Beautiful and brutal epic tale of Korea during the Japanese occupation. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know anything about this timeframe of Korean history. This book is the best kind of historical fiction in that it puts the reader in the middle of the action.
Jade is a young girl who is sold into courtesan school. JungHo is the son of an impoverished hunter. Both of them experience much out of life as they meet and then meet again. There are numerous other minor characters that connect with them in many ways over the years.
Loved this-much thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling and the slow reveal of one woman’s life. It starts off really intense and Kim just throws you right into the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1910s. I actually had to take a month-long break from reading this bc I was not ready for how intense the war atrocities were spelled out. (CW if you didn’t already know: rape.) I loved how Kim gives all the female characters so many dimensions and how they were so badass especially Silver the courtesan madam — she was probably one of my fave characters. This book fit in really well of my learning of Korea’s 20th century history and I understand a little more why some older generations of elders may harbor animosity towards folks of Japanese descent. All in all, this was a great read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which starts in 1917 and follows the characters' lives through to 1965. There are a lot of people to keep track of, but once I was able to get a handle on them all, I loved how all of their stories interconnected at various times throughout the years. If you, like me, enjoy historical fiction, then you know at times authors can seem to hit pause on the story line to feed you historical information in order to move the story along, and it can feel like reading a textbook. That does not happen in this novel, while you do learn about Korean history through the experiences of the characters, the storyline is never sacrificed. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you @netgalley and @eccobooks for the advanced e-copy

TW: rape, sexual assault

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵—𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
— 𝘑𝘶𝘩𝘦𝘢 𝘒𝘪𝘮
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 by @juhea_writes was another one of my most anticipated 2021 debuts and having finally finished reading it, I can tell you that it is as piercing and evocative as I had expected it to be!

Set against the backdrop of Japan-occupied Korea, 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 weaves a poignant and powerful tale of a couple brought together as the country evolves through war and revolution. Jade is a courtesan who becomes a famous and beloved actress. JungHo is an orphan who becomes an insurgent soldier fighting for Korea’s independence. And their love story is that of legends —fated and eternal.

However, reducing this book to merely a historical romance would do much disservice to the profundity of Kim’s writing. 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 is a lyrical and impactful saga of biopolitics that examines how the human form, especially the female body, is treated and exploited by society. Have you ever noticed how conquering female bodies is equated to the conquest of the men, and the countries, they belong to? Well, if you haven’t, then 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 is here to prove it to you. Which means this beautiful book is also laden with brutal scenes of graphic violence and sexual assault, although none of it is gratuitous. Read it. Because if you don’t, you’ll be missing out on something amazing!

Many thanks to @bibliolifestyle and @eccobooks for my review copy!

This is a sweeping piece historical fiction centering on Jade, a young girl who becomes a courtesan apprentice in early 20th century Korea under Japanese occupation. Kim follows Jade and JungHo, a street urchin-turned-bodyguard, over the course of more than 50 years of Korean history - occupation, World War II and the aftermath of the Korean War. I love layered historical novels like this which follow multiple characters and show the ways their lives intersect and are affected by changing circumstances - occupation, war, poverty, shifting fortunes. Kim brings Jade, her fellow courtesans, JungHo and other characters to life beautifully, and though it's a longer book, it flows well and connects narrative threads expertly. Really enjoyed reading it.

I really enjoyed the journey that this book took me on!! This covers the span of 47 years in Korea beginning in 1917-1964. The cast is large as the reader is introduced to many people from young girls training to be courtesans, rickshaw runners, Japanese political leaders, and orphans living on the street. The book guides you through their lives over the years and I loved it. I loved the wins and the fails, the giving and the hate, the good and the bad. People have so much fire in them to better their lives! Even more, it was so great to delve more into this region of history and the period of time. The Japanese occupation of Korea. The communistic ideals that were desired. The Americans and Soviets splitting the country.

THIS book is the epitome of why I love reading. I am completely entertaining by a beautiful story and taught about a region and a time in history in an interesting way. This makes me feel connected to my planet, to people and to history. History is so important to understand, in the hopes that we recognize what does and doesn't work, in the attempt to avoid repeating what was not done right in the past.

Because of the wide cast of characters I think this would be better read, and even more, I'd recommend the actual book so you can flip back and forth between the dates and characters. Closing in at the end I wanted to reference back to the beginning to remember who they were and what they did at the beginning.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ecco publishing for the e-reader copy in return for my honest review.

Beautiful, sweeping story that taught me a lot about the Japanese occupation of Korea. "Beasts of a Little Land" is a big saga that will capture your attention right away and hold it until the end.

What an opus! This story begins in Japanese-occupied Korea in 1917. Kim captures the sense of bleakness and desperation in the country's people. For example, Jade, aged 10, has to leave her family home and begin training as a courtesan because there is not enough food for everyone.

Nam JungHo, a 12-year-old boy who lives in the streets, steals with a gang to be able to eat. Eventually, he sees Jade and is struck by her beauty. A rickshaw driver, HanChol, also becomes a love interest for Jade and figures prominently in his quest to realize his ambitions.

The suffering and tragedy in Beasts of a Little Land are palpable. People seldom catch a break or have their troubles resolved during occupation or war. The scattered bits of good fortune often come with a high price.

This is a wonderfully well-written book and I am glad I was given an ARC. It is not a happy book but it is an important one. I recommend it.

Beasts of a Little Land is about love and war which starts during the Korean independence movement. The main characters Jade and JungHo are very well written. The setting is fantastic and the author is a really great storyteller. I enjoyed reading about Jade and the courtesan. lifestyle she was sold into and JungHo scrappy life. . The main characters meet again and again at different times in their lives which is really interesting. Great story!

I was very excited to get out of my usual historical fiction era and learn about a different time and place. This book definitely did that! It covers decades of Korea's history with many characters that are deep and rich in life experience. Each character is developed beautifully and brings a lot to the storyline. This historical setting and time period made for a truly immersive reading experience. It did not feel like a debut novel, the author was very well prosed and wrote beautifully!

Beasts of a Little Land was a beautifully written story spanning decades, and includes several memorable characters. Beginning with the Japanese occupation of Korea to the separation of North and South Korea, there is a lot of history to process through the eyes of a courtesan, Jade, a poor orphan boy turned gangster, JungHo, and all the people that intersect their lives. Despite the extreme changes of the social and political landscape, and the age of our characters from the beginning to the end, the cultural influence and myth of the tiger ties the beginning and end together so perfectly, I wanted to read the final chapters twice.

Thank you to the author, Ecco publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. #BeastsOfALittleLand #NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

This epic novel of Korea spans several decades. I wouldn't normally read an epic historical romance novel but I saw an interview with the author and was intrigued. I wasn't disappointed. Well developed characters with interesting intertwining stories set in Korea during their occupation by Japan in the first half of the 20th Century. Strongly recommended

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking book! The novel follows the intertwined lives of several characters who orbit around the central characters of Jade, a young courtesan, and JungHo, a boy living on the streets of Seoul between 1917 and the mid-1960s. It begins with JungHo's father, an impoverished hunter lost in the mountains at the start of winter. He is found by a mutually lost group of Japanese soldiers and ends up saving the life of one of the officers. After that, the story unfolds in a way unlike anything I have read before, introducing new characters whose lives are all connected, though they often don't realize it themselves for many years, if at all. However, each character's life and choices impact those of others, creating a fascinating story about Korean history and the people living it.

I enjoyed learning more about the history of Korea during Japanese occupation, perhaps more so because it was told through the lives of Jade and JungHo. Author Juhea Kim does an exceptional job weaving together the characters and storylines to create a rich and layered story full of joy, humor, sadness, and loss. Though I would have liked to spend a bit more time with some of the characters, I felt like each one had a distinct personality that was developed, even if they were only on the page briefly. Jade and JungHo's stories are not really happy ones, but they feel real. I want to learn more about Korean history as a result of reading Beasts of a Little Land and I hope to see more from Juhea Kim in the future!

Thank you to Ecco Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Beasts of a Little Land in exchange for an honest review.

Is there anything better than a debut novel from an #ownvoices author? BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND is a sweeping saga that centers around the Korean independence during the WWI and WWII era.

Learning about the occupation of Korea during half a century of war-torn years was truly fascinating. I have read countless WWII stories set in Europe, however the Korean perspective and culture was completely unique to me. I was grateful to be transported to Korea to witness the transformation of a country I want to learn more about.

Themes of destiny and hope permeate this epic tale. With a cast full of social outcasts, I enjoyed watching each of their unexpected destinies unfold. I particularly enjoyed the character arc of Jade, a young courtesan, as her determination and strong sense of purpose helped her achieve happiness. I love an ending that seamlessly weaves together multiple storylines, and Juhea Kim succeeded here.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: December 7, 2021 (available now!)

A big thank you to netgalley and Ecco books in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted to @kellyhook.readsbooks on IG per bibliolifestyle book tour schedule (Saturday, December 11, 2021)

"Every day he came here and every day he saw something new in the color of the sky, in the crying of the birds, in how the light glittered on the Pacific Ocean. It was achingly beautiful how new the world was each day, and he only wished that he could have realized it a little earlier."

"Beasts of a Little Land," by Juhea Kim is filled with lyrical prose, as the above quote illustrates. it is definitely not a happy novel, but it is a beautiful novel nonetheless. This is a sweeping historical epic that covers decades of Korean history, from the brutal times of the Japanese occupation through World War II and Korea's independence movement, to the Korean War and beyond. It is also a story of unrequited love, poverty, heartbreak, and power.

I was utterly captivated by the story and characters, and though this is a long novel, I read it in just three days because I couldn't put it down. This is the kind of book that tempts the reader to call in sick so that he or she can dedicate an entire day to its beauty. Though some parts of the book were brutal and a bit gory, the violence was essential to the plot and wasn't included just to shock the reader. War, after all, is hell.

Juhea Kim really knocked it out of the park with this debut. This is definitely an author to watch and I look forward to reading more in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this phenomenal book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read another sweeping historical fiction tale set over several decades in the Korean peninsula - one of my favorite types of books and settings! Unfortunately, I found the writing style to be too blunt and simplistic for such a sweeping story. It reminded me of English teachers in school saying "show, don't tell." There were so many times the author was writing from a character's point of view and told us the character's life philosophy, rather than showing us through behaviors and acts. Perhaps if I didn't already know a lot about Korean history, I would have enjoyed this book more for what it does do well - setting important historical events in ordinary people's lives - but other than that, I was disappointed.

I immediately want to recommend this to fans of “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Pachinko” and maybe even “The Island of Sea Women.” I loved both of those books (haven’t finish TISW) and was so happy to receive an ARC of “Beasts of a Little Land” after reading the description as it seemed in a similar vein. In the story, we follow what life was like for a variety of Korean nationals living under the rule of the Japanese government around 1918 until the end of WWII, and then later after the Korean War. The women in the story are courtesans, and the men they interact with represent all types of society.

Kim’s writing style is descriptive and filled with imagery. I am a huge fan of historical fiction that follows a group of people throughout a tumultuous period in time (example: Ken Follet books), and that is exactly what this story does.

The best part of reading this, personally, was how well Kim ties together all the characters. Since this book spans decades, I can’t imagine it was easy to connect all their stories so well, but the author does a phenomenal job.

This is not a feel good story - be prepared for traumatic events and realities of war.

This book is lush and enveloping as it spans fifty years, Korea’s fight for independence, and the many lives involved. Specifically we see a young girl sold to courtesan school and an orphan boy begging in the streets who form a deep bond.

Epic and immersive, “Beats of a Little Land unveils a world where friends become enemies, enemies become saviors, heroes are persecuted, and beasts take many shapes.”

The characters drew me into their lives and I felt so connected to their stories and fates, I never wanted to put this book down.

Highly recommend for historical fiction lovers and even those who don’t often pick up the genre!

Thank you to netgalley and ecco books for my ARC!

A beautiful fictionalized collection of oral histories blended together to create a story of the Korean Independence Movement that spans generations. Juhea Kim did such a wonderful job of blending fact with fiction to create this sprawling epic. As someone with very little knowledge of Korean history, this was a great jumping off point. The characters were charmingly flawed and offered such intriguing stories that sparked a desire to learn about the history of the country/ies that have been such a major player in 20th and 21st century histories.

In this excellent debut novel, we go from the wilds of mountainous North Korea to the grit and gloss of Seoul. This historical fiction novel takes us from 1917 through 1965, during Korea's fight to crawl out from under Japanese occupation. It's 416 pages of love in the time of epic struggle for independence. The main characters come of age in a country finding its way. There are little girls who become courtesans and movie stars, street kids who become resistance fighters, rickshaw drivers who become scions of business, military men who give a little and take a lot. There are love stories that run their courses. I repeat: an excellent debut, highly recommended.