You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
SPOILER WARNING
What a wild ride. The book started off slow for me, but quickly gained my attention the more I learned about Ji-Won. The whole time I was trying to guess what her motive was and where this was going to go. The book hints early on about her having a pattern of sabotaging relationships, but from her POV everyone has always abandoned her. She is able to come up with solid reasoning for her insane actions, almost making the reader question their own morals, because maybe some of those people did deserve what they got.
I like how the author showed us something was definitely going on with her mentally, with the hallucinations and the light/sound sensitivity. I was thinking maybe she was a psychopath or some other type of mental disorder. Then at the end we learn something was physically wrong with her that could be affecting her decision making, but in another twist, that wasn’t what caused her grotesque fantasies and cravings, that’s actually just her!!! 🤯
On top of that, she successfully framed the annoying, self-entitled “feminist” guy who felt he “deserved” her love. That’s one crazy girl I would never want to cross
What a wild ride. The book started off slow for me, but quickly gained my attention the more I learned about Ji-Won. The whole time I was trying to guess what her motive was and where this was going to go. The book hints early on about her having a pattern of sabotaging relationships, but from her POV everyone has always abandoned her. She is able to come up with solid reasoning for her insane actions, almost making the reader question their own morals, because maybe some of those people did deserve what they got.
I like how the author showed us something was definitely going on with her mentally, with the hallucinations and the light/sound sensitivity. I was thinking maybe she was a psychopath or some other type of mental disorder. Then at the end we learn something was physically wrong with her that could be affecting her decision making, but in another twist, that wasn’t what caused her grotesque fantasies and cravings, that’s actually just her!!! 🤯
On top of that, she successfully framed the annoying, self-entitled “feminist” guy who felt he “deserved” her love. That’s one crazy girl I would never want to cross
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Violence, Cannibalism
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The beginning was kinda slow and underwhelming, the book started out like a typical literally fiction, the writing style dry and kinda bland. However, as the story progressed all of the listed above things that bothered me became necessary stylistic choices and helped the atmosphere and the pacing a lot.
I love just the right amount of unsettledness, it was weird enough but never crossed the line into unrealistic or too unhinged (don’t get me wrong, it was unhinged, but compared to other books of a similar genre/vibe it was pretty mild, gross but just enough).
The ending was disappointing though. It felt too logical, too “normal” and didn’t finish the story properly, almost like there was a sequel planned.
Overall I enjoyed the book way more than I expected, I wanted to come back and read more, if not for the beginning and a small part of the end it would’ve been a perfect book.
I love just the right amount of unsettledness, it was weird enough but never crossed the line into unrealistic or too unhinged (don’t get me wrong, it was unhinged, but compared to other books of a similar genre/vibe it was pretty mild, gross but just enough).
The ending was disappointing though. It felt too logical, too “normal” and didn’t finish the story properly, almost like there was a sequel planned.
Overall I enjoyed the book way more than I expected, I wanted to come back and read more, if not for the beginning and a small part of the end it would’ve been a perfect book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking
dark
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
👏support👏women's👏wrongs👏
Almost everyone in this book is unlikeable, but I didn't mind. The beginning is a little slow, but once the decent into madness starts it doesn't stop. As a squeamish vegetarian, I wasn't super bothered by the pretty descriptive language used to immerse the reader in the main character's culinary experiences throughout the book. The way the author weaves the social commentary on the fetishization of Asian women in America with gore and horror was just, chefs kiss
Almost everyone in this book is unlikeable, but I didn't mind. The beginning is a little slow, but once the decent into madness starts it doesn't stop. As a squeamish vegetarian, I wasn't super bothered by the pretty descriptive language used to immerse the reader in the main character's culinary experiences throughout the book. The way the author weaves the social commentary on the fetishization of Asian women in America with gore and horror was just, chefs kiss
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Racism, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs, Stalking
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"Correct him whenever you can. Confuse him. Make him feel foolish."
This may be the first book that ever made me actually puke, but it was part of the experience. Phenomenal read. I don't think I'll get this one off my mind for a while.
This may be the first book that ever made me actually puke, but it was part of the experience. Phenomenal read. I don't think I'll get this one off my mind for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Gore, Misogyny, Violence
Minor: Pedophilia
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
With one of the most complicated narrators I have read in a while, alongside some of the most infuriating male characters I have encountered in a long time, the bizarre, unhinged horror of this book is carried by its shattering heartbreak that the three female characters endure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Minor: Ableism
Be aware that this novel features eye-horror, eye-eating, fetishization of Asian women, antagonistic relationships between children and parent’s new partners, divorce, leaving a family for an affair partner, night terrors, performative feminism by misogynistic men, blatant disregard for culture, leering at waitresses, submission towards men, murdering men out of anger towards the patriarchy, drugging people’s drinks, strangulation, estranged familial relationships between women, the stress of failing courses in college, friendship break-ups, and a whole lot of infuriating sexism.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Le cuesta arrancar un poco sobretodo al principio. Más o menos hasta el primer cuarto del libro sitúa el ambiente y la escena con idas y venidas entre el presente y el pasado.
Cuesta un poco entrar en los personajes pero poco al llegar casi a la mitad, empieza a tomar más de ritmo, lo cual se agradece.
El libro explora más bien el cómo un personaje se convierte en lo que se convierte más que los actos que acomete, así que por ese lado es interesante y también otra forma diferente y fresca de desarrollar un thriller.
En un punto pasa algo y parece que eso vaya a desencadenar una resolución que hubiera resultado algo floja y “justificaría” los actos de la protagonista, pero afortunadamente no recurre a ese recurso para nada.
El libro contiene escenas muy explícitas difíciles para estómagos sensibles.
Un buen debut, habrá que seguirle la pista a la autora.
Cuesta un poco entrar en los personajes pero poco al llegar casi a la mitad, empieza a tomar más de ritmo, lo cual se agradece.
El libro explora más bien el cómo un personaje se convierte en lo que se convierte más que los actos que acomete, así que por ese lado es interesante y también otra forma diferente y fresca de desarrollar un thriller.
En un punto pasa algo y parece que eso vaya a desencadenar una resolución que hubiera resultado algo floja y “justificaría” los actos de la protagonista, pero afortunadamente no recurre a ese recurso para nada.
El libro contiene escenas muy explícitas difíciles para estómagos sensibles.
Un buen debut, habrá que seguirle la pista a la autora.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Toxic friendship
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You ever read a book and it’s so obvious it’s a debut novel?
The story follows Ji Won and her family after her father leaves them behind for another woman. Her mother, depressed and loss, find comfort in George, a mediocre white man (who very obviously has yellow fever). At the same time, Ji Won develops a weird obsession with eyes, George’s blue eyes in particular.
If you’re expecting a lot of blood and gore, this book isn’t probably for you. It focuses mainly on Ji Won's relationship with her mother and younger sister and her role as the eldest daughter in a second gen immigrant family. The madness and murders only really start in the second part of the book, and if I’m being honest, I don’t think they take as much place as the family dynamic. ‘The Eyes Are The Best Part’ is more of a study portrait on family/mother-daughter relationship than a gory/horror book like some people may describe it.
The story was compelling and the writing style was good. There were some very good lines here and there, but there were just some flaws. The story telling felt a bit juvenile at times, almost fanfiction-y in its writing and the topics were too On The Nose. It was all in your face, especially chapter 32. Almost like the author was scared the reader wouldn’t understand what she was trying to say even though the double meaning and symbolisms were very very easy to understand. It’s a shame because everything fell perfectly in place like puzzle pieces and then, out of nowhere, we get a whole chapter explaining everything to us as if we were stupid.
I also think the story relied too much on the nightmare effects to show Ji Won's slow descent into madness. I do love a character going crazy, never really trusting what they’re seeing because what if it’s just their imagination? But this book pulled the nightmare card way too often it became repetitive. There are other ways to show madness.
Other than that, it was a pleasant read. Just very obvious that it is the author’s first novel. I will be reading her next book because there is clearly talent and place for growth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Stalking
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think it can be a bit slow at times but overall is a pretty good book
(Still waiting on Alexis and Ji-Won to be together lol)
(Still waiting on Alexis and Ji-Won to be together lol)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment
Moderate: Pedophilia