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.

'Unforgettable' Nguyen Phan Que Mai, author of The Mountains Sing

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

An epic story of love, war and redemption, set against the backdrop of the Korean independence movement

About the Author

Juhea Kim was born in Incheon, Korea, and moved to Portland, Oregon, at the age of nine. 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. Her writing has been published in Granta, Catapult, Joyland, Times Literary Supplement, Independent, Zyzzyva and elsewhere, and Beasts of a Little Land is her debut novel. After a decade in New York City, Kim now lives in Portland, Oregon.

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.' Nguyen Phan Que 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'

Awards
Long-listed for HWA Debut Crown Award 2022 and Yasnaya Polyana Prize 2024.



Book Information
ISBN 9780861543229
Author Juhea Kim
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint Oneworld Publications
Publisher Oneworld Publications
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 153mm * 35mm