Scan barcode
sarrie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
TL;DR: Don’t like eyeballs? This one is going to mess with you! A revenge filled story about a girl obsessed and the racist and sexist people she targets.
Source: NetGalley, thank you so much to the publisher!
Plot: Ji-won’s father leaves the family and as her mother unravels then falls in love with an exceptionally disgusting man, she begins to fixate and… crave eyeballs. It gets real gross after that.
Characters: We focus in on Ji-won, and honestly everyone else was pretty unlikable except for a possible romantic interest (which I do wish had a bit more dimension).
Setting: Definitely not the focus of this, but I did enjoy the claustrophobia and dimness of what we got, it added to the overall feeling of it
Thrilling/Horror Aspect: Not nearly as intense as I expected, but if you’re squeamish about eyeballs and… well eating them this is going to gross you out
Thoughts:
The Eyes Are the Best Part is aptly named. This is the story of Ji-won and her slow decent into obsession over eyeballs, and let me go ahead and tell you that it get’s pretty graphic on the eyeball horror and… eating of things. Those bits by far were the best part of the whole novel.
That being said - don’t get into this one if you’re squeamish about people eating other people parts. It’s going to be a bad time. Ji-won falls fast into an obsession with blue eyes after her mother, still trapped in a cycle of grief at the leaving of Ji-won’s father, ends up dating and engaged to a truly repulsive white man with blue eyes named George. George clearly has a fetish and a type and is going after Ji-won’s mother for that reason. He’s that guy, racist but ‘Oh I know the language’ (when he doesn’t), or claims that 'No one appreciates the culture like him'. Ji-won sees through him, as does her sister, but unfortunately her mother is caught.
Blue eyes haunt her and she takes a rather abrupt and unexpected turn into the very gross acquisition of said eyes. There is also the boy in class with her who is not exactly who he seems, and equally as gross as George in his own way. The book targets these very clear and familiar types of people, showing them for how the really are and it can be infuriating at times. The racism, the gaslighting, and abuse is a lot but Ji-won gets her revenge.
The only thing that knocked this one down just a hair for me was that it read as a bit young, and everything in the end was exceptionally neat and tidy. I wanted just a bit more of a struggle or tension to the story, but I still enjoyed seeing her exact revenge and bloody hell on these folks. If you want some fun times like that - this is your pick-up.
4 out of 5 Blue Crunchy Balls You See Out Of
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Racism, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Gore, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Murder, and Toxic friendship
jackbifrost's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed the characterisation in this story, everybody felt believable and fully fleshed out. Ji-won was a really interesting character and I liked following her story but sometimes I felt like she switched personas too instantaneously which made it hard to suspend my belief during the more violent parts.
Weirdly, I just wish the book was longer to expand upon certain plot points, her father leaving, her relationship with her sister, and her growing compulsion, to allow for a more believable and gradual descent into her obsession. That said, I’d definitely read from this author again and recommend for people looking for a short horror/thriller read, though not to those easily grossed out.
Weirdly, I just wish the book was longer to expand upon certain plot points, her father leaving, her relationship with her sister, and her growing compulsion, to allow for a more believable and gradual descent into her obsession. That said, I’d definitely read from this author again and recommend for people looking for a short horror/thriller read, though not to those easily grossed out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Body horror, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Racism, Blood, Abandonment, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Stalking
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
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
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting
chrissypops's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you netgalley, Monika Kim and Kensington Books, Erewhon Books for the arc of The Eyes are the Best Part.
This was a great, fun quick, gory read of Ji- Won and her increasing obsession of blue eyes after she tastes her first fish eye at home. The narrative was medium paced at the beginning picking up to a fast pace from half way through the book. The descriptive gore when Ji-won starts realising she's addicted to eyes is well done, because it's added with the dread and the build up of the obsession.
I feel that this book also tackles loss, grief, mental heath and abuse very well. The Korean culture and expectations was interweaved within the narrative beautifully and made for a wonderful tense read. Would love to see this released into the audiobook world!
This was a great, fun quick, gory read of Ji- Won and her increasing obsession of blue eyes after she tastes her first fish eye at home. The narrative was medium paced at the beginning picking up to a fast pace from half way through the book. The descriptive gore when Ji-won starts realising she's addicted to eyes is well done, because it's added with the dread and the build up of the obsession.
I feel that this book also tackles loss, grief, mental heath and abuse very well. The Korean culture and expectations was interweaved within the narrative beautifully and made for a wonderful tense read. Would love to see this released into the audiobook world!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexism, Stalking, and Misogyny
shelbykate's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Ooooo this is delicious if I do say so myself!! If you are a fan of Bunny by Mona Awad or Maeve Fly by C. J. Leede this is the book for you.
The body horror/gore is so so good. detailed without being overly gratuitous. There’s much to be said about the MC relationships with either parents/friends/sibling and how those shape her. The flashbacks give just enough insight that by the end you are left with a complete understanding of her decisions as horrid as they may be (maybe that’s just me because I too am mad at men).
oh yeah this is very much a man hating book and not for softy ‘well, actually’ types. be warned!
overall a stellar debut and will be checking this author out again!
Thank you to Kensington/Erewhon books and Netgalley for the eArc for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Body horror, Racism, Cannibalism, Violence, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
woodsybookworm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Received as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Books (thank you, both) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
A deep dive into the hardships of a second generation woman struggling to keep herself and her family together as her mind unravels and begins to hunger not only for her own autonomy, but for eyeballs.
Ji-won’s life is crumbling around her - she's self sabotaged her relationship with her childhood friends, she can barely keep her grades up let alone forge new friendship or partnerships, her father abandoned the family for another woman, and now her mother is dating a man with an Asian fetish. Nothing could be worse, until she starts dreaming of eyeballs, hungering for eyeballs.
The gore wasn't overly descriptive, but it worked just enough to keep me squirming whenever it came up. I will most definitely be having nightmares about eyeballs after reading this book.
The first half of the book was a slow build up in which we learned about the characters, their background, how the family ended up in the position they're in now - and then it ramps up with Ji-won spiraling out of control until the end. But it ended rather abruptly and it left me wanting more!
Overall, it was a great read and a wonderful debut. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism, Racism, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Murder, Gore, and Death
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
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