Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

6 reviews

samantha_sahm_reads's review against another edition

medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Racism, Cannibalism, and Body horror

Moderate: Gaslighting and Stalking

Minor: Pedophilia

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Gore, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, Grief, Gaslighting, and Stalking

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

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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

cavernism's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

When college student Ji-Won's father leaves, it sends shockwaves through her and her family's life. As she navigates infuriating new relationships with white men, she starts having unsettling dreams and cravings for eyes that start bleeding into reality. It's hard to say what's more unsettling - the body horror, or the rage-inducing behavior of the entitled, fetishizing, and manipulative two white men in Ji-Won's life. The relationships between Ji-Won and her mother and sister were well realized, and the tension keeps ratcheting up throughout. The chapters are short and tense, making this a compelling read. There were times when the rage at whiteness and male entitlement became more soapbox statements than naturally interwoven into the story, and I wish the author had trusted the reader to make the connections and realizations for themself. Similarly, the men were so over the top villainous that it detracted from the message. It felt like a first novel - but one with enough going for it that I'm excited to see what the author does next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Body horror, Cannibalism, Sexism, and Stalking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Cursing, and Gaslighting

macaronoui's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative 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? N/A

5.0

We follow the protagonist, 18 year old Ji-won Lim, her sister Ji-hyun, her mom “umma” (Korean for mom). 
After her dad (appa) suddenly leaves the family, things start falling apart. 
Ji-won starts losing grip on reality and the difference between waking and dreaming when her mom starts to date George.
She befriends “nice guy” Geoffrey and Alexis. Just note to all people in general, when a person says they are “nice” they are not. If a person is nice they will show it through their actions. 
Alexis is delightful and I kept hoping there would be some romance between her and Ji-won. 
The overt racism she experiences as well as well intended micro aggressions, Kim writes really well. I’m getting angry just reading it. 
The chapters are super short, which constantly makes you think “well just another one” and poof you’ve finished already. I don’t really read horror that much, but this was absolutely fantastic. It has a gripping story, morally grey characters and great pacing. Will definitely be reading more of her work. 
I could see this working as a limited series. 

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Racism, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, and Blood