Julia Riew

In the Riew siblings’ debut, inspired by their Korean grandparents’ experiences during Japan’s early-20th-century colonization of Korea, a hunt is on for the last surviving tiger.

In the Tiger Colonies, this fantasy world’s version of occupied Korea, tigers have been nearly wiped out by the Dragon Empire. These oppressive rulers believe that tiger ki, or powers, strengthen the Tiger people, and therefore, the animals must be exterminated. Lee Seung, who’s from a poor Tiger family, show more works for the wealthy Chois, a Tiger family who collaborate with the Dragons. Choi Eunji might live in material comfort, but her home feels like “a cage” thanks to her parents’ high expectations and control of her every move. She offers to tutor Seung for the Adachi Training Academy’s entrance exam; graduates attain elite, powerful positions. In return he’ll help Eunji experience life outside her cloistered manor. Despite their class differences, both teens long for freedom, but Seung fails the exam, and their paths diverge. They reunite during a frantic search for the last tiger—but are their motivations aligned? Some plot developments feel contrived, and the introduction of real historical elements at times feels deliberately educational rather than naturally emerging from the story. Nevertheless, the story vividly highlights the plight of Koreans during a traumatic era.

An unwieldy but emotionally intense fantasy. (authors’ note, diary excerpts) (Fantasy. 12-18)

-Kirkus Review show less

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.

This was a powerful YA fantasy!

First off, I loved that the story was inspired by the authors’ grandparents and their romance during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Drawing on real life experiences gave the story a ton of emotional depth.

I also enjoyed the dual POVs. The story is told in alternating points of view of the two leads, Seung and Eunji. Seung is poor while Eunji comes from a wealthy family, so show more you got to see two very different experiences.

The supporting characters of Jin and Kenzo were also noteworthy. They were both very complex characters.

The world building was well done. Since this book is inspired by real events, the politics behind the world is relatively easy to understand. The magical aspect of Ki was also explained well. All in all, it was an easy to follow fantasy world.

In terms of romance, the story falls a little flat on that aspect. The romance was building well in the first third, but then lost its momentum. This book is more of a cultural fantasy than a romantasy.

The end of the book does subtly set up potential sequel ideas and I really hope there is one. There’s still a lot to explore in this world!

Overall, if you love Asian inspired fantasy, definitely check this one out! show less

This collaborative work weaves together mythology and family history in a clever retelling of how the authors' grandparents fell in love while fighting to save Korea from Japanese colonization.
While the writing itself feels somewhat unpolished at times, the creative approach more than compensates for any technical roughness. The authors have crafted an imaginative take on Korea's fight for independence and freedom from oppression, using mythological elements to bring to life the very real show more courage and sacrifice of those who resisted colonial rule.
A favorite in this book is the inclusion of excerpts from the authors' grandparents at the beginning of each chapter. These personal touches connected the fantastical elements in actual family memory and history. The Last Tiger is a heartfelt tribute that takes historical and personal trauma and transforms it into a story of love and heroism.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review show less