them had gladly assassinated Japanese generals and governors before putting a gun to their own heads.
All the groups believed that Japan would send every Korean man to the mines and every Korean woman to the military brothels rather than admit defeat; their opinions diverged on what they could do to implode Japan from within before that point.’
There are scenes of violent uprising, brutal prison sentences that later give way into scenes of war as freedom is paid for in blood over the decades. Characters are courted by various ideological members, threatening to tear apart friendships and lives.
‘Everywhere around them, life was happening without their knowing, and their lives were also happening in the presence of all else. All existences were touching lightly as air and leaving invisible fingerprints.’
There is a great deal of symbolism present in this book that intersperses well with the attention of Korean mythology and folklore. The aforementioned tiger is brought up at various moments, a symbol of strength but also something elusive, symbolizing the idea of a united and free Korea. The cigarette case kept by Jungoho, given to his father by the Japanese officer Yamada, is a foreboding symbol that hints at the destruction of foreign forces and reappears late in the novel to close a fate. The image of a divided country comes alive in the many divided pairs that exist within the novel, such as rich vs poor, divided siblings, warring ideologies of capitalism and communism, and most notably, Japan and Korea.
The class divide is particularly investigated, and there is a parallel of Jade being on both ends at different points of relationships thwarted by one party being of a social standing that would defile the reputation of the other. Much of this novel is heartbreaking, with lives pulled apart, yet there is the bittersweet romance of two souls ricocheting across history and continuously returning to each other's orbit. ‘The only thing she felt sure of was the firm grip of JungHo’s hand,’ Juhea Kim writes, ‘not letting go.’ The ground beneath these characters, both socially and politically is endlessly unstable and they feel like pieces on a gameboard where national identity and freedom are the stakes.
The historical framework functions well to give context and weight to these characters experiences, but the author herself cautions against reading historical fiction for a history lesson and reminds us the narrative is the purpose. In an excellent article she wrote for LitHub, Juhea Kim questions why authors of color are expected to be a history lesson in a standard that seems less expected of white authorssuch as how she notices reviews seem to expect this book to be a dynamic history lesson of 20th century Korea in a way not asked of, say, Lauren Groff’s (quite wonderful) Matrix to be a working education of 12th century France. She writes ‘authors who write a non-white book must brace themselves for some serious othering,’ adding that ‘Asian female characters in a historical era can pigeonhole a book into a weirdly salacious mould and label it primarily as Asian Historical Fiction rather than Literary Fiction, with profound critical and commercial consequences.’ It should be noted that this is less a book about history and more an testament to humanity in the face of history and the emotional resonance far outpaces the historical lessons. The latter is the stage for which the performance takes place, but don’t overlook the actors for the scenery.
‘Death was such a small price to pay for life.’
This is a gorgeous novel that covers a lot of territory. It can be a bit dense and plodding at times, and it does unfortunately tend to tell more than show through the storytelling. That said, the prose is beautiful and cuts straight to the heart. This is a sweeping epic that lets you feel the weight of history and the passing of decades to paint a moving collage of lives caught up in the timeline of major events. Juhea Kim has delivered an impressive debut, bound in quite delightful cover art, and I look forward to anything she will write.
3.75/5
‘There are just two things in the world that give you true confidence. One is overcoming difficulties on your own, and the other is being deeply loved. If you experience both, then you will be confident for the rest of your life.’ (less)
Sep 28, 2021Thomas rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: netgalley, literary-fiction
4 stars for an epic story of unrequited love, desperate poverty, and the brutality of the Japanese occupation of Korea. There are descriptions of graphic violence and rape for anyone who avoids such books. The characters are believable. They include murderous Japanese soldiers, Korean courtesans, Korean Independence activists, and homeless street kids among others. If you read The Island of Sea Women you will enjoy this book. I read it in 2 days, although it is 416 pages.
Two quotes: "The sky was white and the earth was black, like at the beginning of time before the first sunrise. Clouds left their realm and descended so low that they seemed to touch the ground."
" Her imagination ran its circular course inside familiarities--a fountain rather than a river, particularly when it came to thinking about her own life. "
Thanks to Ecco for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. #BeastsofaLittleLand #NetGalley.
Pub. date Dec. 7,2021 (less)
Two quotes: "The sky was white and the earth was black, like at the beginning of time before the first sunrise. Clouds left their realm and descended so low that they seemed to touch the ground."
" Her imagination ran its circular course inside familiarities--a fountain rather than a river, particularly when it came to thinking about her own life. "
Thanks to Ecco for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. #BeastsofaLittleLand #NetGalley.
Pub. date Dec. 7,2021 (less)
If I’m reading historical fiction, I want it to teach me something. This book does that in spades. I was aware that Japan had annexed Korea at the start of the 20th century, but unaware of the various attempts by Koreans to free themselves of this tyrannical rule. This book begins in 1918 and really ramps up in 1919, when the March 1st Movement began. It continues through 1965.
The two main characters are a young courtesan in training and a young beggar boy who meet and become friends.
Kim does a great job of giving us a solid sense of the time and place (although she occasionally slips up using contemporary language). She manages to sneak in enough facts to explain what’s happening in a “big picture sense” without disrupting the story.
The story is told from multiple perspectives - in addition to the main characters, there is an older courtesan, two sisters who are also training as courtesans, a rich Korean, one of the rebels and two Japanese majors. This keeps the story moving at a nice, steady pace. While the story was very plot rich, at times, it came across as flat. It didn’t grab me emotionally, although it totally interested me intellectually. Surprisingly, for all the unrequited loves and affairs, it’s the romantic parts of the book that fell the flattest. In some ways, the book reminded me of Dr. Zhivago - a romance spread across the history of a country in turmoil. But, don’t get your hopes up too high. This doesn’t come close to living up to that epic romance. Still, I recommend this for those looking to learn about Korea.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for an advance copy of this book. (less)
The two main characters are a young courtesan in training and a young beggar boy who meet and become friends.
Kim does a great job of giving us a solid sense of the time and place (although she occasionally slips up using contemporary language). She manages to sneak in enough facts to explain what’s happening in a “big picture sense” without disrupting the story.
The story is told from multiple perspectives - in addition to the main characters, there is an older courtesan, two sisters who are also training as courtesans, a rich Korean, one of the rebels and two Japanese majors. This keeps the story moving at a nice, steady pace. While the story was very plot rich, at times, it came across as flat. It didn’t grab me emotionally, although it totally interested me intellectually. Surprisingly, for all the unrequited loves and affairs, it’s the romantic parts of the book that fell the flattest. In some ways, the book reminded me of Dr. Zhivago - a romance spread across the history of a country in turmoil. But, don’t get your hopes up too high. This doesn’t come close to living up to that epic romance. Still, I recommend this for those looking to learn about Korea.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for an advance copy of this book. (less)
May 04, 2022Jaidee rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Shelves: under-two-stars-books
1 "I just can't read this anymore..." star !!!
Sorry Trish !
This book feels tedious, superficial and wooden and I just can't do it anymore....stopping at 44%
This is how it makes me feel
(less)
Sorry Trish !
This book feels tedious, superficial and wooden and I just can't do it anymore....stopping at 44%
This is how it makes me feel
(less)
Oct 20, 2021Jenny Lawson rated it it was amazing
Sweeping historical fiction that covers decades in Korea. Often brutal and gory but also fascinating and made me realize just how little I knew about Korea's Independence movement. Nothing like a good book to make you realize how stupid you are.
I can usually read two books a day but this one took me two days alone so if you're looking for a long epic with lots of characters it's a good read. (less)
I can usually read two books a day but this one took me two days alone so if you're looking for a long epic with lots of characters it's a good read. (less)
Dec 07, 2021Alwynne rated it liked it
The debut novel of Korean American writer Juhea Kim is a saga charting the lives of a group of individuals tied together by destiny, linked by the red thread of fate, which may stretch but never breaks. Inspired by her family’s past, Kim’s is a broad sweep narrative covering the colonial era and the brutal Japanese occupation of Korea, running through from 1917 to independence in 1945 and beyond. Its vast array of characters includes Jade, ten when the book opens, who becomes an apprentice to a courtesan. When Jade's sent to Seoul with the courtesan’s daughters, she meets an orphaned boy JungHo, the start of a fateful relationship that will last a lifetime. Alongside central Korean figures, we have Yamada a Japanese official and his associates, including the vain, sadistic Ito who will play a part in Jade’s future survival.
It’s a richly-detailed piece, perhaps too detailed, which manages to incorporate elements of everything from Korean myth and legend, Seoul’s café society in the 1920s, through to resistance group factions, post-independence partition, and even the beginnings of the car industry, finally reaching the 1960s and the early years of Park’s military dictatorship. The result’s a well-researched and, in its early stages, fairly involving story. The prose is uneven, competent, even lyrical at times, at others clunky and clumsy. Kim’s characters are sketchily drawn, with a tendency towards cliché – the Japanese military are almost cartoonish in their villainy - and there’s more than a dash of sentimentality and melodrama. Even so it’s very readable novel, at least until the half-way point when the action rapidly speeds up, shifting back and forth between characters at an almost bewildering pace. In its later stages it’s increasingly fragmented as Kim fast forwards through entire years and sequences of years, many skipped over altogether. I didn’t dislike the novel and I was fascinated by the depiction of key moments in Korea’s traumatic history but the style and episodic plot didn’t quite work for me. Although I think fans of Lisa See, Jin Min Lee or sageuk k-drama should find plenty that appeals here.
Thanks to Edelweiss plus and publisher HarperCollins for an arc (less)
It’s a richly-detailed piece, perhaps too detailed, which manages to incorporate elements of everything from Korean myth and legend, Seoul’s café society in the 1920s, through to resistance group factions, post-independence partition, and even the beginnings of the car industry, finally reaching the 1960s and the early years of Park’s military dictatorship. The result’s a well-researched and, in its early stages, fairly involving story. The prose is uneven, competent, even lyrical at times, at others clunky and clumsy. Kim’s characters are sketchily drawn, with a tendency towards cliché – the Japanese military are almost cartoonish in their villainy - and there’s more than a dash of sentimentality and melodrama. Even so it’s very readable novel, at least until the half-way point when the action rapidly speeds up, shifting back and forth between characters at an almost bewildering pace. In its later stages it’s increasingly fragmented as Kim fast forwards through entire years and sequences of years, many skipped over altogether. I didn’t dislike the novel and I was fascinated by the depiction of key moments in Korea’s traumatic history but the style and episodic plot didn’t quite work for me. Although I think fans of Lisa See, Jin Min Lee or sageuk k-drama should find plenty that appeals here.
Thanks to Edelweiss plus and publisher HarperCollins for an arc (less)
Note to self: Recently published historical fiction is almost always thinly disguised romance. Don't bother.
This could have been a good story if therewasn't so much drivel weren't so many romantic feelings saturating the text. On and on, her feelings for him and his feelings for her and his feelings for someone else, etc.
(Image: Melissa McCarthy rolling her head back saying, "Oh my God, Well that's... I am balls deep in boredom.")
There are several characters and I think all of them were in love with someone or other. Yes, in real life, most people do fall in love at least once (though not everyone is hetero like in most novels). However, I don't want to read about it. I simply don't care about most fictional characters' feelings of love and lust and longing.
And I certainly didn't care about the characters' feelings in this book because I never felt like I got to know them, in spite of all the emotions. I don't know if it was just me or something to do with the writing but these characters failed to leap off the page.
The writing was decent but stilted, and then there was stuff like "her high-waisted trousers riding up her firm, heart-shaped ass" that had me rolling my eyes. Really, her firm, heart-shaped ass? 🙄
The dialogue was anachronistic and unbelievable. If you're going to write period fiction, please write the voices as though the characters are in that period and not in the present. And please make the characters sound different from each other. I had trouble keeping track of the characters because they all sounded the same (in print, perhaps the audiobook uses different voices which would at least make them more distinguishable).
I appreciated learning about Korea's recent (twentieth century) history, so there was that and it's the only reason I'm giving this two-and-half rounded up to three stars instead of one.
If you like romance in your historical fiction, 1) you're lucky because that's about all that's published anymore, and 2) you'll like this more than I did.
I won't bother writing what it's about. The blurb is enticing so check it out if you're interested. To be fair, it does mention romance in the blurb but I only read the first sentence before reading the book. (less)
This could have been a good story if there
(Image: Melissa McCarthy rolling her head back saying, "Oh my God, Well that's... I am balls deep in boredom.")
There are several characters and I think all of them were in love with someone or other. Yes, in real life, most people do fall in love at least once (though not everyone is hetero like in most novels). However, I don't want to read about it. I simply don't care about most fictional characters' feelings of love and lust and longing.
And I certainly didn't care about the characters' feelings in this book because I never felt like I got to know them, in spite of all the emotions. I don't know if it was just me or something to do with the writing but these characters failed to leap off the page.
The writing was decent but stilted, and then there was stuff like "her high-waisted trousers riding up her firm, heart-shaped ass" that had me rolling my eyes. Really, her firm, heart-shaped ass? 🙄
The dialogue was anachronistic and unbelievable. If you're going to write period fiction, please write the voices as though the characters are in that period and not in the present. And please make the characters sound different from each other. I had trouble keeping track of the characters because they all sounded the same (in print, perhaps the audiobook uses different voices which would at least make them more distinguishable).
I appreciated learning about Korea's recent (twentieth century) history, so there was that and it's the only reason I'm giving this two-and-half rounded up to three stars instead of one.
If you like romance in your historical fiction, 1) you're lucky because that's about all that's published anymore, and 2) you'll like this more than I did.
I won't bother writing what it's about. The blurb is enticing so check it out if you're interested. To be fair, it does mention romance in the blurb but I only read the first sentence before reading the book. (less)
A sweeping novel of friendship and forgiveness against the backdrop of Korea in its fight for independence. Emotional and all-encompassing, the characters struggle to find their place in a world filled with betrayal, violence, and unrequited love. But ultimately, forgiveness and new beginnings prevail. A beautiful debut.
Finished Part 1 and setting this aside. The writing is a bit heavy handed and exposition heavy for my taste. May pick it up again at a later point.
Aug 03, 2021Bkwmlee rated it really liked it
Shelves: fiction, asian-experience-or-author, netgalley-books
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 and BookBrowse First Impressions program. (less)
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 and BookBrowse First Impressions program. (less)
Juhea Kim's expansive and emotional epic , Beasts of a Little Land , is a beautiful work of historical fiction.
The two prime characters are Jade , a young girl of ten who is sold to a courtesan house for money that would help her poor family and JungHo , an orphan living off the streets , struggling to survive with nothing but few mementos left to him by his late father , a former soldier with the Korean Imperial Army , skilled hunter and tenant farmer who once saved a Japanese officer from being killed by a tiger on a hunting expedition. 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 decaded (1917-1965) in Japan occupied Korea . The evolution of this nation from being a Japanese colony to fighting for and winning its independance only to be divided into two nations by drawing a "a hasty line at the thirty-eighth parallel" is told through the interwoven stories of Japanese colonizers, freedom fighters, self serving businessmen, street children and courtesans.
The author's use of folklore and storytelling within the main story gives us a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the country and its people. With themes of lifelong friendships and betrayals, sacrifice , patriotism, love (unrequited in some cases) and survival in times of extreme hardship and political unrest this is an exquisitely written debut . At the heart of the novel is the human thread - 'inyeon' that connects the interwoven lives of the different characters in this novel- people who were destined to be a part of eachother's stories . Vivid descriptions of the hardships faced during Korea's struggle for independance and the brutality of the colonizers is hard to read but central to how the story progresses. The plot does have some gaps wherein I was left wondering about the fate of an important character or about what events/circumstances could have led to that moment. I suppose that with a story with many characters and much ground to cover this does happen. But ultimately that this is an impressive debut novel goes without saying.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)
The two prime characters are Jade , a young girl of ten who is sold to a courtesan house for money that would help her poor family and JungHo , an orphan living off the streets , struggling to survive with nothing but few mementos left to him by his late father , a former soldier with the Korean Imperial Army , skilled hunter and tenant farmer who once saved a Japanese officer from being killed by a tiger on a hunting expedition. 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 decaded (1917-1965) in Japan occupied Korea . The evolution of this nation from being a Japanese colony to fighting for and winning its independance only to be divided into two nations by drawing a "a hasty line at the thirty-eighth parallel" is told through the interwoven stories of Japanese colonizers, freedom fighters, self serving businessmen, street children and courtesans.
The author's use of folklore and storytelling within the main story gives us a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the country and its people. With themes of lifelong friendships and betrayals, sacrifice , patriotism, love (unrequited in some cases) and survival in times of extreme hardship and political unrest this is an exquisitely written debut . At the heart of the novel is the human thread - 'inyeon' that connects the interwoven lives of the different characters in this novel- people who were destined to be a part of eachother's stories . Vivid descriptions of the hardships faced during Korea's struggle for independance and the brutality of the colonizers is hard to read but central to how the story progresses. The plot does have some gaps wherein I was left wondering about the fate of an important character or about what events/circumstances could have led to that moment. I suppose that with a story with many characters and much ground to cover this does happen. But ultimately that this is an impressive debut novel goes without saying.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)
Jan 16, 2022Carolyn rated it really liked it
Shelves: debut, historical, netgalley-2022, netgalley, 2022, war
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.
With thanks to Oneworld Publications and Netgalley for a copy to read
(less)
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.
With thanks to Oneworld Publications and Netgalley for a copy to read
(less)
Jan 01, 2022Trish rated it it was amazing
Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, historical-fiction, korean-lit
❝ I tried to get rid of her but her soul clung to me by a thread. It’s an uncanny thing—inyeon. If it’s not meant to be, you can’t hold on to people no matter how hard you try. Some people you love deeply will turn into a stranger in an instant, if the inyeon has run its course. And sometimes people will be attached to you forever despite all likelihood.
——
❝ Jungho didn’t understand much of what was said, but he saw around him the rapturous faces, many wet with tears, and was surprised by the hotness welling up in his own eyes. […] What he now understood was that the world was a desperately dark place, not just for his family and for the beggar boys, but for everyone standing there. Their shared pain reverberated through his body like a common heartbeat.
——
— Do you love me?
— Yes, I love you. I really do.
— Why? Since when?
— Why? Because you were you, standing there, and I was also standing there… It’s that simple and that complicated. But it couldn’t have been otherwise.
——
❝ Everyone dreams, but only some people are dreamers.
——
❝ Death was such a small price to pay for life.
——
❝ There are just two things in the world that give you true confidence. One is overcoming difficulties on your own, and the other is being deeply loved. If you experience both, then you will be confident for the rest of your life.
——
❝ Life is only bearable because time makes you forget everything. But life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything.
——
There is a Korean idiom that (roughly translated) says: even if two people, in passing each other, only brush their coat collars, it is karma.
This idea is the heart of Beasts and 인연 inyeon — human thread — the belief that “connections and encounters between people are preordained,” is the driving force.
What results is an epic saga in which every encounter between two people is meaningful and significant, eventually revealing its true purpose in shaping the characters’ lives.
Beasts is a dazzling and captivating novel that had my heart in its grip from the prologue all the way to the last page of the epilogue. I absolutely loved it. 🐅
——————
Midway Impressions:
I’m a visual reader - the kind that casts the characters and watches the plot play out like a movie in my head as I read - and this book is a cinematic experience.
From the very beginning, I was drawn in by the dramatic and captivating encounter between a Korean hunter, a Japanese military group and a tiger in the dark, snowy mountains.
And though the prologue itself sounds like a climactic episode, it aptly sets the tone and foundation for the political, societal and romantic tensions that follow in the rest of the novel.
Something I particularly noticed (and appreciate) is how Kim shows us her characters’ vulnerabilities soon after we meet them. Within a few pages, I feel like I know a character’s central motivations, flaws and virtues. This is significant because as I turn each page and begin new chapters, I’m constantly afraid of what fate might have in store for these people I’ve grown to care for — an attachment and feeling that was distinctly lacking when I read Pachinko. Whether I’ve known a character for a few pages or a hundred, Beasts makes me feel like any character’s death would be a great injustice.
If you loved Pachinko, get this book. If, like me, you found Pachinko lacking in certain qualities but still crave Korean historical fiction, GET THIS BOOK ASAP. The legends, dialogues, social etiquettes and nuances that Kim describes highlight Korean culture and mannerisms in a beautiful and subtle way. It’s the little things like hearts “fluttering” and not pouring one’s own soju when with company that makes this book so incredibly immersive. (less)
——
❝ Jungho didn’t understand much of what was said, but he saw around him the rapturous faces, many wet with tears, and was surprised by the hotness welling up in his own eyes. […] What he now understood was that the world was a desperately dark place, not just for his family and for the beggar boys, but for everyone standing there. Their shared pain reverberated through his body like a common heartbeat.
——
— Do you love me?
— Yes, I love you. I really do.
— Why? Since when?
— Why? Because you were you, standing there, and I was also standing there… It’s that simple and that complicated. But it couldn’t have been otherwise.
——
❝ Everyone dreams, but only some people are dreamers.
——
❝ Death was such a small price to pay for life.
——
❝ There are just two things in the world that give you true confidence. One is overcoming difficulties on your own, and the other is being deeply loved. If you experience both, then you will be confident for the rest of your life.
——
❝ Life is only bearable because time makes you forget everything. But life is worthwhile because love makes you remember everything.
——
There is a Korean idiom that (roughly translated) says: even if two people, in passing each other, only brush their coat collars, it is karma.
This idea is the heart of Beasts and 인연 inyeon — human thread — the belief that “connections and encounters between people are preordained,” is the driving force.
What results is an epic saga in which every encounter between two people is meaningful and significant, eventually revealing its true purpose in shaping the characters’ lives.
Beasts is a dazzling and captivating novel that had my heart in its grip from the prologue all the way to the last page of the epilogue. I absolutely loved it. 🐅
——————
Midway Impressions:
I’m a visual reader - the kind that casts the characters and watches the plot play out like a movie in my head as I read - and this book is a cinematic experience.
From the very beginning, I was drawn in by the dramatic and captivating encounter between a Korean hunter, a Japanese military group and a tiger in the dark, snowy mountains.
And though the prologue itself sounds like a climactic episode, it aptly sets the tone and foundation for the political, societal and romantic tensions that follow in the rest of the novel.
Something I particularly noticed (and appreciate) is how Kim shows us her characters’ vulnerabilities soon after we meet them. Within a few pages, I feel like I know a character’s central motivations, flaws and virtues. This is significant because as I turn each page and begin new chapters, I’m constantly afraid of what fate might have in store for these people I’ve grown to care for — an attachment and feeling that was distinctly lacking when I read Pachinko. Whether I’ve known a character for a few pages or a hundred, Beasts makes me feel like any character’s death would be a great injustice.
If you loved Pachinko, get this book. If, like me, you found Pachinko lacking in certain qualities but still crave Korean historical fiction, GET THIS BOOK ASAP. The legends, dialogues, social etiquettes and nuances that Kim describes highlight Korean culture and mannerisms in a beautiful and subtle way. It’s the little things like hearts “fluttering” and not pouring one’s own soju when with company that makes this book so incredibly immersive. (less)
Aug 11, 2021Celia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
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 w ...more
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 w ...more
Jan 08, 2022Dylan marked it as dnf · review of another edition
Shelves: historical-fiction, libby, ebook
DNF @ 22%
I threw this on the DNF shelf earlier but then changed my mind and read a couple more chapters. I think it’s staying this time. The historical context is certainly interesting but that’s essentially the only thing that’s working for me.
Biggest issue is that I really don’t like Kim’s writing, it reads as very cold to me. Beyond that I still don’t care about any of the characters, even almost a quarter of the way through, and there’s not really any plot beyond what’s going on in the characters’ lives at this point so not much interest there.
I think if I wasn’t so putt off by the writing I could probably stick with it because I am interested in knowing more about the historical context here but I’d rather learn about that some other way tbh. (less)
I threw this on the DNF shelf earlier but then changed my mind and read a couple more chapters. I think it’s staying this time. The historical context is certainly interesting but that’s essentially the only thing that’s working for me.
Biggest issue is that I really don’t like Kim’s writing, it reads as very cold to me. Beyond that I still don’t care about any of the characters, even almost a quarter of the way through, and there’s not really any plot beyond what’s going on in the characters’ lives at this point so not much interest there.
I think if I wasn’t so putt off by the writing I could probably stick with it because I am interested in knowing more about the historical context here but I’d rather learn about that some other way tbh. (less)
Everything about Jejudo is different from the mainland, starting from the sea. It is light turquoise near a sandy beach, and deepens to emerald-green and sapphire-blue farther from the shore. In some places where the black volcanic rock dashes off to a sudden bluff, the indigo waves look like they’re reflecting the night sky even when it’s sunny and bright. In midwinter the camellia trees with their glossy green leaves were in full bloom, and when the wind blew, their red flowers fell on the black cliffs or tumbled into the sea. The air smelled of salt and ripe tangerines.
Hesoon used to say that Jejudo is the most beautiful place in the world. I haven’t seen much of the world to truly know, but she may have been right.
Beasts of a Little Land, set in Korea from 1917-1965 is both a historical novel (of the Japanese occupation of Korea and the independence movement)combined with a love story, but one where neither the tides of history nor love run smoothly, both frequently diverted by tragedy and division.
I say 'love story', but this would better be described as a story of Inyeon (인연), or more specifically first-love Inyeon 첫사랑과의 인연, a concept that denotes a strong life-long connection between two people, here Jade and JungHo (정호), both born in the latter half of the first decade of the 20th century.
Their first connection is coincidental and one that the characters themselves don't realise even when a clue emerges decades later.
The hanja in JungHo's name mean Righteous Tiger, and Korean tigers (한국 호랑이) are a key motif through the novel. As the story opens in 1917, a Japanese party in the Korean mountains are being (deliberately we discover later) astray by Baek, a travelling silk merchant who they have press-ganged as a guide. At the same time a hunter Nam is tracking what he thinks is a leopard, only to find it is a young tiger, which he doesn't shoot, remembering his father's advice, despite his own reputation for having killed a huge beast, that one only kills a tiger to protect one's own life.
Nam has gone too far from home and into the snow in his hunt, and collapses from exhaustion, but is discovered by the Japanese party, who first save him, with heat, food and drink, but then rely on his skills to save them and guide them back down the mountain. En-route they encounter a much larger tiger, but Nam scares it away, saving both the men and the animal from harming each other. On arrival back in the town, a Japanese major executes Baek for his incompetence, while a captain gives Nam the gift of a silver cigarette case.
In another strand of the story, we discover that Baek traded silk with Silver, a courtesan in Pyongyang. But secretly Silver also raises funds for the independence movement, which Baek then traffics back to them. Learning that Nam's family buried Baek, Silver sends them a gift of a silver ring. Meanwhile, Jade, a young girl is sold to Silver as an apprentice.
A few years later, Jade is sent to live with another courtesan in Seoul and at the same time Nam's son, Jung-ho, arrives in the city from the countryside, making his living as leader of a gang of beggars, his two prized possessions, which he keeps for the rest of his life, the ring and the cigarette case, both inherited from his late father. And there the two meet for the first time.
Rather neatly the Inyeon concept enables what otherwise might be seen as contrived plot coincidences to become a key part of the book's themes. I mentioned the connection between Jade and Jung-ho, but there are several such connections - almost 30 years later Jung-ho's life is spared when the Japanese captain, now much more senior, recognises the cigarette case. And yet, as so often in this novel, tragedy follows redemption, and post-war the same cases leads to him being condemned as a collaborator, despite his war heroics in the resistance.
Some favourite quotes:
The island paradise of Jeju-do, where Jade finishes the novel in a first-person postscript - this quote is where she first heard of it, from her aunt's maid:
Jade begged their maid Hesoon to tell them stories of her childhood in Jejudo, the magical southern island where there were trees without any branches and wild horses running freely under a snowcapped mountain. Hesoon said her mother and her four sisters were all seawomen who dove in the water to harvest abalones, holding their breath for two minutes at a time.
The rather fractured nature of the resistance (which was to carry forward into post-independence factionalism):
MYUNGBO RETURNED HOME LATE that week after meeting with his comrades in the Coalition. It tied together groups from all points of the political spectrum under the one banner of independence: the Anarchists, the Communists, the Nationalists, the Christians, the Buddhists, and the Cheondoists. He was one of the senior leaders of the Communists, but among their ranks there were those who saw the struggle as primarily between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, the rich and the poor, and not between Japan and Korea, as MyungBo had always believed. The Anarchist credo was that any social order was destructive and oppressive. The Nationalists were the conservatives and some of them put more faith in America than in Korea itself. They also opposed the Communists almost as often as they fought the Japanese. Then some of the Christians were Pacifists, although a few of them had gladly assassinated Japanese generals and governors before putting a gun to their own heads.
All the groups believed that Japan would send every Korean man to the mines and every Korean woman to the military brothels rather than admit defeat; their opinions diverged on what they could do to implode Japan from within before that point.
The Andong Kim family (from which my mother-in-law originates):
Where is your family from?”
“I was born in Seoul, but my family is originally from Andong.”
“You mean you’re an Andong-Kim?”
SungSoo blurted out, and HanChol gave a slight bow of his head. His intuition about the kid being exceptional might prove true, after all. He surely came from an impoverished cadet branch, but he still belonged to one of the most important families in the country—one that even kings have feared over the centuries.
3.5 stars - historical love-stories aren't really my thing, so 3 stars for me, but recommended more generally to fans of the genre. (less)
Hesoon used to say that Jejudo is the most beautiful place in the world. I haven’t seen much of the world to truly know, but she may have been right.
Beasts of a Little Land, set in Korea from 1917-1965 is both a historical novel (of the Japanese occupation of Korea and the independence movement)combined with a love story, but one where neither the tides of history nor love run smoothly, both frequently diverted by tragedy and division.
I say 'love story', but this would better be described as a story of Inyeon (인연), or more specifically first-love Inyeon 첫사랑과의 인연, a concept that denotes a strong life-long connection between two people, here Jade and JungHo (정호), both born in the latter half of the first decade of the 20th century.
Their first connection is coincidental and one that the characters themselves don't realise even when a clue emerges decades later.
The hanja in JungHo's name mean Righteous Tiger, and Korean tigers (한국 호랑이) are a key motif through the novel. As the story opens in 1917, a Japanese party in the Korean mountains are being (deliberately we discover later) astray by Baek, a travelling silk merchant who they have press-ganged as a guide. At the same time a hunter Nam is tracking what he thinks is a leopard, only to find it is a young tiger, which he doesn't shoot, remembering his father's advice, despite his own reputation for having killed a huge beast, that one only kills a tiger to protect one's own life.
Nam has gone too far from home and into the snow in his hunt, and collapses from exhaustion, but is discovered by the Japanese party, who first save him, with heat, food and drink, but then rely on his skills to save them and guide them back down the mountain. En-route they encounter a much larger tiger, but Nam scares it away, saving both the men and the animal from harming each other. On arrival back in the town, a Japanese major executes Baek for his incompetence, while a captain gives Nam the gift of a silver cigarette case.
In another strand of the story, we discover that Baek traded silk with Silver, a courtesan in Pyongyang. But secretly Silver also raises funds for the independence movement, which Baek then traffics back to them. Learning that Nam's family buried Baek, Silver sends them a gift of a silver ring. Meanwhile, Jade, a young girl is sold to Silver as an apprentice.
A few years later, Jade is sent to live with another courtesan in Seoul and at the same time Nam's son, Jung-ho, arrives in the city from the countryside, making his living as leader of a gang of beggars, his two prized possessions, which he keeps for the rest of his life, the ring and the cigarette case, both inherited from his late father. And there the two meet for the first time.
Rather neatly the Inyeon concept enables what otherwise might be seen as contrived plot coincidences to become a key part of the book's themes. I mentioned the connection between Jade and Jung-ho, but there are several such connections - almost 30 years later Jung-ho's life is spared when the Japanese captain, now much more senior, recognises the cigarette case. And yet, as so often in this novel, tragedy follows redemption, and post-war the same cases leads to him being condemned as a collaborator, despite his war heroics in the resistance.
Some favourite quotes:
The island paradise of Jeju-do, where Jade finishes the novel in a first-person postscript - this quote is where she first heard of it, from her aunt's maid:
Jade begged their maid Hesoon to tell them stories of her childhood in Jejudo, the magical southern island where there were trees without any branches and wild horses running freely under a snowcapped mountain. Hesoon said her mother and her four sisters were all seawomen who dove in the water to harvest abalones, holding their breath for two minutes at a time.
The rather fractured nature of the resistance (which was to carry forward into post-independence factionalism):
MYUNGBO RETURNED HOME LATE that week after meeting with his comrades in the Coalition. It tied together groups from all points of the political spectrum under the one banner of independence: the Anarchists, the Communists, the Nationalists, the Christians, the Buddhists, and the Cheondoists. He was one of the senior leaders of the Communists, but among their ranks there were those who saw the struggle as primarily between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, the rich and the poor, and not between Japan and Korea, as MyungBo had always believed. The Anarchist credo was that any social order was destructive and oppressive. The Nationalists were the conservatives and some of them put more faith in America than in Korea itself. They also opposed the Communists almost as often as they fought the Japanese. Then some of the Christians were Pacifists, although a few of them had gladly assassinated Japanese generals and governors before putting a gun to their own heads.
All the groups believed that Japan would send every Korean man to the mines and every Korean woman to the military brothels rather than admit defeat; their opinions diverged on what they could do to implode Japan from within before that point.
The Andong Kim family (from which my mother-in-law originates):
Where is your family from?”
“I was born in Seoul, but my family is originally from Andong.”
“You mean you’re an Andong-Kim?”
SungSoo blurted out, and HanChol gave a slight bow of his head. His intuition about the kid being exceptional might prove true, after all. He surely came from an impoverished cadet branch, but he still belonged to one of the most important families in the country—one that even kings have feared over the centuries.
3.5 stars - historical love-stories aren't really my thing, so 3 stars for me, but recommended more generally to fans of the genre. (less)
Yet another popular book that I didn't like. I have no idea how it has so many 5 star ratings. The beginning started off well, but then it ceased to be about Korean courtesans and was just filled with boring characters that I had trouble distinguishing between. The frequent time jumps just made it worse as some people you wouldn't even hear from again until many years later. I had trouble feeling attached to anyone. Even the main character felt wooden to me. I really didn't care about any of them at all. I'm not even sure why I finished it, except I thought it might get better. (less)
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