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A review by nstyner
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“In Korean, the word for ‘fortune’ is paljua.”
The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim follows Ji-Won as she navigates relationships, family, and………her appetite.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is DEFINITELY within the body horror genre so be prepared diving in. You may want to check trigger warnings beforehand. I enjoyed the descriptiveness of certain scenes in the story (LOL) and this is the first book to actually make me have a physical reaction.
In addition to the shock value of the story, I really liked how the topics around fetishism, self-proclaimed allyship, family dynamics, and “I’m a good guy” are explored and the effects these things can have on women, especially women of color.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ji-Won isn’t as “innocent” as one may think. Her character is VERY complex in how I understood 100% where she was coming from and have very well felt the same in some situations BUT she also did some messed up things herself……BUUUUUT I still understood what her actions were rooted in LOL. I was going through a constant back-and-forth with her character.
If you want a fast-paced, horror/body horror story with a complex character and interesting societal topics, then this book is for you! If you’ve ever had a white man say “I’ve never been with a [insert minority identity] before” OR “I heard [insert minority identity] enjoy XYZ” OR “I’m not like those other guys you’ve dated”, then you will find camaraderie within Ji-Won’s story.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC!!
The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim follows Ji-Won as she navigates relationships, family, and………her appetite.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is DEFINITELY within the body horror genre so be prepared diving in. You may want to check trigger warnings beforehand. I enjoyed the descriptiveness of certain scenes in the story (LOL) and this is the first book to actually make me have a physical reaction.
In addition to the shock value of the story, I really liked how the topics around fetishism, self-proclaimed allyship, family dynamics, and “I’m a good guy” are explored and the effects these things can have on women, especially women of color.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ji-Won isn’t as “innocent” as one may think. Her character is VERY complex in how I understood 100% where she was coming from and have very well felt the same in some situations BUT she also did some messed up things herself……BUUUUUT I still understood what her actions were rooted in LOL. I was going through a constant back-and-forth with her character.
If you want a fast-paced, horror/body horror story with a complex character and interesting societal topics, then this book is for you! If you’ve ever had a white man say “I’ve never been with a [insert minority identity] before” OR “I heard [insert minority identity] enjoy XYZ” OR “I’m not like those other guys you’ve dated”, then you will find camaraderie within Ji-Won’s story.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror