After seeing others reviews of this book and hearing what it was about I was dying to get my hands on it. This was incredible and everything I could have hoped for and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Excited for publication day when I can add the physical copy to my shelves! This was an incredible book to start my year off with!

Monika Kim's "The Eyes Are the Best Part" is a gripping and psychologically intense novel that delves into the unsettling journey of its protagonist, Ji-won, set against the backdrop of Korean-American culture. This dark and atmospheric narrative explores themes of obsession, resentment, and the pursuit of the unconventional in a truly unique and captivating way.

From the very first page, Monika Kim's writing style is nothing short of remarkable. Her prose effortlessly draws readers into a world filled with vivid and haunting imagery that lingers in the mind long after the book is closed. Kim's storytelling approach is both distinctive and immersive, making the reading experience a memorable one.

The characters in the story are portrayed with depth and complexity, making them feel relatable and, at times, deeply flawed. Ji-won, as the central character and unreliable narrator, invites readers into her distorted world, allowing them to experience the narrative through her eyes. Despite the characters' imperfections and the tensions that arise between them, readers will find themselves connecting with their emotions and motivations.

What truly sets this book apart is its ability to maintain an unrelenting grip on the reader's attention. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, along with eerie and suspenseful moments that keep the atmosphere tense throughout. Ji-won's gradual descent into obsession, particularly her fixation on blue eyes, adds a layer of unease and anticipation that never wavers.

While some elements of the plot may be anticipated by readers, this sense of expectation only enhances the book's allure. Monika Kim skillfully crafts a narrative that is both suspenseful and thought-provoking, keeping readers engaged until the final page.

"The Eyes Are the Best Part" is a brilliant and subversive exploration of themes such as family dynamics, obsession, and the hidden darkness within us all. Monika Kim's fresh and distinctive voice in the realm of horror literature leaves readers captivated and hungry for more. Whether you are seeking a psychological thriller or a profound examination of the human psyche, this book comes highly recommended. It is a compelling and unsettling read that will leave a lasting impression and linger in your thoughts long after you've finished reading.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Here is my honest review:

This book pulled me in from the first page and didnt let me go until I had finished. Having lived in South Korea for 4.5 years, I have a soft spot for Korean culture so I was so excited to read this book. The book is very much steeped in Korean-American culture. The book follows a mother and her two daughters after her husband leaves her for another woman. Their mother is distraught, holding out hope that he will return, holding vigil by the front door in case he decides to come back. This leads the mother to cook a traditional Korean dish that comforts her, whole fish. She tells her daughters of the magical properties of the eyes, namely that if eaten they give the person who ate them good luck. Ji-won and her sister are disgusted when their Umma brings out the whole fish for dinner and eats the eyes. But, she is undetter, she is actually pleased that she doesn’t have to share with them, claiming she needs all the luck she can get. That is really where Ji-won’s story takes off. She eventually eats a fish eye as a show of solidarity with her mother and becomes consumed with her obsession with eyes. Particularly with blue eyes, she discovers this after her mother brings home a new boyfriend George (a white man, with piercing blue eyes and an affinity to fetishize Asian women). She first becomes fixated on them, researching them on the library computer, dreaming about them, fantasizing about the taste, etc. This is all happening simultaneously as her mother shrinks herself down to fit with this man whom Ji-won and her sister both hate immediately. Not to mention she is trying her best not to crumble under the pressure of her first year at college which is proving to be a bigger challenge than she expected. As we follow Ji-won during this tumultuous time in her life, she is slipping further and further into her own delusions and obsessions. Ji-won’s slow descent into madness was an irresistible delight. She pushes most people away and is unable to stop herself when an opportunity presents itself for her to finally get a taste of what she desires. The body horror in this book is not to be trifled with. I was cringing hard reading some of the passages in this book but I loved it! That’s when the stakes get very high and I was in suspense wondering 1) if Monika Kim would cop out at the end and 2) if Ji-won would make it out of this story alive and free. But, Kim does not back down. The end was so deliciously delectable that I couldn’t dream of giving this anything less than five stars! Please read this book. I can guarantee you that you have not read anything quite like it before.

What a delightful read! I was rooting for Ji-won the whole way through. The gross bits are gross, the sibling relationship is real and gripping, and the ending is pitch perfect.

This was a delicious, fast-paced thriller, centered around the fetishization of asian women (particularly from white men), as well as the way that generational trauma unfolds upon everyone. I found it easy to follow, as well as a realistic portrayal of a serial killer in the making. Some parts felt a bit like they weren't fleshed out, and didn't entirely make sense to me as a result-- I would have loved to see more between Ji-won and Alexis. Nevertheless, an excellent feminine rage thriller!

Delicious! Fast paced, page turner with a problematic protagonist that you can’t help but root for.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

5 stars.

I started this book at the end of 2023 and finished it the beginning of 2024, what a wonderfully disturbed way to start the new year! I loved every second of this book.

Ji-won is headstrong, smart, and unhinged. What more could you want in a young woman? She sees and understands more than she lets on and she’s going to grab this problem by the eyes (wait that’s not the right phrase?) and solve it!

This book is for those of us who support women’s rights… AND wrongs 🤪


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, I can’t wait to add this to my shelf upon its release.

This was sooo awesome! I couldn’t stop reading all day. Creepy in the best way. Loved it!
Recommend to anyone that likes horror!

The Eyes Are The Best Part took me by surprise in the best way. Kim’s writing was phenomenal and I love how she incorporated a family storyline into the horror. We need more strong female authors in the horror genre and I look forward to reading more of Kim’s work.

I had high expectations for this and it was absolutely brilliant! The narrator Ji-won had me hooked into the story straight away and Monika Kim managed to perfectly balance horror alongside heartfelt and emotional moments.

I am a total wimp when it comes to scary books, but OMG I could not stop reading this. It was twisted and disgusting in the most addictive way. It had so much to say about misogyny, race, and class, but doesn't beat you over the head with it. I'm so excited about this debut and can't wait to see what other amazing grossness Monika Kim will come up with next. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book delivered the bizarre, unhinged, hot girl horror I wanted. I loved the slow descent into deeper and deeper rage as Ji-won faced the hardship of parenting her own mother and consoling her younger sister while dealing with racism and misogyny. The imagery was deliciously disgusting, and the story had so many unique elements.

The only reason it is not a full 5 star is a couple details seemed just a bit too convenient or totally random, and I wanted a little more complexity and exploration from Ji-won and Alexis's relationship.

This one is for fans of the unwell women literary genre, Eliza Clark, and Mona Awad—The Eyes Are the Best Part is both an inventive psychological horror and an extremely impressive debut novel. Monika Kim is an author I’ll be keeping on my radar for sure!

Kim’s book is a clever analysis of the male gaze with a pretty fantastic on-the-nose eye-eating metaphor as the main plot, but it also hits on female rage, sexism, the fetishization of Asian culture, performative activism, and the pressures of family members coming apart around you. The horror sequences are well-written, as is the book in general—this has strong prose for a debut and a consistent tone. The beginning was somehow cozy despite how dark it was, and the author does a great job inserting the reader into the life of this family and their dynamics while keeping the focus on the protagonist. Also, every single eyeball-eating description had me wanting to protect my eyes; I could practically feel myself eating one. That kind of immersion is rare in horror and definitely praise-worthy.

A lot of the characters and symbols are pretty heavy-handed, almost satirical, but I think it works—it actually adds some footholds to Ji-won’s unreliable narration and makes for a fun read. Geoffrey is always an over-the-top activist; George is always an over-the-top racist. Both of them get called out hard, and the book quickly becomes impossible to put down. At about 35% I was totally engrossed and ended up reading the rest in one sitting. Recommended!

Five star read! Brilliant psychological and body horror that was both extremely creepy and provided interesting social commentary. Kept me guessing and I definitely didn't see the ending coming. Ji-won was such a compellingly written character that I found myself rooting for her even as I became more and more horrified by her actions. A truly mind-bending book! Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Book for and ARC copy of this book.
I tried really hard to love this book. I just didn't. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the story itself. It felt like it took a really long time to get anywhere in this story at all. So much to the point that I actually ended up not even finishing the book. I may go back and try to finish it at some point but I'm doubting I ever will. It wasn't really what I had expected the book to be and while some parts of the book were absolutely gruesome and the author was EXTREMELY detailed about eating eyes and the taste, the feel, and other details I began wondering if the author actually ate eyeballs in real life, aside from the gory details though it just wasn't the kind of story that drew me in and kept me reading to the end.

This was a fantastic horror story! It took a little bit to really get to the horror but once it gets started, it really delivers. I found the main character very engaging and the way in which she deals with the issues around her are....interesting to say the least. I would definitely recommend this to any horror fan!

Wow!this was masterful mama's little psycho. This was so twisted in the best possible way. I totally enjoyed this. I received this as an ARC and voluntarily choose to reveiw. From Netgallery.

Wow. This was incredible. So well written and emotional. I enjoyed the character’s development throughout the story as her life seemingly falls more and more apart. This book deals with a lot of deep issues such as race and traditional gender roles. It explores very specific types of characters that exist in reality such as fake allies. As a horror fan, I loved the gore and horrific components which lended itself so perfectly to the overall story and characters. I’ve already started recommending this, keep an eye out for it when it hits the shelves. Pun intended.

Such an amazing debut from Monika Kim! I’ve been loving literary horror lately and I love how this book NAILED it. Another one also for the unhinged woman genre!

Jiwon, the narrator, is such an interesting character and I love how she made me feel the horror and creepiness of the book. The book also tackled themes on race, gender, and power which makes it thought-provoking.

This book is nasty - and I say that with the utmost respect.

The Eyes Are The Best Part does what other books in the genre have tried to do recently and failed. It crosses that bridge too far, describes in gratuitous detail precisely what's happening, and does it with character development that feels right for the genre that it sits in. We're seeing the innermost of the characters, but only to the extent of what makes them fundamentally concerning.

Unabashedly horror, this book revels in the descriptions of terrible things that it picks up and runs with. I had moments of actual shudders, which at this point in the genre is a difficult thing to manage. I think there's so much that's gone into this book - and while it can be a little bit preachy in places with the message, and a bit over the top on dream sequences.

Additionally - the fake out on the reason behind everything that's happening towards the end is glorious. It does really pull some blindsides late in the game, which I really appreciated as well. I am so looking forward to further horror work from the author - and a very big thank you for the first horror I've enjoyed in a long time!