Beasts of a Little Land

"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 This epic historical saga 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 this unforgettable character-driven story. 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 that becomes the heart of their new found family. 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 in this powerful love story. 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, this stunning work of literary fiction, 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