A review by juliloops
Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the most poignant novels about Asian history I have read. The characters are precisely, delicately, and humanly crafted, and they touched me with the sincerity of the ancestors I never knew. Truly a brilliant literary debut by Juhea Kim, I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Addition: the first-person perspective shift in the epilogue hit me like a sledgehammer. Absolutely, devastatingly effective and so well-earned. It felt like an achievement, as if all of these terrifying moments in the expanse of history were ultimately rushing towards Jade, her life, and the sea. This is what epilogues are meant for.
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