Get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Published by Oneworld Publications
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
Winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Award * Finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize
'Unforgettable' Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, author of The Mountains Sing
As the Korean independence movement gathers pace, two children meet on the streets of Seoul. Fate will bind them through decades of love and war. They just don’t know it yet.
It is 1917, and Korea is under Japanese occupation. With the threat of famine looming, ten-year-old Jade is sold by her desperate family to Miss Silver's courtesan school in the bustling city of Pyongyang. As the Japanese army tears through the country, she is forced to flee to the southern city of Seoul. Soon, her path crosses with that of an orphan named JungHo, a chance encounter that will lead to a life-changing friendship.
But when JungHo is pulled into the revolutionary fight for independence, Jade must decide between following her own ambitions and risking everything for the one she loves.
Sweeping through five decades of Korean history, Juhea Kim's sparkling debut is an intricately woven tale of love stretched to breaking point, and two people who refuse to let go.
Longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Longlist 2022 * Longlisted for the Nota Bene Prize 2023
'A stunning achievement' TLS
'Unforgettable' Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, author of The Mountains Sing
As the Korean independence movement gathers pace, two children meet on the streets of Seoul. Fate will bind them through decades of love and war. They just don’t know it yet.
It is 1917, and Korea is under Japanese occupation. With the threat of famine looming, ten-year-old Jade is sold by her desperate family to Miss Silver's courtesan school in the bustling city of Pyongyang. As the Japanese army tears through the country, she is forced to flee to the southern city of Seoul. Soon, her path crosses with that of an orphan named JungHo, a chance encounter that will lead to a life-changing friendship.
But when JungHo is pulled into the revolutionary fight for independence, Jade must decide between following her own ambitions and risking everything for the one she loves.
Sweeping through five decades of Korean history, Juhea Kim's sparkling debut is an intricately woven tale of love stretched to breaking point, and two people who refuse to let go.
Longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Longlist 2022 * Longlisted for the Nota Bene Prize 2023
'A stunning achievement' TLS
Product Details
- Publisher: Oneworld Publications (December 7, 2021)
- Length: 416 pages
- ISBN13: 9780861543236
Raves and Reviews
'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
'Full of Korean myth and historical detail, it’s an immersive read for a long weekend.' Stylist
'This is historical fiction at its very best! I am astonished by Juhea's talent.' Nguy?n Phan Qu? Mai, internationally bestselling author of The Mountains Sing
'Stunning... Profound... 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 a heartbreaking story rendered mythic by Kim’s gorgeous prose.' Jing-Jing Lee, author of How We Disappeared
'A magnificent, mesmerizing story of love and war… Cinematic in its scope, this is the type of novel that the reader finishes both with pleasure (for its satisfying denouement and pleasing circularity) and with sadness (at having to leave the story behind).' New Internationalist
'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 US, 'Best Books of 2021'
'Gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters combine to make a literary masterpiece.' Kirkus, (starred review)
'Kim's dreamy, intense debut is both a sure-footed historical account of the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and the emotionally fraught story of several people whose lives are inextricably tied together... The prose is ravishing.' Publishers Weekly
'An immersive historical novel set in occupied Korea with a sweeping cast of characters whose lives intersect over half a century.' Lit Hub, 'Most Anticipated Books of 2021'
'This epic historical novel offers an entrancing glimpse into a colourful world of love and conflict.' Daily Mail, 'Must Reads'
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Beasts of a Little Land eBook 9780861543236
