Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

225 reviews

megtall's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

I loved the audio version of this book. I tried to read the print copy and couldn’t seem to get into it, so I’m glad I gave the audio copy a chance. I loved the descriptions, concise but still impactful. The narrator was great. Love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Stalking

jesikakaley's review

dark sad tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

smrodriguez0624's review against another edition

dark funny 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

by far my favorite read of 2025! I can’t wait for more by Monika Kim. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Gore

thetofukiller's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.0

A fun read overall, but it definitely reads as a "author's first book." Some of the themes and ideas are a little bit too on the nose and spelled out, with one particular chapter after the halfway point having the main character of Ji-won explicitly state what up to that point had been implied and the reader could gleam from the events and characters. 
While some characters are particularly one note, cookie cutter with little to no depth, others I felt were interesting and nuisanced but underutilized. The major examples being

Ji-Won's sister, who I felt knew more than she was letting on and wished that had some sort of pay off, and Alexis which quite literally had no pay off (sorry my fellow lesbians)

With that being said, the book is carried by it's very unique premise, 

I love the idea of following the creation of a serial killer, particularly a woman

and the main character of Ji-Won. Throughout the course of the novel, we learn more about her personality and why she is the way that she is, with a major case of eldest daughter syndrome: prioritizing nearly everyone else in her life before herself to the point of recking her relationships and viewing that as a "good" thing. It's honestly sad and you feel for her. Overall a good read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Racism and Sexism

The gore is fairly tame considering the context, but if you are squeamish might consider skipping this one out.

miabby's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gore

migalu23'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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Cannibalism

sapphic_alpaca's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Classism

pchfzzz's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

3.5

A quick read, very tense. Shirt chapters which allowed for easy stopping points, this was definitely a book you may need to put down and come back to when it gets too uncomfortable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

The pacing picks up about halfway through it is slow at first.

gabepants's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder

Minor: Pedophilia

mcodrie's review against another edition

dark funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Gore