What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Tiger
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents’ lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a broken people.
In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.
But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.
In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny.
In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.
But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.
In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2025
301 people are currently reading
26446 people want to read
About the author
Julia Riew
2 books152 followersJulia Riew is a Korean-American composer-lyricist, librettist, and novelist from St. Louis and NYC. She is best known for her viral hit Dive, a reimagining of the Korean folktale Shimcheong, which has captivated millions online and is currently being developed for the stage at the American Repertory Theater with Tony-Award winning director Diane Paulus and GLAAD-Award winning playwright Diana Son.
Julia also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the new original musical ENDLESS (dir. by Zi Alikhan, Seoul, 2026), which features an expansive, celestial mythological universe and a cinematic pop score. Julia’s literary work includes upcoming YA fantasy novel The Last Tiger (Penguin Random House, 2025), as well as MG fantasy novel Shim Jung Takes the Dive (HarperCollins, 2026). Other upcoming projects include a YA sci-fi comedy thriller novel and two more musicals slated for development in Korea.
In addition to being the 18th Annual Fred Ebb Award winner, Julia has been Playbill’s Featured Songwriter of the Month, a Woman to Watch on Broadway, a Princess Grace Award Honoraria recipient, and the recipient of the Harvardwood Artist Launch Fellowship.
Julia also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the new original musical ENDLESS (dir. by Zi Alikhan, Seoul, 2026), which features an expansive, celestial mythological universe and a cinematic pop score. Julia’s literary work includes upcoming YA fantasy novel The Last Tiger (Penguin Random House, 2025), as well as MG fantasy novel Shim Jung Takes the Dive (HarperCollins, 2026). Other upcoming projects include a YA sci-fi comedy thriller novel and two more musicals slated for development in Korea.
In addition to being the 18th Annual Fred Ebb Award winner, Julia has been Playbill’s Featured Songwriter of the Month, a Woman to Watch on Broadway, a Princess Grace Award Honoraria recipient, and the recipient of the Harvardwood Artist Launch Fellowship.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
September 26, 2025
im not gonna lie - i was definitely influenced by all the promo this brother/sister duo were doing on social media to promote their book. i totally fell for the concept they pitched, inspired by their grandparents forbidden love story, and i needed to know more.
and while i enjoyed the personal notes written by the grandparents sprinkled in every so often so i could see the influence of their real life story on the novels fictional narrative, i wanted more romance! to me, there was nothing shown between the two MCs other than friendship, potentially a small crush. so when they confessed their love to each other at the end of the book, it didnt have the impact that i was wanting. and, considering i picked this up because of a love story, im left feeling a bit disappointed.
however, i think the commentary on and parallels to japans occupation of korea is done well. from a fantasy perspective, the ending is a little abrupt and lackluster. but, knowing how WWII ended, i suppose the ending was written that way on purpose.
overall, this is a decent debut novel. not exactly the execution i was hoping for, but a pretty good concept nonetheless.
↠ 3.5 stars
and while i enjoyed the personal notes written by the grandparents sprinkled in every so often so i could see the influence of their real life story on the novels fictional narrative, i wanted more romance! to me, there was nothing shown between the two MCs other than friendship, potentially a small crush. so when they confessed their love to each other at the end of the book, it didnt have the impact that i was wanting. and, considering i picked this up because of a love story, im left feeling a bit disappointed.
however, i think the commentary on and parallels to japans occupation of korea is done well. from a fantasy perspective, the ending is a little abrupt and lackluster. but, knowing how WWII ended, i suppose the ending was written that way on purpose.
overall, this is a decent debut novel. not exactly the execution i was hoping for, but a pretty good concept nonetheless.
↠ 3.5 stars
August 23, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)
Thank you to NetGalley, Julia and Brad Riew, and Kokila for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last Tiger is out now!
⋆｡‧˚ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆
I think 2025 is the year of "I can't believe I read this ARC and it's written by a debut author," because I think this is like, the tenth time I've said this (possibly even more). Not only that, but this was written by a BROTHER AND SISTER DEBUT AUTHOR DUO? I'm shocked in the best way possible.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon!
⋆｡‧˚ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: So ah...I don't know if you can tell, but I'm falling behind on ARCs.😅 This is how I'm here, reading an ARC for a book that got published two days ago. I got this ARC back in February or March, but I'm super excited to start this! I love the cover art, and if you haven't seen the sprayed edges yet...omg please look it up.🩵🤍💜
This is ARC 10/16 for my July 2025 ARCs, and ARC 2/5 for my (now past) deadline of July 29th, 2025!
Thank you to NetGalley, Julia and Brad Riew, and Kokila for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last Tiger is out now!
"True power, true freedom, those things don't come from pleasing someone else."
"I just want the power to make my own choices," I whisper.
Nari sighs, clicking her tongue. "You've got it mixed up, Eunji," she says. "True power comes from making your own choices."
⋆｡‧˚ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆
I think 2025 is the year of "I can't believe I read this ARC and it's written by a debut author," because I think this is like, the tenth time I've said this (possibly even more). Not only that, but this was written by a BROTHER AND SISTER DEBUT AUTHOR DUO? I'm shocked in the best way possible.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon!
⋆｡‧˚ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ🐯ɞ˚‧｡⋆
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: So ah...I don't know if you can tell, but I'm falling behind on ARCs.😅 This is how I'm here, reading an ARC for a book that got published two days ago. I got this ARC back in February or March, but I'm super excited to start this! I love the cover art, and if you haven't seen the sprayed edges yet...omg please look it up.🩵🤍💜
This is ARC 10/16 for my July 2025 ARCs, and ARC 2/5 for my (now past) deadline of July 29th, 2025!
Want to read
December 27, 2024Apparently this is inspired by the authors' grandparents love story and that's all I needed to know
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DED9tD...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DED9tD...
August 25, 2025
Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Kokila, for sending me this ARC.
What to expect:
🐯 Young adult fantasy
🐯 Forbidden romance
🐯 Magic
🐯 Royalty x Commoner
🐯 Arranged Marriage
🐯 Quests/Missions
🐯 Magical Animals
A retelling of their grandparents' love story? This book was a magical delight. I was very impressed, considering it is their debut book. I loved the concept of the storyline and really connected with all the characters. The pacing was just right—I felt drawn into this world. The magic of ki powers is so fascinating, and I appreciated the unique take the authors had on it. Since this is a YA book, I still wished for a bit more tension between the romantic leads and perhaps a more definitive ending. Overall, a great read—very close to five stars for me. If you enjoy power struggles, a bit of war, romance, animals, and most importantly—MAGIC, then this one is for you.
Pub Date: July 29, 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
What to expect:
🐯 Young adult fantasy
🐯 Forbidden romance
🐯 Magic
🐯 Royalty x Commoner
🐯 Arranged Marriage
🐯 Quests/Missions
🐯 Magical Animals
A retelling of their grandparents' love story? This book was a magical delight. I was very impressed, considering it is their debut book. I loved the concept of the storyline and really connected with all the characters. The pacing was just right—I felt drawn into this world. The magic of ki powers is so fascinating, and I appreciated the unique take the authors had on it. Since this is a YA book, I still wished for a bit more tension between the romantic leads and perhaps a more definitive ending. Overall, a great read—very close to five stars for me. If you enjoy power struggles, a bit of war, romance, animals, and most importantly—MAGIC, then this one is for you.
Pub Date: July 29, 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
February 5, 2025
4.5 ★’s
⸝⸝
what to expect:
⤿🐯ya fantasy/romantasy
⤿🐯inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents
⤿🐯based on korean history
⤿🐯rich girl x poor boy
⤿🐯friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
⤿🐯forbidden romance
⤿🐯star-crossed lovers
beautiful, emotional read influenced by true stories and korean history. a powerful narrative portraying colonial oppression and it's consequences. this book touches on subjects such as defying tradition, oppression and the fight for freedom in a sensitive, respectful way. the fantasy elements were well crafted and i loved the use of the tigers to represent the heart and soul of a nation. the story focuses on both main characters struggles and longing for freedom. the forbidden romance was well written and the connection felt real and genuine. overall this was a great read about the power of love, resilience and strength of people.
[edit 05/02/25 changed rating to 4.5]
⸝⸝
“If we forget who we are, then we can be controlled.”
“Then let's not forget,” I say.
“Let's make them remember.”
what to expect:
⤿🐯ya fantasy/romantasy
⤿🐯inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents
⤿🐯based on korean history
⤿🐯rich girl x poor boy
⤿🐯friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
⤿🐯forbidden romance
⤿🐯star-crossed lovers
beautiful, emotional read influenced by true stories and korean history. a powerful narrative portraying colonial oppression and it's consequences. this book touches on subjects such as defying tradition, oppression and the fight for freedom in a sensitive, respectful way. the fantasy elements were well crafted and i loved the use of the tigers to represent the heart and soul of a nation. the story focuses on both main characters struggles and longing for freedom. the forbidden romance was well written and the connection felt real and genuine. overall this was a great read about the power of love, resilience and strength of people.
[edit 05/02/25 changed rating to 4.5]
August 11, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc.
what a beautiful love-letter from two siblings to their grandparents, revolving around their family and cultural history.
at its core, the last tiger is a fictionalized magical realism retelling of authors julia riew and brad riew’s grandparents and their daunting love-story while living in a japanese colonized korea.
the last tiger focuses upon many important but sensitive topics such as colonialism, ethnic cleansing, sexual abuse (comfort women), and classism in a respectful and informative way, while still emphasizing the suffering experienced by koreans under japanese rule.
the authors included actual quotes from both grandparents, which i thought was beautiful touch.
what a beautiful love-letter from two siblings to their grandparents, revolving around their family and cultural history.
at its core, the last tiger is a fictionalized magical realism retelling of authors julia riew and brad riew’s grandparents and their daunting love-story while living in a japanese colonized korea.
the last tiger focuses upon many important but sensitive topics such as colonialism, ethnic cleansing, sexual abuse (comfort women), and classism in a respectful and informative way, while still emphasizing the suffering experienced by koreans under japanese rule.
the authors included actual quotes from both grandparents, which i thought was beautiful touch.
lost-interest
June 8, 2025This cover is stunning and that's all I really need to know
July 19, 2025
Imagine you’re old and tired and you tell your grandkids the story of how you met your spouse and they decide to write a fantasy book based on it and it fucking blows and has nothing to do with your story and you have to sit there and smile anyway.
August 5, 2025
4.25✨
« What if we beat the empire, but this hole inside me, the emptiness that can’t be filled - what if it didn’t go away? What if I was just broken forever, and nothing could ever make it stop? »
This is written by a brother & sister who were inspired by their grandparents relationship during the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea.
It’s absolutely a brilliant story - I hope they continue writing together! It has some very difficult war elements mixed with Fantasy - and the traumas brought by colonialism.
The characters were all very lovable and human. I felt very much for every one of them. The pacing was a little uneven & there’s a tiny love triangle that doesn’t last - I was happy it didn’t last because it felt forced!
I highly recommend this story - the authors included some messages from their grandparents in the story and it was amazing to read!
« I understand that there’s more than one type of cage. That the worst one of all is the one you place yourself in. »
« What if we beat the empire, but this hole inside me, the emptiness that can’t be filled - what if it didn’t go away? What if I was just broken forever, and nothing could ever make it stop? »
This is written by a brother & sister who were inspired by their grandparents relationship during the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea.
It’s absolutely a brilliant story - I hope they continue writing together! It has some very difficult war elements mixed with Fantasy - and the traumas brought by colonialism.
The characters were all very lovable and human. I felt very much for every one of them. The pacing was a little uneven & there’s a tiny love triangle that doesn’t last - I was happy it didn’t last because it felt forced!
I highly recommend this story - the authors included some messages from their grandparents in the story and it was amazing to read!
« I understand that there’s more than one type of cage. That the worst one of all is the one you place yourself in. »
July 3, 2025
While this wasn't for me, I think this would make a decent intro to colonialism for younger readers.
The mix of fantasy and history makes this easily understandable for young YA readers to make sense of Imperial Japanese occupation and its brutality, and possibly even draw connections to world history and current events. It also shows how wealth and social standing (and social proximity to oppressors) play complex roles when people make decisions, especially young people.
But being an adult, this wasn't really all that exciting or interesting to me. The plot was very predictable, and the MCs weren't all that memorable. Jin was the only character I liked, and I actually wish she was a main character.
It's been almost a month since I read this arc and I can't remember anything that stood out to me other than the authors' grandparents' diary excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. While those were interesting (if you're into history), they didn't flow well at all with the story. It almost made me wish that this book was strictly historical fiction, à la June Hur's novels.
This book was okay for what it was. I just wish it had more of an impact on me.
Thank you to Kokila and NetGalley for this arc.
The mix of fantasy and history makes this easily understandable for young YA readers to make sense of Imperial Japanese occupation and its brutality, and possibly even draw connections to world history and current events. It also shows how wealth and social standing (and social proximity to oppressors) play complex roles when people make decisions, especially young people.
But being an adult, this wasn't really all that exciting or interesting to me. The plot was very predictable, and the MCs weren't all that memorable. Jin was the only character I liked, and I actually wish she was a main character.
It's been almost a month since I read this arc and I can't remember anything that stood out to me other than the authors' grandparents' diary excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. While those were interesting (if you're into history), they didn't flow well at all with the story. It almost made me wish that this book was strictly historical fiction, à la June Hur's novels.
This book was okay for what it was. I just wish it had more of an impact on me.
Thank you to Kokila and NetGalley for this arc.
July 12, 2025
This was just an okay read for me. In fact, there were parts I genuinely had fun with. but overall, I just wasn’t that moved by it. And trust me, no one is more disappointed at that than me cause the premise was intriguing and the fact that it is based off the REAL love story of the authors’ grandparents just gutted me because that was one of the stronger points of this book.
The Last Tiger reimagines Korea during the occupation of Imperial Japan with ki, a power granted by spirits. The world is loosely based on real history and real horrifying facts during this time period such as the hunting and extinction of Korean tigers which is represented in the book. The story of authors’ grandparents’ meeting and falling in love during the Japanese occupation of Korea prior to the Korean War was my favourite part. The little excerpts and quotes at the beginning of each chapter was a tug on my heartstrings..
Unlike the authors’ grandparents’ romance which was so endearing and had me wanting more, the main characters Eunji and Seung’s romance felt a bit lukewarm to the point that I won’t even consider them love interests? They definitely worked better as friends. I felt like Eunji and Seung only spent a few moments together in the beginning of the book and only met up by the end of the book so there wasn’t enough development there for me to consider them as couple. Ironically Eunji wanted to escape an arranged marriage, yet she had more chemistry and development to very man she was running away from than to Seung 😭😭
One character who did stand out for me was Jin, the rebel. Her backstory was so tragic and tied to the reality of comfort women. She deserved more page time, and I wish her journey had been further explored.
I was really interested in the magically Ki powers bestowed to the humans by the beast/spirit animals. How each animal had different powers. I wished it was further developed as it was just surface level.
Overall, I think this was a good read for what it was, the resolution at the end felt a little too easy for me especially given the wartime setting? But I understand that it’s a YA novel so it can’t go too dark? But personally, I needed more to feel satisfied.
Thank you @ PenguinTeen for the ARC!
The Last Tiger reimagines Korea during the occupation of Imperial Japan with ki, a power granted by spirits. The world is loosely based on real history and real horrifying facts during this time period such as the hunting and extinction of Korean tigers which is represented in the book. The story of authors’ grandparents’ meeting and falling in love during the Japanese occupation of Korea prior to the Korean War was my favourite part. The little excerpts and quotes at the beginning of each chapter was a tug on my heartstrings..
Unlike the authors’ grandparents’ romance which was so endearing and had me wanting more, the main characters Eunji and Seung’s romance felt a bit lukewarm to the point that I won’t even consider them love interests? They definitely worked better as friends. I felt like Eunji and Seung only spent a few moments together in the beginning of the book and only met up by the end of the book so there wasn’t enough development there for me to consider them as couple. Ironically Eunji wanted to escape an arranged marriage, yet she had more chemistry and development to very man she was running away from than to Seung 😭😭
One character who did stand out for me was Jin, the rebel. Her backstory was so tragic and tied to the reality of comfort women. She deserved more page time, and I wish her journey had been further explored.
I was really interested in the magically Ki powers bestowed to the humans by the beast/spirit animals. How each animal had different powers. I wished it was further developed as it was just surface level.
Overall, I think this was a good read for what it was, the resolution at the end felt a little too easy for me especially given the wartime setting? But I understand that it’s a YA novel so it can’t go too dark? But personally, I needed more to feel satisfied.
Thank you @ PenguinTeen for the ARC!
July 29, 2025
The authors take their grandparents story and retell it amidst a LUSH Fantasy backdrop??? The COOLEST idea and it did NOT disappoint!!
I am OBSESSED with this idea! The authors took their grandparents' experience during one of the darkest times in Korean history, with the chapter titles including actual lines from communication with their grandparents, and turned it into this FANTASTIC Fantasy moment full of magic, kingdoms, quests, and changing ones fate. I was IMMERSED. I was LIVING. This book was such a surprise and I absolutely flew through it.
I absolutely love a royalty x commoner moment so for this to be a noble and a boy servant falling for each other was an immediate yes from me! A deal is made to keep the her secret in exchange for her mentoring him in the ways of the dragon kingdom, in order to obtain dragon ki. Even writing that reminded me just how fun it all was! It's forbidden romance, it's a boy fighting to support his family by changing their fate, it's an incredible magic system, it's spiritual animals, and it's a story JAM-PACKED with secrets!
This very much gave Avatar the Last Airbender, journey through the Spirit World, with two major spiritual powers battling it out for dominance. THE VIBES WERE VIBING. I don't want to spoil anything, but the magic system (the powers of ki) and their roots, abilities, and methods of obtainment were so, so well done in this book. It made this book so atmospheric and I love it when a book takes me there!
There were honestly so many parts of this book that had my jaw on the floor and me uttering those three magic words...WTF! There was no shortage on surprises in this book and I loooooooove when something hits with ZERO expectation of it hitting! That's why I read this book in 2 days. (would have been 1 but you know...adulting) I just couldn't stop reading it. Just as the shock of the previous twist begins to slightly wear off, another one comes SWANGIN! Are we mad about it? Not. At. All.
This is a FANTASTIC debut and I thank Penguin Teen so much for the advanced copy :)
I am OBSESSED with this idea! The authors took their grandparents' experience during one of the darkest times in Korean history, with the chapter titles including actual lines from communication with their grandparents, and turned it into this FANTASTIC Fantasy moment full of magic, kingdoms, quests, and changing ones fate. I was IMMERSED. I was LIVING. This book was such a surprise and I absolutely flew through it.
I absolutely love a royalty x commoner moment so for this to be a noble and a boy servant falling for each other was an immediate yes from me! A deal is made to keep the her secret in exchange for her mentoring him in the ways of the dragon kingdom, in order to obtain dragon ki. Even writing that reminded me just how fun it all was! It's forbidden romance, it's a boy fighting to support his family by changing their fate, it's an incredible magic system, it's spiritual animals, and it's a story JAM-PACKED with secrets!
This very much gave Avatar the Last Airbender, journey through the Spirit World, with two major spiritual powers battling it out for dominance. THE VIBES WERE VIBING. I don't want to spoil anything, but the magic system (the powers of ki) and their roots, abilities, and methods of obtainment were so, so well done in this book. It made this book so atmospheric and I love it when a book takes me there!
There were honestly so many parts of this book that had my jaw on the floor and me uttering those three magic words...WTF! There was no shortage on surprises in this book and I loooooooove when something hits with ZERO expectation of it hitting! That's why I read this book in 2 days. (would have been 1 but you know...adulting) I just couldn't stop reading it. Just as the shock of the previous twist begins to slightly wear off, another one comes SWANGIN! Are we mad about it? Not. At. All.
This is a FANTASTIC debut and I thank Penguin Teen so much for the advanced copy :)
February 23, 2025
The Last Tiger was a book that I wanted to like more than I did. I was drawn to it by the fact it was Korean fantasy and inspired by the real-life love story of the authors' grandparents, who lived through some harrowing times. I had high expectations for a complex, emotional tale coupled with Korean history and folklore, but sadly the execution of the story didn't work for me. The plot idea was interesting, but it was really undeveloped, with not enough information on the politics and magical elements. The characters were all really 2D, too, with no distinct voices. The story overall had too much 'telling' and, for me, the inclusion of the grandparents' messages was a bad choice. They appeared at the start of every chapter and pulled you out of the fantasy story and into the real-life account. Sometimes, though, I found those snippets more interesting than the main narrative. The real-life situation was so lightly veiled by the fantasy in any case, I feel as if the authors would have done better to tell their grandparents' story in its true setting, without the fantasy, as historical fiction-biography. I agonised a bit over this review, as I know these are debut writers who clearly wanted to share the love and hardship their grandparents endured. I don't want to belittle that with a bad review, but at the same time, I have to be honest about my feelings towards the book as a work of YA fantasy. In the end, I am giving it 2.5 stars. It's certainly not unreadable, but there was the potential for it to have been so much better. I will round up to 3 stars on Goodreads in recognition of the real-life inspiration behind the book.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It is a re-imagining of the author's grandparents and how they fell in love with little excerpts from them sprinkled throughout the book with some fantastical elements as well. It also deals with historical elements from when Korea was invaded by the Japanese and under their reign until the 1940s and the consequences of cultural assimilation and political/economic power struggles.
It is a YA novel that tied in all of the elements well, and we do get a friends to enemies to lovers trope, which was executed well. The characters were all interesting, and it really made you root for Eujin and Seung. I am definitely interested to see what else the author has in store!
I really enjoyed this book! It is a re-imagining of the author's grandparents and how they fell in love with little excerpts from them sprinkled throughout the book with some fantastical elements as well. It also deals with historical elements from when Korea was invaded by the Japanese and under their reign until the 1940s and the consequences of cultural assimilation and political/economic power struggles.
It is a YA novel that tied in all of the elements well, and we do get a friends to enemies to lovers trope, which was executed well. The characters were all interesting, and it really made you root for Eujin and Seung. I am definitely interested to see what else the author has in store!
August 22, 2025
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 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!
Connect with me!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
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 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!
Connect with me!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
July 21, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Preread ~ Thank you to netgalley & the publishing company for giving me an e-arc ! I've seen this all over my insta, and it sounds like a beautiful story <3
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ "I choose to step out and beyond. not to be led by fear, but by purpose. I know now that sometimes you have to be willing to step away from power to truly find your own." ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
This is my 100th book of the year !
The last tiger is such a beautiful book, inspired by the true forbidden romance story between the authors' grandparents. Set in Korea post-Korean war, it follows our FMC Eunji, the daughter of an important lord in the kingdom who gets caught sneaking out of the house by one of the servants in her household, Seung. In return for his silence, she tutors him for a prestigous academy test, which determines whether or not you get dragon ki (basically superstrength powers) and train to be in the army, or in Eunji's case, a presentable bride her future husband can show off. The dragon people have been focused on hunting tigers into extinction. The book talks a lot about finding yourself, being true to yourself, and to be hopeful even when things get bad, which is very fitting, giving Eunji's impending future marriage.
It's also very nice to see Eunji's character development as the book goes on, from tryign to convincing herself to accept that a tool to improve her family's status is all she'll ever be, just like her sisters, to believing in herself, knowing what she wants, and being strong and confident enough to do something about it.
There is a bit of a love triangle in here that in my opinion, crashed and burned before it could begin, but I would love to see a novella about what happened to Jin & Kenzo after the tiger people declared independance !
ੈ✩‧₊˚ Tropes ੈ✩‧₊˚
✧.* Forbidden romance
✧.* Quests
✧.* Magical animals
✧.* Powers
✧.* Arranged marriage
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ "I choose to step out and beyond. not to be led by fear, but by purpose. I know now that sometimes you have to be willing to step away from power to truly find your own." ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
This is my 100th book of the year !
The last tiger is such a beautiful book, inspired by the true forbidden romance story between the authors' grandparents. Set in Korea post-Korean war, it follows our FMC Eunji, the daughter of an important lord in the kingdom who gets caught sneaking out of the house by one of the servants in her household, Seung. In return for his silence, she tutors him for a prestigous academy test, which determines whether or not you get dragon ki (basically superstrength powers) and train to be in the army, or in Eunji's case, a presentable bride her future husband can show off. The dragon people have been focused on hunting tigers into extinction. The book talks a lot about finding yourself, being true to yourself, and to be hopeful even when things get bad, which is very fitting, giving Eunji's impending future marriage.
It's also very nice to see Eunji's character development as the book goes on, from tryign to convincing herself to accept that a tool to improve her family's status is all she'll ever be, just like her sisters, to believing in herself, knowing what she wants, and being strong and confident enough to do something about it.
There is a bit of a love triangle in here that in my opinion, crashed and burned before it could begin, but I would love to see a novella about what happened to Jin & Kenzo after the tiger people declared independance !
ੈ✩‧₊˚ Tropes ੈ✩‧₊˚
✧.* Forbidden romance
✧.* Quests
✧.* Magical animals
✧.* Powers
✧.* Arranged marriage
April 22, 2025
A retelling of the author’s grandparent’s love story? In a world with ki powers granted by different animals? Let’s be so honest, this was great.
To be completely honest i did request the arc in spite because i got an email from goodreads telling me i did not win the giveaway, but however i got to read this, i am so thankful.
The characters were very fleshed out, and it was amazing watching their growth from the first half to the second. It almost felt like a prequel and a sequel because of how spaced out the parts of the story were.
The plot was VERY character driven, but it worked well for the story.
Plus, the setting was just beautiful.
The pacing was a little off for me, and I couldn’t tell if it was going too fast or too slow, but something definitely didn’t feel right. Also, the conversations felt a little juvenile for YA, but it did make it easy to understand.
The story itself was very well written, and i enjoyed it thoroughly. I just loved the little excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, and the connection to real life is really what put the finishing touches on the story as a whole.
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
To be completely honest i did request the arc in spite because i got an email from goodreads telling me i did not win the giveaway, but however i got to read this, i am so thankful.
The characters were very fleshed out, and it was amazing watching their growth from the first half to the second. It almost felt like a prequel and a sequel because of how spaced out the parts of the story were.
The plot was VERY character driven, but it worked well for the story.
Plus, the setting was just beautiful.
The pacing was a little off for me, and I couldn’t tell if it was going too fast or too slow, but something definitely didn’t feel right. Also, the conversations felt a little juvenile for YA, but it did make it easy to understand.
The story itself was very well written, and i enjoyed it thoroughly. I just loved the little excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, and the connection to real life is really what put the finishing touches on the story as a whole.
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2025
Theoretically, The Last Tiger should have been exactly my kind of book. An Asian-inspired fantasy with threads of historical truth, themes of resistance against oppression, and the mystical power of dragons? That’s usually an instant win for me. Unfortunately, despite the promising premise, I ended up DNF-ing the book at around the 50% mark due to a number of issues that made it difficult to stay engaged.
Let’s start with what worked. I really liked the concept of ki—a spiritual force that grants power through a connection with a dragon spirit. It was fresh and intriguing, and had real potential to ground a powerful magical system. Eunji and Seung were characters I wanted to root for, and their individual arcs held promise. I appreciated that their paths cross, diverge, and (I assume) reunite later in the story—there’s emotional weight in that kind of narrative structure.
However, the book’s flaws were too significant for me to overlook. The pacing was probably the biggest hurdle. Entire months seemed to pass within a paragraph, making major story developments feel rushed and weightless. The abrupt time jumps left me disoriented, and often robbed key moments of the emotional buildup they needed. The writing itself also felt uneven—some passages were vivid and evocative, while others fell flat or felt oddly modern in tone. For example, using the word “gotta” in a setting that otherwise feels rooted in a historical or fantasy world was incredibly jarring.
And speaking of setting, the worldbuilding lacked cohesion. While I’m not an expert on the Japanese occupation of Korea, the early parts of the book felt vaguely 1600s in tone and detail, only for modern elements like electricity to suddenly appear with no real explanation. On top of that, the way women were treated in this society didn’t line up. The narrative suggests they’re heavily discriminated against, yet they can attend the same academy as men and even hold powerful positions? The inconsistency made it hard to buy into the world or its rules.
All in all, while The Last Tiger had elements I wanted to love—strong characters, a rich cultural backdrop, and an epic magical framework—the lack of cohesion in the setting, the rushed pacing, and the uneven writing ultimately pushed me away. Maybe there’s a satisfying payoff in the second half, but sadly, I didn’t have the patience to find out.
Thanks to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Kokila, and NetGalley for the chance to review this eARC.
Let’s start with what worked. I really liked the concept of ki—a spiritual force that grants power through a connection with a dragon spirit. It was fresh and intriguing, and had real potential to ground a powerful magical system. Eunji and Seung were characters I wanted to root for, and their individual arcs held promise. I appreciated that their paths cross, diverge, and (I assume) reunite later in the story—there’s emotional weight in that kind of narrative structure.
However, the book’s flaws were too significant for me to overlook. The pacing was probably the biggest hurdle. Entire months seemed to pass within a paragraph, making major story developments feel rushed and weightless. The abrupt time jumps left me disoriented, and often robbed key moments of the emotional buildup they needed. The writing itself also felt uneven—some passages were vivid and evocative, while others fell flat or felt oddly modern in tone. For example, using the word “gotta” in a setting that otherwise feels rooted in a historical or fantasy world was incredibly jarring.
And speaking of setting, the worldbuilding lacked cohesion. While I’m not an expert on the Japanese occupation of Korea, the early parts of the book felt vaguely 1600s in tone and detail, only for modern elements like electricity to suddenly appear with no real explanation. On top of that, the way women were treated in this society didn’t line up. The narrative suggests they’re heavily discriminated against, yet they can attend the same academy as men and even hold powerful positions? The inconsistency made it hard to buy into the world or its rules.
All in all, while The Last Tiger had elements I wanted to love—strong characters, a rich cultural backdrop, and an epic magical framework—the lack of cohesion in the setting, the rushed pacing, and the uneven writing ultimately pushed me away. Maybe there’s a satisfying payoff in the second half, but sadly, I didn’t have the patience to find out.
Thanks to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Kokila, and NetGalley for the chance to review this eARC.
August 28, 2025
Wow tf did I just read? In a good way. This book touched me and moved me! Everyone needs to read this book!
September 3, 2025
thank you to kokila and penguin teen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
this story was written by two siblings who re-imagined their grandparents love story from korea during japanese imperialism while twisting fantastical elements into it. it was such a unique concept, especially since they took actual letters from their grandparents and dispersed them throughout to introduce the sections of the novel. it also wove in actual historic events (public tiger slayings) and transformed it into something mythical (ki powers via animal spirits).
to me, this story really shined in terms of the fantastical elements, which were also the driving factor. i don’t know a ton about ki powers and what they are founded upon in korean mythology. but it was so interesting to see how they noted the three main types of ki that we see, dragon ki being the most prominent since it was introduced by the colonizers. through this mythical element, it made the over-arching story focus on the power and spirit of the korean people, even at their toughest. and i think that was shown incredibly well through seung’s story and of those he encounters (in any facet that we see). it shows that a group of people will always rally behind their home and hope. this was truly my favorite part of the novel.
my one hinderance was mostly surrounding the romance. we’re told it’s based upon the grandparents actual story. and of course i see the bare bones of it (the wealthy noble daughter and the poor working son). the forbidden-ness of their romance, and how they would essentially sneak around to see each other. however, they were so quickly separated from each other and most of the book felt like they were essentially given their own additional love interests (mostly with eunji) that it made it tough to root for them as a couple. they were apart from the book almost longer than they were together. and honestly, i would agree with some other reviews i saw that who she was arranged to marry was someone i was more interested in for her! i think that made the romance aspect of the story fall a teensy bit flat for me.
but thankfully, most of the other aspects and plots for the story kept me intrigued. and i did really enjoy the story as a whole. and now i really want to read an epistolary version of the grandparents actual love story, please and thank you!!
this story was written by two siblings who re-imagined their grandparents love story from korea during japanese imperialism while twisting fantastical elements into it. it was such a unique concept, especially since they took actual letters from their grandparents and dispersed them throughout to introduce the sections of the novel. it also wove in actual historic events (public tiger slayings) and transformed it into something mythical (ki powers via animal spirits).
to me, this story really shined in terms of the fantastical elements, which were also the driving factor. i don’t know a ton about ki powers and what they are founded upon in korean mythology. but it was so interesting to see how they noted the three main types of ki that we see, dragon ki being the most prominent since it was introduced by the colonizers. through this mythical element, it made the over-arching story focus on the power and spirit of the korean people, even at their toughest. and i think that was shown incredibly well through seung’s story and of those he encounters (in any facet that we see). it shows that a group of people will always rally behind their home and hope. this was truly my favorite part of the novel.
my one hinderance was mostly surrounding the romance. we’re told it’s based upon the grandparents actual story. and of course i see the bare bones of it (the wealthy noble daughter and the poor working son). the forbidden-ness of their romance, and how they would essentially sneak around to see each other. however, they were so quickly separated from each other and most of the book felt like they were essentially given their own additional love interests (mostly with eunji) that it made it tough to root for them as a couple. they were apart from the book almost longer than they were together. and honestly, i would agree with some other reviews i saw that who she was arranged to marry was someone i was more interested in for her! i think that made the romance aspect of the story fall a teensy bit flat for me.
but thankfully, most of the other aspects and plots for the story kept me intrigued. and i did really enjoy the story as a whole. and now i really want to read an epistolary version of the grandparents actual love story, please and thank you!!
May 3, 2025
The Last Tiger follows Choi Eunji, a noble girl desperate for freedom, and Lee Seung, a servant yearning for a better life. Their land is colonized by the Dragon Empire as they work to extinct all the tigers. Eunji and Seung cross paths at a tiger slaying ceremony and work together to change both their futures. Eunji helps Seung study for the exam that could alter his whole life while Seung helps Eunji sneak out and experience their world firsthand. As forces work against them, Seung and Eunji’s futures are at risk … and their feelings for one another.
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint! I loved this book and thought it was such a fascinating story. I loved that it was inspired by true stories from the authors grandparents’ lives in the 1920s in Korea. The world was so atmospheric and gripping. The plot spans a lot more time than I originally thought, and it made for such great pacing and development. And the magic system was really cool! I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns and can’t wait to see more from these authors.
The romance in this book was so much fun. It’s a friends to enemies to lovers with forbidden romance and a slow burn. It was so well done! I really loved that it was dual POV and enjoyed both Eunji and Seung’s perspectives. The contrast of their lives was really interesting and seeing them realize how much they both struggle and emphasizing with that was really sweet. I also really loved Kenzo and Jin—they were great side characters. Especially Jin, her background is truly devasting and she’s such a fascinating character.
This is a really lovely story of oppression and grief and love. If you enjoy ya fantasies inspired by true events, I’d 100% recommending checking this one out in July!
Huge thank you to PenguinTeenCA for the physical arc!!
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint! I loved this book and thought it was such a fascinating story. I loved that it was inspired by true stories from the authors grandparents’ lives in the 1920s in Korea. The world was so atmospheric and gripping. The plot spans a lot more time than I originally thought, and it made for such great pacing and development. And the magic system was really cool! I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns and can’t wait to see more from these authors.
The romance in this book was so much fun. It’s a friends to enemies to lovers with forbidden romance and a slow burn. It was so well done! I really loved that it was dual POV and enjoyed both Eunji and Seung’s perspectives. The contrast of their lives was really interesting and seeing them realize how much they both struggle and emphasizing with that was really sweet. I also really loved Kenzo and Jin—they were great side characters. Especially Jin, her background is truly devasting and she’s such a fascinating character.
This is a really lovely story of oppression and grief and love. If you enjoy ya fantasies inspired by true events, I’d 100% recommending checking this one out in July!
Huge thank you to PenguinTeenCA for the physical arc!!
August 9, 2025
ooooh boy this is rough... understandably, i was excited about this book. the premise, the cover, the way this is based on the authors' grandparents' story, it sounds GOOD. but, forgive me for not being nice, my fucking god this failed to deliver in every aspect
first of all, i don't understand the choice of making eunji and her family the equivalent of an imperialist japan sympathizer and especially eunji even until the book is nearly over... not to mention how she went from ignorant to knowing about the colonialism and still turned a blind eye and even tried to justify her selfishness. reading it makes me so angry man it feels unnecessary
the romance! the romance. how do i say this... more bland than a fucking plain porridge and even that is still tastier than whatever the fuck eunji and seung has. i'm sure the grandparents has a lovely and sweet story but it just doesn't translate into the characters. i barely can gaf especially bc even 80% in, their ideals still clash so much and i don't get what seung sees in her
i also don't get the point of kenzo being there lol he's just a shithole of a sorry ass and i wanted him gone but noooo we have to read about him throughout the story bc he might do smth at the end? LIKE I GAF WHAT THAT COLONIZER IS GOING THROUGH BITCH
the only character that was interesting and worth rooting for is jin. my precious tenacious girl who went through so much :( i wished we get more of her instead of eunji
the world was also insanely underdeveloped. we have a story about imperial japan during their colonization of south korea. dark history. it was barely even explored except in the most shallow manner and it infuriated me how half-baked it is. i understand that it's YA but you can't just have that kind of setting in your story and thinks it's too heavy to get dug deeper. not to mention the resolution was so rushed and lazy like we barely get to see the tiger nation getting their independence except in one fucking page. this book could've benefitted from way less of that boring ass middle part and more of that epilogue having its own development in the book
first of all, i don't understand the choice of making eunji and her family the equivalent of an imperialist japan sympathizer and especially eunji even until the book is nearly over... not to mention how she went from ignorant to knowing about the colonialism and still turned a blind eye and even tried to justify her selfishness. reading it makes me so angry man it feels unnecessary
the romance! the romance. how do i say this... more bland than a fucking plain porridge and even that is still tastier than whatever the fuck eunji and seung has. i'm sure the grandparents has a lovely and sweet story but it just doesn't translate into the characters. i barely can gaf especially bc even 80% in, their ideals still clash so much and i don't get what seung sees in her
i also don't get the point of kenzo being there lol he's just a shithole of a sorry ass and i wanted him gone but noooo we have to read about him throughout the story bc he might do smth at the end? LIKE I GAF WHAT THAT COLONIZER IS GOING THROUGH BITCH
the only character that was interesting and worth rooting for is jin. my precious tenacious girl who went through so much :( i wished we get more of her instead of eunji
the world was also insanely underdeveloped. we have a story about imperial japan during their colonization of south korea. dark history. it was barely even explored except in the most shallow manner and it infuriated me how half-baked it is. i understand that it's YA but you can't just have that kind of setting in your story and thinks it's too heavy to get dug deeper. not to mention the resolution was so rushed and lazy like we barely get to see the tiger nation getting their independence except in one fucking page. this book could've benefitted from way less of that boring ass middle part and more of that epilogue having its own development in the book
September 27, 2025
A beautifully written YA historical fantasy story.
This story is set in a difficult time in Korean history, and tenderly explores classism, resistance, colonialism, with wistful magic and the power of love.
I love how this is inspired by a true love story. I really appreciate how snippets from the author's grandparents are included throughout the story.
The cover artwork and detailing is spectacular. I really enjoyed this debut novel.
October 28, 2025
I picked this up because a) it was really pretty and b) it was inspired by true stories from Korean history.
In a classic rich girl falls in love with poor boy story, Choi Eunji and Lee Seung face not just class prejudice, but also racial discrimination - both from within and without. Whilst both of them are Tigers, the rich Choi family are considered race traitors/collaborators for sucking up to the Dragon administration to preserve their family wealth and power.
The POV switches between Eunji and Seung, which provides a well-rounded background to what both of them are facing and the obstacles they have to overcome. From Seung, we understand the struggle to survive - and the hope for a better future - only to be beaten down again and again by circumstances and those in power. From Eunji, we learn that even the rich can be powerless when everything they have is beholden to another party. Her life may seem like a fairy tale to others, but we soon see that one misstep by her father - or her - could end in not just a fall from favour, but death.
Kenzo Kobayashi is an annoyance, and I couldn't quite figure him out.
I think my one criticism of the book is that at random times, often in speech, they seem to lapse into a kind of modern (teen?) slang which feels a little out of place with the setting. Still, since this is a YA book, maybe that was meant to resonate better with its intended audience.
All in all, I enjoyed reading The Last Tiger.
In a classic rich girl falls in love with poor boy story, Choi Eunji and Lee Seung face not just class prejudice, but also racial discrimination - both from within and without. Whilst both of them are Tigers, the rich Choi family are considered race traitors/collaborators for sucking up to the Dragon administration to preserve their family wealth and power.
The POV switches between Eunji and Seung, which provides a well-rounded background to what both of them are facing and the obstacles they have to overcome. From Seung, we understand the struggle to survive - and the hope for a better future - only to be beaten down again and again by circumstances and those in power. From Eunji, we learn that even the rich can be powerless when everything they have is beholden to another party. Her life may seem like a fairy tale to others, but we soon see that one misstep by her father - or her - could end in not just a fall from favour, but death.
Kenzo Kobayashi is an annoyance, and I couldn't quite figure him out.
I think my one criticism of the book is that at random times, often in speech, they seem to lapse into a kind of modern (teen?) slang which feels a little out of place with the setting. Still, since this is a YA book, maybe that was meant to resonate better with its intended audience.
All in all, I enjoyed reading The Last Tiger.
Read
April 18, 2025I work for PRH; my opinions are my own.
Really enjoyed this! The fantasy perspective of the Korean occupation combined with the real tragic history/authors' grandparents love story was a unique YA approach. Will there be a sequel I wonder...
Really enjoyed this! The fantasy perspective of the Korean occupation combined with the real tragic history/authors' grandparents love story was a unique YA approach. Will there be a sequel I wonder...
August 13, 2025
4.75 stars
ARC Review
The Last Tiger is a MUST-READ YA romantic fantasy!!! I absolutely inhaled this book. Siblings Julia and Brad Riew wrote this story together, inspired by the real life love story of the grandparents who lived through Korea's occupation. You can feel the love the authors have for this story on every page, and there were definitely some misty eyes.
Eunji, the daughter of a power-hungry nobleman, and Seung, one of their many servants who yearns from freedom and the ability to provide for his family, live in a colonised country where the dragon kingdom are hunting the tigers (a symbol of the native people of the land) to extinction. The only hope for tiger folk to make a better life themselves under the dragon regime is to attend a prestigious academy where they can earn the right to be endowed with dragon Ki, granting them super human strength and healing abilities, and securing them a respectable job in civil service.
Seung dreams of being the first tiger blood to ever be admitted to this institution so his father can stop working himself to the born to still not make ends meet for his family. Feeling defeated by the reality that tiger bloods do not pass the required exam because the system is not set up for them to succeed in terms of resources and knowledge, Seung is presented with an opportunity when the daughter of the family he works for, Eunji, offers to tutor him in exchange for not divulging her secrets. The pair form an unlikely friendship and Eunji is soon torn between the path her father has chosen for her, and a new life forming in her imagination. What starts as sweet strar-crossed lovers, ends up steeped in rebellion, scheming, and the fight of their young lives to change the fate of their country.
I loved the chemistry between everyone in this book!! This truly feels like the story was built around the characters, rather characters being forced into empty spaces to serve a specific purpose. This book includes a decent time jump and I think it was done really well. Being YA, the themes of colonisation and connections to the historical events that inspired this book are pretty on-the-nose but that's totally expected when the target audience are teenagers so it didn't bother me at all. There are still some dark themes like death and sexual assault but they are handled in an approapriate way. I still think this book will be really enjoyable for adult readers who don't tend to reach for YA fantasy. If I had to split hairs, I wish there was a sprinkle more world building, especially around the other animal spirits that are briefly mentioned. There is a pretty soft love triangle in there too, and surprisingly I loved it!! No spoilers but I genuinely loved both love interests for different reasons, and I feel like the second one won't get the love he deserves from most readers but he has a special place in my heart!!
The Last Tiger is a beautiful homage to a couple who defied the odds for their future family, and I am hoping to read more from either of these authors in the future!
ARC Review
The Last Tiger is a MUST-READ YA romantic fantasy!!! I absolutely inhaled this book. Siblings Julia and Brad Riew wrote this story together, inspired by the real life love story of the grandparents who lived through Korea's occupation. You can feel the love the authors have for this story on every page, and there were definitely some misty eyes.
Eunji, the daughter of a power-hungry nobleman, and Seung, one of their many servants who yearns from freedom and the ability to provide for his family, live in a colonised country where the dragon kingdom are hunting the tigers (a symbol of the native people of the land) to extinction. The only hope for tiger folk to make a better life themselves under the dragon regime is to attend a prestigious academy where they can earn the right to be endowed with dragon Ki, granting them super human strength and healing abilities, and securing them a respectable job in civil service.
Seung dreams of being the first tiger blood to ever be admitted to this institution so his father can stop working himself to the born to still not make ends meet for his family. Feeling defeated by the reality that tiger bloods do not pass the required exam because the system is not set up for them to succeed in terms of resources and knowledge, Seung is presented with an opportunity when the daughter of the family he works for, Eunji, offers to tutor him in exchange for not divulging her secrets. The pair form an unlikely friendship and Eunji is soon torn between the path her father has chosen for her, and a new life forming in her imagination. What starts as sweet strar-crossed lovers, ends up steeped in rebellion, scheming, and the fight of their young lives to change the fate of their country.
I loved the chemistry between everyone in this book!! This truly feels like the story was built around the characters, rather characters being forced into empty spaces to serve a specific purpose. This book includes a decent time jump and I think it was done really well. Being YA, the themes of colonisation and connections to the historical events that inspired this book are pretty on-the-nose but that's totally expected when the target audience are teenagers so it didn't bother me at all. There are still some dark themes like death and sexual assault but they are handled in an approapriate way. I still think this book will be really enjoyable for adult readers who don't tend to reach for YA fantasy. If I had to split hairs, I wish there was a sprinkle more world building, especially around the other animal spirits that are briefly mentioned. There is a pretty soft love triangle in there too, and surprisingly I loved it!! No spoilers but I genuinely loved both love interests for different reasons, and I feel like the second one won't get the love he deserves from most readers but he has a special place in my heart!!
The Last Tiger is a beautiful homage to a couple who defied the odds for their future family, and I am hoping to read more from either of these authors in the future!
October 19, 2025
3.5 stars
This wasn't bad but I don't feel like it wrapped up everything well in a standalone.
Full review to come.
This wasn't bad but I don't feel like it wrapped up everything well in a standalone.
Full review to come.
March 18, 2025
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!~~
This very much reads like a first draft. The world is underdeveloped, the writing is immature, the characters are boringly simple, and the conclusions this book comes to regarding the themes about colonialism, oppression, and discrimination are profoundly dumb.
It really is no secret that this is a fantasized version of Japan-occupied Korea during the first half of the 20th century. The book itself recognizes this through quotes directly taken from the authors' grandparents, who describe their lives / love story while growing up in Korea under Japanese rule. This juxtaposed horribly with the fact the story itself is about nations called the Dragon Empire (aka Japan), the Tiger Kingdom/Republic (Korea), and the Serpent Queendom (China). I've really started to dislike when authors turn real life countries and slap a different, non-creative name on it just because it's fantasy. There's no reason to not keep the original names and history while keeping the fantasy; there is a whole genre called historic fantasy for a reason, ya know? Anyway, the majority of this world's history is dumped via internal monologue with a couple dashes of clunky dialogue. The parts about the different types of ki was interesting, but it's still underdeveloped like everything else in this world.
I almost wanted to say that the writing made this feel like this was aimed towards middle grade rather than the age which these characters allegedly are (18), but that'd be an insult to the middle grade demographic as a whole. The authors have to spell every intention and action for the reader and don't leave any room for interpretation. "This character is angry," "This one wants freedom of choice," "This one is a rebel," "These guys are baaaad," it just never ended. I also hated how they had to write out the sounds rather than give the descriptor. One that came up often was the tiger roaring or growling. Instead of letting the audience imagine the sounds, they wrote Rrr . . . or RAWR out instead. This slightly relieved me of my boredom to laugh at it, especially when they happened at serious plot moments, but I still hated it.
Cardboard has more depth and dimension than these characters. I frequently forgot whose POV I was in because their voices were so hard to distinguish most of the time. If I had to chose at gun point, I'd pick Seung. Not because he's more interesting, but because Eunji makes a lot of dumb decisions, such as being convinced she'll be free if she helps her colonizers. Multiple character point out to her that it won't work like that, but she absolutely refuses to listen until the main bad guy spits it in her face. The romance between the two was barely a romance. Their eight months of bonding is summarized in a couple paragraphs, and they're separated for a year before they meet again with opposing goals, which ends with Eunji practically betraying Seung and stupidly getting them caught. They also had companion characters, too. Kenzo was just a shifty red herring who mainly looks after himself until he magically cares about Eunji, and Rin is reduced to the traumatized rebel who fights in order to escape the hurt she's been dealt with. Rin's backstory in particular was done so tastelessly and without any tact; was there a sensitivity reader during the drafting stages at all?
The themes, when they're not smacking you repeatedly on the head, are done so, so badly. Despite all the evils and horrendous crimes the Dragon Empire inflicted upon the Tiger people, the colonization and erasing of their culture, the offered solution this book gives is forgiving your oppressors. I wish I was joking. The story makes several points that people are doing what they need to in order to survive, and that is usually is the case for individuals in such scenarios, yes, but forgiving an entire empire for colonization because eVerYonE'S HUmAn is beyond insult. It's disgusting, really. People are complicated, but people who purposely commit atrocities in order to have power over those they hate do not deserve empathy. But don't worry guys, the Dragon Empire just gives the Tiger people their land back and peacefully leave so our main characters can live happily ever after! I probably can pull out a couple words to describe how frustrated and angry this made me feel, but I already wasted so much just writing this review.
This very much reads like a first draft. The world is underdeveloped, the writing is immature, the characters are boringly simple, and the conclusions this book comes to regarding the themes about colonialism, oppression, and discrimination are profoundly dumb.
It really is no secret that this is a fantasized version of Japan-occupied Korea during the first half of the 20th century. The book itself recognizes this through quotes directly taken from the authors' grandparents, who describe their lives / love story while growing up in Korea under Japanese rule. This juxtaposed horribly with the fact the story itself is about nations called the Dragon Empire (aka Japan), the Tiger Kingdom/Republic (Korea), and the Serpent Queendom (China). I've really started to dislike when authors turn real life countries and slap a different, non-creative name on it just because it's fantasy. There's no reason to not keep the original names and history while keeping the fantasy; there is a whole genre called historic fantasy for a reason, ya know? Anyway, the majority of this world's history is dumped via internal monologue with a couple dashes of clunky dialogue. The parts about the different types of ki was interesting, but it's still underdeveloped like everything else in this world.
I almost wanted to say that the writing made this feel like this was aimed towards middle grade rather than the age which these characters allegedly are (18), but that'd be an insult to the middle grade demographic as a whole. The authors have to spell every intention and action for the reader and don't leave any room for interpretation. "This character is angry," "This one wants freedom of choice," "This one is a rebel," "These guys are baaaad," it just never ended. I also hated how they had to write out the sounds rather than give the descriptor. One that came up often was the tiger roaring or growling. Instead of letting the audience imagine the sounds, they wrote Rrr . . . or RAWR out instead. This slightly relieved me of my boredom to laugh at it, especially when they happened at serious plot moments, but I still hated it.
Cardboard has more depth and dimension than these characters. I frequently forgot whose POV I was in because their voices were so hard to distinguish most of the time. If I had to chose at gun point, I'd pick Seung. Not because he's more interesting, but because Eunji makes a lot of dumb decisions, such as being convinced she'll be free if she helps her colonizers. Multiple character point out to her that it won't work like that, but she absolutely refuses to listen until the main bad guy spits it in her face. The romance between the two was barely a romance. Their eight months of bonding is summarized in a couple paragraphs, and they're separated for a year before they meet again with opposing goals, which ends with Eunji practically betraying Seung and stupidly getting them caught. They also had companion characters, too. Kenzo was just a shifty red herring who mainly looks after himself until he magically cares about Eunji, and Rin is reduced to the traumatized rebel who fights in order to escape the hurt she's been dealt with. Rin's backstory in particular was done so tastelessly and without any tact; was there a sensitivity reader during the drafting stages at all?
The themes, when they're not smacking you repeatedly on the head, are done so, so badly. Despite all the evils and horrendous crimes the Dragon Empire inflicted upon the Tiger people, the colonization and erasing of their culture, the offered solution this book gives is forgiving your oppressors. I wish I was joking. The story makes several points that people are doing what they need to in order to survive, and that is usually is the case for individuals in such scenarios, yes, but forgiving an entire empire for colonization because eVerYonE'S HUmAn is beyond insult. It's disgusting, really. People are complicated, but people who purposely commit atrocities in order to have power over those they hate do not deserve empathy. But don't worry guys, the Dragon Empire just gives the Tiger people their land back and peacefully leave so our main characters can live happily ever after! I probably can pull out a couple words to describe how frustrated and angry this made me feel, but I already wasted so much just writing this review.
February 28, 2025
4.25
Heartstrings were pulled because the inspiration that came from their Grandparents' love story.
Young Adult Romantasy, involving tigers to represent the heart of a nation. Korean Historical Fantasy based on the Japanese occupation of Korea. You've got colonial oppressions and the consequences that come along with various Korean mythological creatures that are encountered by our main leads.
I will say there are bits and pieces that I found were more interesting than others but overall I still enjoyed the dynamics between Eunji and Seung which is why I placed it where it was. A story about hope, grief, and love but most of all survival.
Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for the e-arc during the lunar new year!
updated 28.02.25
Heartstrings were pulled because the inspiration that came from their Grandparents' love story.
Young Adult Romantasy, involving tigers to represent the heart of a nation. Korean Historical Fantasy based on the Japanese occupation of Korea. You've got colonial oppressions and the consequences that come along with various Korean mythological creatures that are encountered by our main leads.
I will say there are bits and pieces that I found were more interesting than others but overall I still enjoyed the dynamics between Eunji and Seung which is why I placed it where it was. A story about hope, grief, and love but most of all survival.
Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for the e-arc during the lunar new year!
updated 28.02.25
July 4, 2025
I can tell this book meant a lot to the authors given the love story is based on their grandparents who beat the odds to end up together. That makes it harder to say that this book needed a lot of work. Many aspects felt very superficial or underdeveloped, especially given the serious topics with real life influences that were included.
also i don’t understand the decision to make the grandmother’s family the equivalent of imperialist japanese sympathisers
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews