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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pros: It’s another book to add to one of my favorite sub genres “I support women’s rights and I support women’s wrong.” The body horror was also delectable (pun indented).
Cons: Despite it being an already short novel, I think at least 20% of it could’ve been cut. Made it more punchy, like in “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” which the author drew inspiration from when writing this book. It felt like there was a lot of filler and it was becoming redundant.
Cons: Despite it being an already short novel, I think at least 20% of it could’ve been cut. Made it more punchy, like in “My Sister, the Serial Killer,” which the author drew inspiration from when writing this book. It felt like there was a lot of filler and it was becoming redundant.
The Eyes are the Best Part was a strong 4.5-star read for me. Monika Kim showcases an incredible talent for weaving Ji-Won’s inner turmoil into the fabric of the story, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Through daydreams, nightmares, vivid fantasies, and obsessive ruminations of revenge, we experience the raw and unrelenting pull of her hunger and rage.
What I loved most was how Kim allowed Ji-Won’s journey to unfold gradually. The push and pull between her internal battles and the outside world created a layered, suspenseful atmosphere that kept me captivated. The psychological depth here is striking — Ji-Won’s struggles aren’t just about survival, but about reclaiming agency and identity in the face of what haunts her.
The prose itself feels sharp, evocative, and deliberate, reflecting the fractured and restless state of Ji-Won’s mind. As her story moves from rumination to action, we watch her shift from a place of being consumed by hunger and rage to actively confronting it, which was both haunting and empowering to witness.
Overall, The Eyes are the Best Part is as clever as it is unsettling — a brilliant exploration of trauma, vengeance, and transformation. Monika Kim delivers a narrative that is as psychologically intense as it is beautifully written.
What I loved most was how Kim allowed Ji-Won’s journey to unfold gradually. The push and pull between her internal battles and the outside world created a layered, suspenseful atmosphere that kept me captivated. The psychological depth here is striking — Ji-Won’s struggles aren’t just about survival, but about reclaiming agency and identity in the face of what haunts her.
The prose itself feels sharp, evocative, and deliberate, reflecting the fractured and restless state of Ji-Won’s mind. As her story moves from rumination to action, we watch her shift from a place of being consumed by hunger and rage to actively confronting it, which was both haunting and empowering to witness.
Overall, The Eyes are the Best Part is as clever as it is unsettling — a brilliant exploration of trauma, vengeance, and transformation. Monika Kim delivers a narrative that is as psychologically intense as it is beautifully written.
dark
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:
Complicated
Ji-Wons ma gets a new boyfriend and she becomes obsessed with the thought of eating his eyes.
This book exceeded expectations and failed to meet them at the same time. The body horror elements are written exceptionally well and there were times I had to put the book down because I felt like I was going to be sick. Monika Kim writes about racism, sexism and micro-aggressions really well that I'd feel genuine frustration for Ji-Won throughout, especially with the added layer of being the eldest daughter and having to be responsible everybody in the family. The writing style is somewhat similiar to Maud Venturas 'my husband' in that it reads like a stream of consciousness, however unlike 'my husband' some chapters weren't written well enough/added anything to keep me reading until my eyes hurt. The last 10% felt flimsy and also different to the previous 90%, as if we were hurtling towards a finish line regardless of how unrealistic and crammed it all was. I had very similiar feelings about 'The Unworthy' by Agustina Bazterrica where more interesting elements/storylines were put on the backburner and too much focus put on elements that didnt add anything in the long term. I would 100% read a book by Monika Kim again as this was a great first book.
This book exceeded expectations and failed to meet them at the same time. The body horror elements are written exceptionally well and there were times I had to put the book down because I felt like I was going to be sick. Monika Kim writes about racism, sexism and micro-aggressions really well that I'd feel genuine frustration for Ji-Won throughout, especially with the added layer of being the eldest daughter and having to be responsible everybody in the family. The writing style is somewhat similiar to Maud Venturas 'my husband' in that it reads like a stream of consciousness, however unlike 'my husband' some chapters weren't written well enough/added anything to keep me reading until my eyes hurt. The last 10% felt flimsy and also different to the previous 90%, as if we were hurtling towards a finish line regardless of how unrealistic and crammed it all was. I had very similiar feelings about 'The Unworthy' by Agustina Bazterrica where more interesting elements/storylines were put on the backburner and too much focus put on elements that didnt add anything in the long term. I would 100% read a book by Monika Kim again as this was a great first book.
dark
emotional
medium-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
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the idea of this book, not so much the execution. George and Geoffrey were cartoonishly evil and the main characters weren't very layered either, and the mom is just a pitiful sack for the most part. This was mostly mid, not for me.
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No