Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

5 reviews

emilysshelf's review against another edition

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

3.0

It was a short read that I took longer to read than I hoped for just because it overlapped with socializing on the holidays. I do appreciate feminine rage books and usually enjoy horror/gore, I was very excited for this one based on recommendations I'd gotten. Without spoilers here are some thoughts: I feel this had a slow beginning and I can see how people may be bored and DNF early on. There's nothing super compelling about the MC's narration or life. The MC wasn't anyone I particularly cared for and come to think of it I felt this way for many of the characters. I was mostly apathetic towards Jiwon, (which may have been intentional? Unsure, the author didn't have me often rooting for her despite the obvious reasoning for us to be on her side.) Jiwon just came off as an emotionally immature and kind of jealous, pretentious asshole, especially when viewing her friends and other relationships. A lot of this could've been avoided if she just went to therapy, I get that she was a child of immigrants and her parents obviously weren't going to go be proactive about getting help themselves but for Jiwon and her sister's sake she could've TRIED. There was a bit of victimization on her part despite her "learning" to not think of herself that way and not wanting to continue that cycle like other women in her life. I do wish there were more male figures in her life that didn't suck, this book felt randomly "anti-men" in a similar way to Chlorine by Jade Song. I almost feel that the abuse in her life didn't equate her reaction, which I guess is explained a little bit at the end but I still didn't feel things were justified. Perhaps Jiwon was just a tad of a psychopath at the core or maybe she was always going to slowly unravel this way, up to you to decide I guess. I wanted Jiwon's implied attraction for Alexis to be a bigger point, I wanted her to sit with the possibility of her being LGBT and that maybe impacting her choices as well. I think we barely touched this topic and there was so much potential for their relationship to shape Jiwon's actions. As for the horror elements I think imagery wasn't too graphic and the descent into madness could've been longer, or just better executed. It wasn't super scary at all, or gross at all really, pretty tame on the cannibalism trope unless you're squeamish or new to the genre. I do wish we had a less rushed ending but I understand that it's meant to leave things open ended. Hoping this is a standalone novel and no one requests a sequel, the open ending was a good way to leave things ambiguous. 
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lv_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow this book was wild. I wish the ending was a little longer (I feel like I always say this about books) but I was not expecting the end after the twist. I enjoyed it though! Like this authors style of writing. 
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thehannahclaire's review against another edition

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dark funny 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

4.25

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clarke's review

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dark funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Hell hath no fury like the daughter of a woman scorned.

The Eyes Are the Best Part follows Ji-won, the eldest daughter trapped in the forlorn reality of her Appa's infidelity and subsequent abandonment. With Umma inconsolable, her younger sister, Ji-hyun, looks to her for help. After months of waiting despondently by the door, in hopes Appa will return to her, Umma turns to regularly eating fish eyes in her desperation - “Fish eyes are good luck. If I eat one, maybe it will bring your father back”. Eventually, tired of this new routine, Ji-won appeases her and eats a fish eye too. She becomes more and more enticed, compounded by horrifying yet alluring dreams of moreish blue eyes. Umma quickly falls for George, a white man with a fetish for Asian women and girls, blinded by finally being wanted again and a naive belief that "white men [are] the best...have you ever heard of a white man treating his girlfriend or wife badly? Because I haven’t!”. Their relationship gets more serious, as does Ji-won's hunger and rage, with a pile of bodies to show for it.

This book was fantastic. I'm always a fan of female rage, and this book really delivers on that. There's a slow but steady build as Ji-won mental state descends. It's easy to see why; every man in this book is the worst, showcasing a range of misogyny, racism, and entitlement. You may think them caricatures but I assure you I have met each and every one of them. A Mansplaining "feminist" who appears to be a great friend but girlfriend zones you and is a dick about it when you don't feel the same; multiple men with Asian fetishes, including Asian girls; a father who walks out on his wife and children for his mistress, etc. *Spoilers ahead:* I loved the descent into murder, with her obsession overcoming her, though I was willing her to kill George from the off. It was immersive, incredibly descriptive of every disgusting detail. There was just enough gore without risking it becoming repetitive, 

I was disappointed when it turned out Ji-won had a brain tumour. It felt like a lazy excuse for her desire to kill men and eat their eyeballs. Though I am glad that she continued to get her revenge. I thought the fish eyes would be some kind of monkeys paw type magic, giving you your desires with undesirable consequences: it gave Umma a "good" white man, who was cheating on her, using her, and noncey with her kids; it gave Ji-won multiple people who cared for her when she was so alone, but not selflessly, and it gave her an outlet for her taste for revenge and eyeballs. Maybe it had some influence, but I hoped that would've been explored more.

The familial relationships were relatable: she had a good relationship with her sister, and I've read countless tales of parents dating someone awful but ignoring their kid in favour of their own rose-tinted happiness. I wish Umma grew a backbone or could see George for who he is, but it was a realistic portrayal of someone in her situation. Appa's absence was glaring and I'm glad he won't be let off the hook. The friendships were again relatively realistic, and Ji-won is desperate not to be left again that she sabotages her relationships, which is probably most evident with her school friends.

This book is brimming with anger; an anger that is very familiar and is pervasive in our lives and in society, building and building until we boil over. I loved to see Ji-won's development, not just into a killer, but in every aspect of their lives. The two sisters symbolise a new generation of girls who won't tolerate intolerance; girls who will fight back. They’re tired and they’re not going to stand for it anymore, in stark contrast to Umma and the history she represents. You could really root for them, especially Ji-won, even without her dreams and the voice urging her towards violence, you could absolutely understand her indulgence (and yes, I was also urging her on). I love a tale of vengeance, especially combined with female rage, chanting 'as she should!' in support, because god it's about time we had stories were we fight back. Not today, men. Today, we have a knife.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. I do not wish to discuss the colour of my eyes.
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kirtreads's review

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

4.5

This book was gross that is for sure. If you are squeamish about eyes in any way, this is not the book for you. I thought that the book was done well, that the character felt believable, which is difficult to pull off with a female serial killer. I thought that the build up was good but I was a tad disappointed in the end. I felt like it erased some of the message of the book, but I can see why the author wrapped it up that way. 
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