Beasts Of A Little Land by Juhea Kim

 

This novel follows the lives of three Korean women, courtesans for decades.  Luna, Lotus and Jade came to Seoul as young girls, accepted by the best courtesan school in the country which was run by Dani.  Dani was acknowledged throughout the land as the most beautiful and accomplished courtesan.  Luna and Lotus were sisters while Jade was Lotus's best friend.  They received lessons in dance and song, art and music and etiquette.

When the girls were young women, each went a different way.  Luna was the victim of a horrific attack and became a recluse.  Lotus became a noted singer while Luna was a dancer and movie star.  Both Lotus and Luna had men that they loved above all else but no man was willing to marry a courtesan no matter how much he loved her.  The men were involved in business and politics as Korea was desperate to break away from Japanese rule.  

This is a debut novel for Juhea Kim.  She received her BA from Princeton in Art and Archeology and is very tied up in animal conservation.  The substory of a tiger which runs through the novel is an indication of her love for these animals.  Readers will be exposed to the history of Korea as it broke out from Japanese rule after World War II and became broken into the two Koreas existent today.  The women, no matter how accomplished and how lauded were doomed to solitary lives.  This book is recommended for readers of historical and women's fiction.