BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND

Narrator Sue Jean Kim's careful, measured performance does not enhance this intricate debut novel spanning twentieth-century Korean history. Among the large cast of characters is Jade, who is sold into the life of a courtesan, and JungHo, a poor orphan living in Seoul. They meet as children, and their paths continue to cross at various points throughout the story. Despite Kim's best attempts to inject emotion and inflection into conversations and tense scenes, the story's frequently changing point of view creates challenging listening, especially with Kim narrating the majority of the audiobook. Raymond Lee makes a brief appearance, narrating one chapter from a rare first-person perspective, which offers a short respite. This sprawling story would have benefited from additional narrators. V.T.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2022]