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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
HOLY…! what a novel! truly: i support women’s rights AND women’s wrongs.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual harassment
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
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
3 1/2 stars, rounding up to 4 stars.
I’m feeling conflicted about The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. I really wanted to like it and support the main character, but at the same time, I struggled to condone her actions, especially since the people she targeted didn’t seem to deserve what happened to them.
I’ve enjoyed similar stories in the past, like the Mindf*ck series, where the main character is a serial killer, but the people she killed felt like they had it coming. In this case, however, I couldn’t bring myself to root for the protagonist. Flashbacks throughout the story depict her as a rather unpleasant person, and I found it hard to sympathize with her, particularly when she schemes to break up her friends just because she didn’t get into the same college.
On a positive note, I appreciated the inclusion of the Korean American experience and found the author’s writing to be both beautiful and well-paced. However, I wish the character’s descent into her darker tendencies had been explored more deeply. Her desire to eat human eyeballs felt like it came out of nowhere, especially since there were no clear signs of these tendencies when she was younger. That said, some adults don’t show signs of mental illness or extreme behavior until later in life, so I understand that such developments can feel sudden. Still, there wasn’t enough exploration into the mental illness or emotional struggles that might have led her to this extreme behavior.
Overall, I felt disconnected from the main character and her journey, but I do think there’s potential in the story’s themes and the author’s voice.
I’m feeling conflicted about The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. I really wanted to like it and support the main character, but at the same time, I struggled to condone her actions, especially since the people she targeted didn’t seem to deserve what happened to them.
I’ve enjoyed similar stories in the past, like the Mindf*ck series, where the main character is a serial killer, but the people she killed felt like they had it coming. In this case, however, I couldn’t bring myself to root for the protagonist. Flashbacks throughout the story depict her as a rather unpleasant person, and I found it hard to sympathize with her, particularly when she schemes to break up her friends just because she didn’t get into the same college.
On a positive note, I appreciated the inclusion of the Korean American experience and found the author’s writing to be both beautiful and well-paced. However, I wish the character’s descent into her darker tendencies had been explored more deeply. Her desire to eat human eyeballs felt like it came out of nowhere, especially since there were no clear signs of these tendencies when she was younger. That said, some adults don’t show signs of mental illness or extreme behavior until later in life, so I understand that such developments can feel sudden. Still, there wasn’t enough exploration into the mental illness or emotional struggles that might have led her to this extreme behavior.
Overall, I felt disconnected from the main character and her journey, but I do think there’s potential in the story’s themes and the author’s voice.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes