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thewellreadmrs's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such an enjoyable and unexpected “horror” book. I loved this horror as it was realistic. My only criticism would be the small detail the author added in the end that gave it a “if this wasn’t there would the whole thing have still happened” trick which I normally hate, but the last sentence of the book saved any doubts I had.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Cannibalism, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Racism and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pedophilia
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
As an API woman during API heritage month, let me just say I again, support women’s wrongs, specifically Ji-won’s wrongs 💅🏽
This horror/thriller novel revolves around Ji-won who begins to fixate on and dream about blue eyes, as she navigates college, her parents’ separation, her mom dating, sexism, fetishization of API women, racism, and more. I love seeing fictional yt men suffer tbh.
Though it has a slow start, I ended up reading it in one sitting & would absolutely read from Monika Kim again!
As an API woman during API heritage month, let me just say I again, support women’s wrongs, specifically Ji-won’s wrongs 💅🏽
This horror/thriller novel revolves around Ji-won who begins to fixate on and dream about blue eyes, as she navigates college, her parents’ separation, her mom dating, sexism, fetishization of API women, racism, and more. I love seeing fictional yt men suffer tbh.
Though it has a slow start, I ended up reading it in one sitting & would absolutely read from Monika Kim again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Racism, Stalking, Misogyny, and Cancer
ellulin's review against another edition
4.0
The Eyes are the Best Part is a short and fast paced horror novel about a young korean-american woman trying to navigate college in the midst of her parents separating. Her mom starts dating a new guy who does not seem like a great pick, she is starting to have weird dream about blue blue eyes, and her little sister is starting to notice something is not right with her.
This novel deals with how children deal with their parents separating and how it impacts them even if they are already adults. It also talks a lot about racism and the hypersexualisation of asian women. Queer characters are implied.
At the beginning of this book I was a little confused about why it was classified as horror but it is just due to a slow beggining (in terms of horror). If you are squeamish about eyes, please do not pick up this book, even the descriptions about eating fish eyes were a lot so I am warning you. There is not a lot of body horror besides eye stuff.
I think that the main character, Ji-won, and her mother are well written but most of the other characters are unfortunately very one tone. For the villains I don't really mind honestly as it drives the point home harder, but I was sad not to learn more about her sister or her friend Alexis. The ending was also veryyyy fast paced and there is huge reveal that is kind of brushed under the rug and that felt a bit weird.
Overall I like the gross body horror, the ending even if it was a bit rushed, and having an unhinged female character. It could have benefited from being a little longer but it is a fun short read and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This novel deals with how children deal with their parents separating and how it impacts them even if they are already adults. It also talks a lot about racism and the hypersexualisation of asian women. Queer characters are implied.
At the beginning of this book I was a little confused about why it was classified as horror but it is just due to a slow beggining (in terms of horror). If you are squeamish about eyes, please do not pick up this book, even the descriptions about eating fish eyes were a lot so I am warning you. There is not a lot of body horror besides eye stuff.
I think that the main character, Ji-won, and her mother are well written but most of the other characters are unfortunately very one tone. For the villains I don't really mind honestly as it drives the point home harder, but I was sad not to learn more about her sister or her friend Alexis. The ending was also veryyyy fast paced and there is huge reveal that is kind of brushed under the rug and that felt a bit weird.
Overall I like the gross body horror, the ending even if it was a bit rushed, and having an unhinged female character. It could have benefited from being a little longer but it is a fun short read and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Misogyny
lochnessvhs's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Add another incredible character to the Unhinged Women Literary Universe!
Ji-won is a first-year college student living at home with her parents and younger sister. When her father suddenly leaves the family, they are all set on a path none of them expected. Ji-won's mother meets George, a disgusting white man with an insidious Asian fetish and Ji-won does everything she can to hold what remains of her family together. Unfortunately the hardest person to keep in check is herself.
I loved every second of this book. The path to destruction Ji-won walks feels at once sudden and gradual. Her obsession with blue eyeballs rockets her into actions she would never have thought possible, but somehow I was rooting for her the entire way.
I support women's wrongs, especially Ji-won's wrongs!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kengsington Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ji-won is a first-year college student living at home with her parents and younger sister. When her father suddenly leaves the family, they are all set on a path none of them expected. Ji-won's mother meets George, a disgusting white man with an insidious Asian fetish and Ji-won does everything she can to hold what remains of her family together. Unfortunately the hardest person to keep in check is herself.
I loved every second of this book. The path to destruction Ji-won walks feels at once sudden and gradual. Her obsession with blue eyeballs rockets her into actions she would never have thought possible, but somehow I was rooting for her the entire way.
I support women's wrongs, especially Ji-won's wrongs!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kengsington Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Murder, Toxic friendship, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, and Racism
kristin_boren's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a weird book for weird girls for sure. This touches on life as a child of immigrant parents, the struggles as a woman in society that is prone to being fetishized by men, and the pressure to reach parental expectations when their hopes rest on you just to name a few things. This is super dark, very gory, and honestly a gripping read. I devoured this one within a few hours. Lots of trigger warnings on this read but really good if you're not too squeamish and love a feminine rage story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
knightressx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Eyes Are The Best Part is a gripping debut by author Monika Kim. Told from the perspective of eighteen-year-old Jo-won as she struggles to maintain a semblance of normalcy in her life following the abrupt departure of her father for his mistress, the novel initially teeters between the conventional and the surreal.
Jo-won’s mother eventually finds comfort in a repugnant new boyfriend named George, her sister Ji-hyun is anxious regarding the state of their lives and her grades are dropping terribly. And then there are the dreams: the rooms with eyes on the walls that are are enticing and so very blue.
A desire to consume those eyes has awakened within Ji-won-following her decision to devour a fish eye during a dinner to please her mother-but it initially remains a macabre fascination
At least until the bodies begin to appear
The Eyes Are The Best Part is intense, engrossing, absolutely infuriating at times and very grisly. As a Korean young woman, Ji-won is forced to contend with the insidious intermingling of racism and misogyny: both depicted overtly by George, perpetuated subtly by Jo-won’s would-be “friend” Geoffrey and the latter even upheld by Ji-won’s own mother.
Jo-won is an intriguing and flawed protagonist: manipilative and envious, but also constrained by the expectations of and her desire to help her family. As Ji-won’s rage and desire to consume grew, I remained entranced and uneasy as I contemplated what would happen next.
The Eyes Are The Best Part is excellent novel and I look forward to reading Monika’s Kim’s writing in the future. Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Erewhon Books for granting me access to this ebook.
Jo-won’s mother eventually finds comfort in a repugnant new boyfriend named George, her sister Ji-hyun is anxious regarding the state of their lives and her grades are dropping terribly. And then there are the dreams: the rooms with eyes on the walls that are are enticing and so very blue.
A desire to consume those eyes has awakened within Ji-won-following her decision to devour a fish eye during a dinner to please her mother-but it initially remains a macabre fascination
At least until the bodies begin to appear
The Eyes Are The Best Part is intense, engrossing, absolutely infuriating at times and very grisly. As a Korean young woman, Ji-won is forced to contend with the insidious intermingling of racism and misogyny: both depicted overtly by George, perpetuated subtly by Jo-won’s would-be “friend” Geoffrey and the latter even upheld by Ji-won’s own mother.
Jo-won is an intriguing and flawed protagonist: manipilative and envious, but also constrained by the expectations of and her desire to help her family. As Ji-won’s rage and desire to consume grew, I remained entranced and uneasy as I contemplated what would happen next.
The Eyes Are The Best Part is excellent novel and I look forward to reading Monika’s Kim’s writing in the future. Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Erewhon Books for granting me access to this ebook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Cannibalism, and Violence
macncheese_pdf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Gore, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, Grief, Gaslighting, and Stalking
orasmis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cannibalism, Blood, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment, Stalking, Racism, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Drug use
Minor: Racial slurs, Alcohol, and Cancer
r_o_s_e's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Vomit, and Stalking
thatweirdbookgirlie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a book that I just could not put down. I am not sure how the author made me feel sympathetic towards Ji-won. I can't say that the random people she killed deserved it. But George definitely did. We watch the descent of Ji-won as her mental health spirals out of control, after her father leaves and her mother starts dating a new man. Along with that we see the familial drama between mother and two daughters, who seemed close but all become at ends with each other. We also see asian fetishism which is not a topic that is broached nearly enough despite being very prevalent.
This one can get a bit graphic with the body horror akatearing out and eating of human eyes. The writing is also a bit choppy, which I feel like worked well for the story. But this writing style may not be everyone's preference.
Such a strong debut and I can't wait to see what else this author does!
Thanks to Netgalley and Erewhon Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review!
This one can get a bit graphic with the body horror aka
Such a strong debut and I can't wait to see what else this author does!
Thanks to Netgalley and Erewhon Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Racism, and Body horror