Oneworld signs ‘utterly immersive’ second novel from Juhea Kim

Oneworld has signed Juhea Kim’s City of Night Birds, the second novel from the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award-winner. 

Publisher Juliet Mabey acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, and including serial and audio, from Catherine Barbosa-Ross at HarperCollins on behalf of Jody Kahn at Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents. The novel will be published in January 2025. 

City of Night Birds centres around former ballerina Natalia, whose career was ended by a devastating injury. The synopsis continues: “When the treacherous but formidably talented Dmitri comes back into her life to offer her the chance to dance again, Natalia must decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice in order to return to the stage.” 

Mabey commented: “Juhea is such a versatile, talented writer, and City of Night Birds is an utterly immersive story set in the elite – and cutthroat – world of Russian ballet. I was completely swept up by the romance and artistry that characterise the novel, and am delighted to have the opportunity to work with Juhea again on this exciting new chapter in her career.” 

Kim added: “Ballet has been my lifelong passion. While drafting City of Night Birds, I was dancing for hours each day – and of course, listening to music and watching performances around the clock. The two artistic practices of dancing and writing informed each other and, in my mind, merged into one creative act. I’m excited to share this very personal novel through Oneworld, my dream house.”