Title: The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Horror
Pub Date: June 25, 2024

⭐ 3.75/5

🥢 Descent Into Insanity
🧿 Korean FMC
🥢 Feminine Rage

We watch as a sleep deprived college student decends into insanity. A Korean college student decends into madness as the men in her life continue to disappear or disappoint. After a fateful meal with her Umma, she's consumed with the thought of eyes between her teeth.

I must admit I was confused for the beginning of the book, but once I realized what was happening it was pretty interesting. I'm not sure if I can say it necessarily fits the horror genre, but I think eyeballs make basically everyone squeamish so if you're not into descriptive horror this might not be for you! I did appreciate the feminine rage wasn't for one political side or the other because honestly, there are disgusting people on both sides 👏

Always check TW: Take my star rating with a grain of salt, as I went into this book blind and it was just a little too gory for my taste!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Kensington Books for the review copy!🫶

Just absolutely excellent. I enjoyed every bit of this book. Ji-won is a perfect hyperbolic example of claiming agency in your own life. The pacing was excellent, the unreliable narrator trope was done well, and the complicated relationship between sisters and mother was poignant and compelling. Loved it.

Ji-won is a college student that lives with her mother and younger sister. Her life is not in a great place at the moment, and the unfortunate events only continue. Some weird things happen at school and at home, and her mom is also in a bad place. She finds herself with a crazy craving for eyeballs as she slowly turns into a serial killer out for revenge against anyone that has wronged her.

I did find this book a bit slow, but it was still able to keep my attention. A few more added twists and turns in there would be a nice addition!

WOWWWW!!! I seriously read this book within 24hrs, and I have no NOT had a book do this to me in forever, or actually even ever! I had the luxury of time to read and started this novel, and I did not want to stop at all, I couldn't stop. I was compelled to keep going.

The writing style is captivating, and easy to read, follow, and connect. I loved the flow of the story, and did not even expect the twist and turns at the end. The way this story just kept giving and giving, and I didn't even had a second to think of what I wanted I was so enthralled in the book. I liked all the characters and getting to know each of them as well and how the all interacted.

The amount of gore that was a bit of a sprinkle here and there to amp this novel a bit more horror genre was perfect, it was not over the top but had me gripping my kindle with my jaw dropped, and my stomach turning a little. It was perfect!

This was definitely not at all what I had expected since I’d imagined a Korean-American female serial killer a la American Psycho style book but this was so much more than that!

The Eyes Are The Best Part isn’t just your regular ol’ gory horror with no substance.
You’re able to clearly see the threads of Ji-Won’s mental health as it spirals out of control not only from trauma and grief, but also from the constant fetishisation and sexism that surrounds her as a Korean-American woman.

It shows perfectly where her rage comes from, where her obsession with biting into salty blue eyes comes from, and what effect the manipulation and neglect of the men around her has on her mind. I can’t speak on the fetishisation of asian women, but I do think the parts that clearly shows the sexism at work was masterfully done and oh so accurate. Geoffrey and his nice guy attitude absolutely triggered something in me and I c haven’t been able to stop thinking about all the manipulative guys like that I’ve met.

This is honestly an amazing book and it’s perfect for anyone who sometimes likes their horror to have some depth. Or anyone who’s obsessed with women’s rights and wrongs — because honestly, Amy from Gone Girl has got nothing on Ji-Won.

/// ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

When Ji-won was faced with her parents' sudden separation, her life took a complete turn. Distraught, Ji-won's mother started eating fish eyes because she believed that it would bring her good luck. It didn't take long before her lonely mother came home with George, a self-absorbed white man who shamelessly fetishize Asian women. When the pressure increased from her derailing grades and clashing circle of friends, Ji-won started dreaming of interestingly, deliciously looking blue eyeballs, much like George's.

This book is "I support women's rights, but I also support women's wrongs" in a nutshell. The story centers around multiple characters, but delivers through Ji-won's point of view as an unreliable narrator. Her character was a multidimensional one, and it's hard to give her a black and white judgment, since you witness everything unraveling from her perspective, giving you an in-depth look at her motives. Scarily enough, I actually agree and root for her multiple times throughout the story, because the men in this book are beyond infuriating. Kudos to the author for being able to come up with such authentic characters.

Another thing that I liked was the writing style. The author wrote with such flexibility, narrating the ambiance and nuance dreamily, yet giving a direct and sharp explanation when necessary. Some might find the body gore within this story to be too much, which I completely agree with. I had to pause in between because the description made me nauseous. But I do think that it takes skill to be able to come up with such vivid nightmares and terrors. I'm definitely going to look up more of the author's work in the future.

Thank you Erewhon Books and Kensington Books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Stress of college, her family falling apart, and her inability to keep friends affecting her life… what’s a girl to do?

It’s creepy, disturbing, and a look into the fetishization of Asian women.

Ji-won is in a transitional state in life; just starting college, her parents have recently separated, and she has lost her friend group. Before she knows it, her mother is dating a new guy and Ji-won's mental state is truly being tested, as is evident by her new hallucinatory obsessed with eating eyeballs (primarily those of her mom's new boyfriend.) The action and violence of this book was perfectly balanced with commentary on racial fetishization and Ji-won's personal growth. An absolutely over-the-top, vengeance fueled ride. Would recommend for fans of They Never Learn and Maeve Fly.

i kinda just want to run round screaming about how much i love this book, but i’ll try to keep to it talking it up on social media, instead.
ho. ly. shit.
😍👏😍👏😍👏
incredible.
i‘m struggling for the words.
all i can say is if you dropped the girl from “gone girl” into “hexis” and kinda steeped it in “a tell-tale heart”, and served it with a table full of banchan that would be “the eyes are the best part”.

5/5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 scars. 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

i received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
(and will be purchasing it in physical form as a trophy for my bookshelf as soon as it comes out!)

4 Stars!

Billed as "feminist psychological horror" in its blurb, The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim promised to be an interesting read. I am always ready to try something by an author new to me, I entered into this one hoping to find a new voice to follow in the realm of dark fiction.

Ji-won's life changes completely when her father walks out of the family for the woman he has been having an affair with. Her mother is crushed by being left alone as she was left as a child in Korea. Her sister is confused and having trouble coping with the changes. Ji-won's grades are falling and her sanity is slipping. She finds herself becoming obsessed with eyeballs, who her mother had always said were the best part of the fish but which she had always resisted eating, and begins to have nightmares full of eyeballs. Then George enters her life, and things get even worse.

George is her mother's new boyfriend. He is a man who preys on insecure women to get what he wants and to hide his own insecurities. It is clear to everyone but her mother that George is no good, and Ji-won plans to do something about him. Even as she knows that she will have to do something about him, she knows that she will need practice. She begins to almost subconsciously prowl the area around the university looking for prey until the time comes when she can unleash her anger on George. But will even that be enough to satiate her need to kill?

The Eyes Are the Best Part is a wicked novel that tells the tale of a young woman's descent into the darkness that ultimately leads to her becoming a serial killer. Ji-won starts off as a sympathetic character at odds with the world. She is trying to navigate through an ever-changing reality set off by the events of her father leaving the family for another woman. In a way, it is not a surprising event and Ji-won realizes there have been signals to the split all along. What it is, though, is an illustration of how unreliable the men in her life have always been and how they have always used women, and more specifically her mother, as pawns to getting what they want. She refuses to become what her mother has always been, a victim reacting to the instances of betrayal that have plagued her life, and searches for a reason to rebel against that pattern. Her mother, Umma, had always just been a broken victim struggling to put the pieces of her life back together after being left behind. Ji-won refuses to accept that fate but can only think of one thing that can change it for her and give her the power: violence.

They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, and Kim highlights that in this story, turning them into the mirror to which Ji-won becomes a madwoman. Her obsession makes her reckless but her cunning turns that into her masterplan. She is desperate in a way that makes her dangerous, becoming more violent and frantic as she descends into darkness. The Eyes Are the Best Part is not an easy story to read. Every page presents the reader with something new to fear and Kim is able to make the book very uncomfortable to read through the phycological horror of the murderer rather than through graphic violence. There were times when I just wanted to put the book down and give my brain a rest, but I still felt compelled to keep moving on. Even as she becomes more violent and manipulative, Ji-won is still easy to relate to because what she is feeling is something that every one of us has felt to some extent in our lives. If you are looking for a light read, this is not the book for you. The Eyes Are the Best Part is a book that will make you cringe often but will also make you think. The world can only put its foot down on someone for so long before the tables are turned and the downtrodden begin to look for a way back up. Kim recognizes that and gives us a novel that is deeply disturbing but that also holds a spark of beauty in it as well. The darkness of the human mind is a terrifying place that can also hold a mirror of truth to the greater world that created the darkness, and Kim is not afraid to light a candle at the back of the human mind and expose humanity for all of its horror and complexity to be seen. This book is highly recommended for those who are brave enough to face that darkness.

I would like to thank Erewhon Books and NetGalley for this review copy. The Eyes Are the Best Part is scheduled to be released on June 25, 2024.

3.5 stars

What a fun read this is! This will definitely do well with the 'good for her' and 'I support women's rights but I also support women's wrongs' crowd.

Let's get the negatives out of the way first: I did have some issues with this novel. As other reviewers have pointed out, there's quite a lot of dreaming involved, which got a bit much at times; when people tell you their dreams in real life, it tends to be boring. In fiction, it's a little better, and of course there's an interesting in-text explanation for all the dreams, but I do think we could have done with fewer fever-dream scenes. The antagonists are also a bit flat and the ending is a bit rushed; I doubt whether Ji-Won would actually get away with all she did irl.

There's luckily also plenty to love. The relationship between Ji-Won and her sister was well done and a true highlight for me. I love intricate and complex sibling relationships! The writing is servicable, if plain. That sounds super snarky, but I don't mean it in a bad way at all! This is the sort of writing style that uses its plainness to almost make you forget you're reading (sometimes with very lush and beautiful writing, it can actually draw you out of the story because you notice it so much). The gore was anything but plain, though; very visceral and, well, gorey. The short chapters also made it very easy to just keep reading this book.

A fun debut that definitely has me hungry for more from this author!

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART is part fever dream, part downwards spiral that masterfully explores the pressures of being an elder sibling, race and misogyny, the turbulence and pain of fractured families, and immigration. It tackles the most difficult parts of trauma and Asian womanhood through a narrative that is messy, complicated, and above all, gut wrenching. Kim written a character who readers will love, hate, and will want to hug tight and never let go.

It's been a while since I've read something that has truly made me tear up and feel such pain for the characters, and feel the resonance of being an elder sibling that always seem to be failing expectations.

There is an unconscious desire to return to the past but denying it because of how painful it is to admit that you wish for what you'd lost that propels Ji-won's narrative. The difficulty in the reality of admitting we need help, that we are not okay, and the way we might push away the only people who would truly understand us most and yet are the same ones we refuse to speak to about our deep thoughts.

If you're looking for a fast paced, yet emotional read—

I loved this book and I'm going to recommend it in all my horror books. Some psychological horror, some body horror... some heartbreak. The dad has left the family and Ji-won and her sister are trying to cope. Ji-won is not dealing with things in a healthy way and is developing an obsession...
The book felt quiet, as we followed Ji-won through her days at school and with her friends and family. I experienced a growing feeling of dread, building up to an inevitable conclusion. Great fun. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I highly enjoyed reading, “The Eyes Are The Best Part” by Monkia Kim! I loved following Ji-won experiencing many life changes and how she choses to cope with these changes. The abandonment of a father is all too common and disliking a parent’s new partner is as well. I do wish we got see more of ji-wons relationship with her father prior to him leaving to better understand their dynamic. The social commentary on the fetishization of Asian woman really added another later to the story and motive for the main character. I hope that this book can create space for conversation around the issue in the real world. I landed on a 4 star rating because I wish this book was longer and that we got to spend more time with our main character. Im really excited to see what Monika Kim writes next !!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

You guys. I LOVED this book. It was an easy 5 star from me until the last 10-15 pages, but still ended strong enough for me that I think my final rating is a 4.5.

I had really high expectations going into this book because of the comparison to My Sister, the Serial Killer, which I also adored when I read it years ago. It's a fantastic book in its own right, without the comparison.

The characterizations in the novel are incredible! I was practically begging Ji-won to kill certain characters so that I wouldn't have to read their dialogue anymore - not because it was poorly written, but because they were so well written that I hated them.

What I loved the most about this novel is that it wasn't simply a horror novel or a thriller. There were quick, raw lines that put into words things that I've felt and haven't been able to verbalize. Ji-won is the first born daughter of parents that are at once the source of her pride, embarrassment, suffering, and hatred. At her core, I understood her. (Aside from the eye thing - I don't think I'll be able to eat hard boiled eggs for a long time.)

That was a one day read! You completely immerse yourself in the life of Ji-won and the changes happening in her life, mind and body in a way as well. And the end! Oh my, plot twist after plot twist. Also really enjoyed learning some more about Korean culture, in which I am interested lately. I do recommend with both hands. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me this copy!

A fiercely feminist novel that is - for better or worse - a feast for the senses..

Rating: 3/5 ✰

Summary:
The Eyes are the Best Part is a story about the making of a serial killer. Ji-won starts out not even liking the idea of eating eyes; when their mother suddenly pops a fish eye in her moth, claiming she needs some luck, both Ji-won and her sister are squeamish and get incredibly grossed out. For a while I really didn't know how Ji-won would develop her tastes; obviously she was frustrated with her mom's new boyfriend, or other annoying men around her, but she seemed so normal that it was hard to imagine the change. The cracks in her life start getting worse and worse though, and eventually we see just how brutal and manipulative she can be when she feels like it. The gore and descriptions were all incredibly well done, and the short chapter lengths made this an absolute page-turner.

Unfortunately, the bad guys in her life just felt soooo heavy-handed though, which made it a bit difficult to take seriously sometimes. I don't really need the men to be cartoonishly evil in order to really dislike them, so it was unfortunate just how stereotypically they acted. I do understand that these kinds of men really do exist - I think most women have experienced them firsthand - but I still feel like it's a bit ridiculous when there's too much of those stereotypes in a novel. Like, surely it wasn't really necessary for one of the men to say "I'm a nice guy" in order for him to portray that trope. There's just no way to take that seriously.

Characters:
From the very first page, Ji-won and her family pulled me in. I loved the dynamic between them; with such a chaotic mother and anxious little sister, it's definitely understandable that Ji-won would be so protective over them. She's definitely the rock of the family, and we can really feel her love for them when she's comforting them or trying to do things for them. All the women were just written incredibly well, and I appreciated the nuance in telling their stories. I (obviously) can't say the same for the men, but they do serve their purpose within the novel, even if it's a bit too much.

Closing thoughts:
A fun, easy read - I do recommend this one if you like feminist horror. Women unraveling and female rage will never not be a little interesting, especially when there's cultural connections and wider societal trends involved. While definitely pretty descriptive, the gore (thankfully) didn't feel haunting in any way - it's just kinda gross. Overall, thought it was decent.

3/5

When Ji-won's father leaves and initiates a divorce the nomal stable life she knew implodes. Between starting college, looking out for her little sister and dealing with a severely depressed mother Ji-won is at her limit. When her mom finds herself a boyfriend, a rude white american with a fetish for asian women, she starts to unravel and develop an obsession for eyes. Bright blue eyes specifically. Her hunger grows as her life unravels to the point where she cannot contain the compulsion to possess and devour.

Come for the horror stay for the family drama. A solid debut, the writing shines when focused on the family dynamics. I especially liked the relationship between the two sisters, it rang true and real. The relationship with the mother and the cultural baggage of an immigrant parent came across well, always present without being in your face. The other side characters outside the family needed more fleshing out. Some of the commentary on racism, xenophobia, and fetishization was a bit too on the nose but I understand that some people need to have it spelled out. Plus it is true and happens every day so I don't think there was anything wrong with that.

Now for the horror elements of this story. I didn't like them but I think it's a case of good book wrong reader. Body horror/gore isn't my cup of tea, it doesn't horrify me nor delights me, and that's a huge part of the book. Prepare to read long detailed descriptions of eyes and for cuestionable things to happen to them. This was a quick read that felt rushed at the end. A lot of what happens in the last 20% or so was very clear from the start and the ending itself was wrapped up too neatly and tidy. I thought this book was going for a more open ended finale or more of a downward spiral but it pulled back at the finish line.

I think this is solid, just not for me.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her Appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying… yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

This book is of the horror genre but also highlights racism and mysogynism, which is neatly intwined in the plot. George is a pig. Facts.

Ji-won is a deeply troubled character who takes on the burdens of her family in order love honour their race and gender and therefore creates an anti-hero of her generation.

Basically moral of the story is don't piss off Ji-Won and don't be a racist, sexist pig and your eyes will remain on your face and you'll be all good.

Great plot, great characters, and personally for me a great introduction for Korean-American literature.

𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙖 "𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨" 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨?

Blurb : Ji-won's life has gone from bad to bizarre. Dad's affair throws the family into chaos, college is failing, and her mom's new boyfriend, George, is a walking red flag.

But Ji-won's nightmares offer a horrifying glimpse of a dark desire, fueled by George's unsettling blue eyes. Will she succumb to this twisted craving, or will she find a way to reclaim control from the darkness?
___

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 NOT your average horror story. It's a chilling page-turner packed with psychological thrills, feminist power, and a healthy dose of family drama.

Please be prepare to be 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 ( i already put a content warning on cover ).

First-person POV lets you crawl right into Ji-won's head, feeling every cringe and rage alongside her.

This book are definitely a fast-paced horror masterpiece, meaning we secretly cheer for Ji-won as she navigates this twisted world
(and maybe gets a little... about blue eyes ourselves? maybe? 😁).

Overall, A true page-turner! I Highly recommend this as i gave 4,5⭐ for it 😍.

And yeah, Thank you @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to be a beta reader of this copy #ARC. Can't wait for the release date on June 25th, 2024

#TheEyesAreTheBestPart #Horror #Feminism #arcbookreviews #MustRead #MonikaKim #bookstagram #dualpovreview2024