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  • Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim book cover
  • Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim book cover
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Beasts of a Little Land

by Juhea Kim

Friendship and resistance across occupied Korea

Critically Recognized
$17.50 USD
$29.17 USD $17.50 USD
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Paperback New English

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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    2022 Dayton Literary Peace Prize finalist

    Finalist for the 2022 Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

  • Critical praise

    Praise from Lisa See

    Lisa See praises the book as a spectacular debut with great characters and heart.

AlbakiReads Editorial

Friendship and resistance across occupied Korea

Beginning in 1917 with a hunter’s encounter with a Japanese officer in Korea’s snowy mountains, the novel follows lives shaped by colonial rule and the struggle for independence over roughly half a century. Jade is sent to a courtesan school; in Seoul, she forms a lasting bond with JungHo, an orphan surviving by begging. Their paths diverge as he joins the revolutionary movement and she builds a career as a performer, bringing questions of loyalty, social standing, and personal choice into the story. The settings range from Pyongyang and modernizing Seoul to Manchuria, where battles unfold. The intertwined lives connect intimate relationships with the larger history of a nation in upheaval.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in historical fiction set during Korea’s independence movement
  • Readers who enjoy stories spanning decades and following interconnected lives
  • Readers interested in themes of friendship, social hierarchy, and resistance

Themes

Korean independence movementColonial ruleFriendship and loyaltySocial status and survivalPersonal choice

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"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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In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

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Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

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Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

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Ella

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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Olivia

Smooth.