A review by prosepander
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year and The Eyes Are the Best Part does not disappoint. When eldest daughter Ji-won’s father leaves for another woman, her mother is in shambles and her younger sister Ji-hyun is battling with her own anxiety. Buckling under the pressure of caring for her family and slipping grades, Ji-won is desperate. Enter, George: a white man Ji-won’s mother met at the grocery store. He is very interested in asian restaurants- and especially the waitresses therein. Under the gaze of his mouthwateringly blue eyes, Ji-won begins to unravel. 

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. Monika Kim did a stunning job with The Eyes Are the Best Part. It’s a creepy and gross novel that also at the same time feels… Hopeful. I’m tempted to even call this “good for her” horror. Despite Ji-won’s “eccentric” appetites and problematic behavior, I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic toward her as the mounting pressure of caring for her family and enduring the experience of being fetishized by the men around her dissolves her mental state. Ultimately, despite everything, I want her to be happy in the end. 

The Eyes Are the Best Part was an awesome read, and I recommend to fans of gore, slow descents into madness, and also A24 films (I think a movie adaptation would be perfect for A24 or even NEON).