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TL;DR: Don’t like eyeballs? This one is going to mess with you! A revenge filled story about a girl obsessed and the racist and sexist people she targets.
Source: NetGalley, thank you so much to the publisher!

Plot: Ji-won’s father leaves the family and as her mother unravels then falls in love with an exceptionally disgusting man, she begins to fixate and… crave eyeballs. It gets real gross after that.
Characters: We focus in on Ji-won, and honestly everyone else was pretty unlikable except for a possible romantic interest (which I do wish had a bit more dimension).
Setting: Definitely not the focus of this, but I did enjoy the claustrophobia and dimness of what we got, it added to the overall feeling of it
Thrilling/Horror Aspect: Not nearly as intense as I expected, but if you’re squeamish about eyeballs and… well eating them this is going to gross you out

Thoughts:

The Eyes Are the Best Part is aptly named. This is the story of Ji-won and her slow decent into obsession over eyeballs, and let me go ahead and tell you that it get’s pretty graphic on the eyeball horror and… eating of things. Those bits by far were the best part of the whole novel.

That being said - don’t get into this one if you’re squeamish about people eating other people parts. It’s going to be a bad time. Ji-won falls fast into an obsession with blue eyes after her mother, still trapped in a cycle of grief at the leaving of Ji-won’s father, ends up dating and engaged to a truly repulsive white man with blue eyes named George. George clearly has a fetish and a type and is going after Ji-won’s mother for that reason. He’s that guy, racist but ‘Oh I know the language’ (when he doesn’t), or claims that 'No one appreciates the culture like him'. Ji-won sees through him, as does her sister, but unfortunately her mother is caught.

Blue eyes haunt her and she takes a rather abrupt and unexpected turn into the very gross acquisition of said eyes. There is also the boy in class with her who is not exactly who he seems, and equally as gross as George in his own way. The book targets these very clear and familiar types of people, showing them for how the really are and it can be infuriating at times. The racism, the gaslighting, and abuse is a lot but Ji-won gets her revenge.

The only thing that knocked this one down just a hair for me was that it read as a bit young, and everything in the end was exceptionally neat and tidy. I wanted just a bit more of a struggle or tension to the story, but I still enjoyed seeing her exact revenge and bloody hell on these folks. If you want some fun times like that - this is your pick-up.

4 out of 5 Blue Crunchy Balls You See Out Of

This book was equal parts disturbing, fascinating, and jaw dropping. The dynamic between the mother and the daughters was interesting while they were battling their own inner demons. A mother trying to get by and find love, the eldest daughter devolving into shocking behavior, and the youngest struggling for attention and closeness from her sister. It was such a good read, and I couldn't put it down. I'm still digesting the experience.

Definitely not for the faint of heart, but the clues are right there on the cover and with the title.
Dark and stomach churning in places, but if you like that kind of thing then you will enjoy this book

This book was absolutely wild. It lived up to every single bit of hype. Loved the feminist themes and rage. 5 delicious stars.

A lot of promise but overall uneven. Monika Kim has a great hand for crafting the creepy, and the book has a lot of terrifically unsettling moments. But the "villainous" characters (not our increasingly deranged protagonist, though her behavior could be spun as villainy) are so obviously and cartoonishly toxic that they aren't very interesting, and the book is full of character actions and behavior that is kind of head-scratching. I look forward to seeing what Kim does on her next go-round, using her skill for the horrific with some more polish on the plot and character side.

I think if you choose to read a book called The Eyes are the Best Part, which features a bloodied eyeball held between chopsticks on the cover, you probably have a good idea what you’re in for. Reader, this novel is thrillingly bonkers, gruesome, and incredibly gratifying.

Ji-won is having a rough time. Her father just abandoned them for another woman, and Ji-won is struggling to look after her mom (Umma) and younger sister. Then things get so much worse when Umma’s awful new boyfriend, George, enters their life, bringing casual sexism and racism with him.

Ji-won’s spiral continues, and she develops a fetish for eyes. In particular, George’s striking blue eyes. Strange, violent things happen, that may or may not be real, and all the reader can do is watch in horror and delight.

I loved this book so much. Monica Kim is a succinct, effective writer, and has created a totally engrossing (and gross) plot. I stayed up way past my bedtime over three nights to finish this book, and I came nowhere near predicting the ending.

But the visceral horror is nothing compared to the ignorance displayed by George, and the other male characters. No spoilers, but Ji-won perfectly orchestrates George’s (deserved) downfall. Such a pleasure to read.

If you enjoyed American Psycho, or the more recent Maeve Fly by CJ Leede, you will love this book.

The story starts out with Ji-won and her family being torn apart as their father leaves their mother for another woman. Ji-won goes from being incredibly close to her sister and a straight A perfect college student to the exact opposite thanks to her father’s leave and her mother’s new racist white American boyfriend. Ji-won is left having incredibly sadistic thoughts of killing George and eating his beautifully blue eyeballs.

This story had me so hooked I didn’t want to put it down! Never did I think I would be rooting for a cannibalistic protagonist, but Monika Kim has proven me wrong. Kim weaves the struggles of what it means to grow up Asian surrounded by white Americans so well. She had me hating George for every thing that he was and what he stood for.

The pacing was really good, the chapter lengths were just right, and the ending of the chapters just made you want to know what was going to happen next. The twist toward the very end was one I should have seen coming but I was so engrossed in everything that it didn’t even occur to me.

All in all, this was a solid 4/5 stars for me! Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy!

The eyes are the best part by Monica Kim, Ji-won and Ji-Hyundai are the daughters of Uma and their dad has recently left to be with another woman seemingly so he can have a son. The book mainly focuses onJi-won, she is the oldest sister and the first one to try the fish eyes that her mom believes to be so lucky at first like most children they are grossed out by it but after Umma’s insistence Ji-won decides to try it and loves it. When their mom starts dating the blue eyed pig named George who seems to think he is the king of the castle even giving the girls abbreviated nicknames because despite saying he can speak Cantonese he can’t even pronounce their names and once he moves in that is a bit more than Ji-won can take. She finally makes friends and one of them becomes a stalker but that doesn’t deter her from using her coping skills to relieve her tension and to get a full belly. This book was so good it truly was an unexpected delight I was not expecting a full round story but that is exactly what I got with hora funny moments and real family problems. A girl acquires some original ways trying just to cope with life. This story was well written with likable characters and interesting storyline and although it does involve a bit of gore if you can stomach that and love horror then you’ll absolutely enjoyed the book. I want to thank Kensington publishing for my free art copy via NetGalley. Please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review.

First of all, I was very intrigued by the book cover!

The book's vibe kind of reminds me of Sayaka Murata's/Bora Chung's books. It's not a paranormal horror (ghosts/monsters/zombies, etc.), but instead, it's more like psychological and gore horror that has a dark story and makes you feel afraid, haunted, panicked, and enraged.

The story is fast-paced, and the chapters are short. It reveals the fmc—Jiwon's—life as she faces her life crumbling. Her parents divorced, the pressure of being the first-born daughter, her grades are falling, and things worsen when her mother starts dating a Western bf. In summary, she suffers A LOT until I beg for somebody to take her to the psychiatrist 😭 We will find her character relatable, as she faces many real-life struggles.

The characters are grey, not just the fmc, but the characters around her too. It's hard to like them, but their circumstances make them hard to hate because I empathize with them. Although there's one who is truly evil in my eyes that I hate as soon as the character appears. Find out who deserves complete hatred from readers when you read the book! Hehehe

To me, the ending is unexpected. How come it turns out like that, and it creeps me out.. 🫣

Overall, I enjoyed the book more than I had expected. This is a good debut book. Well done!
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Mind the ❗trigger warning❗ if you're interested in reading the book. It'll be released on June 25.
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Thank you #NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Monika Kim for the eARC in exchange of my honest review!

I was extremely intrigued by the cover of this book. It’s not for the sensitive as it contains really graphic descriptions of eyeball consumption, but that’s one of the things I loved about it. Have I ever eaten an eyeball? No. Do I want to eat an eyeball? Also no. But can I now imagine what it would be like? Yes. Don’t worry, the whole book isn’t about eating eyeballs! You’ll get to follow Ji-won’s journey as she begins to obsess over blue eyes and will stop at nothing to obtain and eat them, which was simultaneously fascinating and disturbing. How can such a seemingly innocent college student go down this path? Read this book to find out!

Good book, but I found some details of how the protagonist committed her murders unrealistic in a way that sort of broke my suspension of disbelief. I loved the premise of an Asian American revenge thriller.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I feel absolutely insane saying this (because is so far it if my comfort zone), but I loved this book. If you go into this one blind (pun intended) your mind will be blown! And if you finish reading this book and think that's it's simply a deranged revenge story, then you've missed the entire point and need to do a reread. Is it a little unhinged? Maybe a little. Was it completely gross and stomach-churning? Without a doubt. But did I love it anyway? I loved every second of it!

The Eyes Are the Best Part is told from the point of view of a Korean-American young woman who finds her life in turmoil. She slowly begins to obsess over eyeballs; especially blue ones, and especially the ones that belong to her mom's new boyfriend. And from there, everything goes absolutely haywire.

Being Asian-American myself, I relate and appreciate the f-you to anyone who perceives Asian women as submissive, weak, docile and/or fetishizes us. To me, this reads more as a feminist love letter to Asian women; to stand up and fight against the stereotypes and the dehumanization.

Monika Kim I love this book and everything it stands for! 😘

QUICK TAKE
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is an ingenious take on the making of a female serial killer through a Korean-American perspective. The body horror, eye horror, and cannibalism are nauseating, but the unhinged thoughts and female rage are what truly haunted me. If you can stomach it, this is a must-read for fans of female rage horror. It is sure to become as iconic as Maeve Fly by CJ Leede and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

TELL ME MORE
Female rage horror is a favorite of mine, and going into this book I was intrigued by the Korean-American perspective. Objectification of Asian women is a big focus of the novel, and I was so happy to see the main character, Ji-won, and her sister, Ji-hyun fight back against it. The book follows Ji-won after her father leaves her mother and their family and addresses the anger and grief that both Ji-won and her sister experience. Ji-won begins to slowly unravel, but things truly escalate when her mother starts dating a white man named George. George’s sense of superiority and objectification of Asian women is wild and disgusting. Through the ordeal, Ji-won’s hatred of him and her father begins to spread to other men as well.

Grief, loneliness, and the feeling of being responsible for a parent’s emotions and wellbeing are main aspects of the story, making it was unexpectedly heartbreaking. While Ji-won’s actions and thoughts were unhinged, I did relate to her with her feelings of jealousy over her high school friends who all got into the same college without her. While her actions against them were inappropriate, they were surprisingly cathartic. Her loneliness caused her to become possessive over a new friend at her college, and it highlighted how difficult adult friendships can be.

While there were some repetitions in phrases and the constant mentioning of the color blue which felt a bit overdone, the overall arc of Ji-won’s character development was terrifying. Her obsession with eyes and the descriptions of the process of eating them was shocking, but they revealed just how unhinged Ji-won was. The imagery was fantastic, and I felt nauseated throughout, but I couldn’t put the book down.

The book is fairly fast-paced, and the ending completely shocked me, which is hard to do. I ate it up, and I’m still thinking about it and trying to dissect and make sense of some of what happened. However, it did feel like the ending was a bit hurried, and I wish that it had been drawn out a little longer.

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is a horror novel unlike anything I have ever read. It features Korean-American issues, family drama, and deep body horror all with a serial killer twist. While it wasn’t perfect, it is a must read for fans of the genre. I am excited to see what this author does next!

Trigger Warnings: violence, body horror, eye horror, murder, cannibalism, descriptions of war trauma (non-graphic, starvation), stalking, sexism, and racism (Asian objectification).

*Thank you to Kensington Books, Erewhon Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Eyeballs. I thought it would be fine. I was wrong. The writing was great; I just severely underestimated the role of eyeballs in this book, so that’s on me.
Also, the feminist portion would have been better if there would have been ONE male that was portrayed as a decent guy. I thought it was unrealistic that every single male in the book was a disaster. We can uplift women without proclaiming the male species is worthless.

A unhinged feminist horror about a young woman who becomes obsessed with consuming eyeballs. This was a wild ride with some disturbing scenes but also some great commentary on sexism, fetishism, ageism, immigration, cultural assimilation, and gender roles. I loved this. Highly recommend.

Wow! This book kept popping up and I felt intrigued by the gorgeous cover. I am SO glad to have had the opportunity to read Monika Kim’s must-read horror of 2024! The Eyes Are the Best Part is a beautifully written tale of one family and three challenges they face. Ji-won, our main character, and her sister Ji-hyun are Korean-Americans living in a small apartment with their mom. We first find the family in distress as the patriarch of the family leaves his wife and daughters for a new woman. Kim gives us an intimate portrait of a family struggling. Umma, the mother, is a shell of herself in the wake of the separation, leaving Ji-won struggling with her first semester of college courses. Over time we get to know George, Umma’s new boyfriend, as well as friends that Ji-won makes in classes.

This book is so much more than an entertaining horror story. It’s a beautiful exploration of the challenges of race, class, sex, and family dynamics. The first half is more literary fiction mixed with dread and the second half has more of the horror elements.

I absolutely loved this! There was a slow build up with momentum growing each chapter. The Eyes Are the Best Part was a perfect horror book for me. There was so much character development and I really felt invested in their lives. The chapters were short, which is also something I enjoy when reading. I would highly recommend this to any fan of the horror genre!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, Erewhon Books, and the author Monika Kim for an ARC of this gem!

I LOVED this book. The Eyes Are the Best Part is about the unraveling of a woman and her progression into a serial killer. I'd recommend this book to fans of The Vegetarian. It's dark and edgy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this eARC. This was the ARC I most wanted and was so happy to get.

This book is fucking brilliant. I would apologize for my crass language, but considering the themes and plot in the book, I don't think it's necessary. The only thing I love more than a book about a calculated woman serial killer, is a book about an unhinged woman serial killer. Everything about this book was pretty damn near perfect. The pressure, the pain, the recklessness. The commentary on fetishism and feminism was so brilliantly done. Geoffrey was my favorite character for what he represented.

I can't put together a more logical review because right now I'm going off my instincts and the vibes I got from this book and I'm just so in love. Great storytelling.

Yes, Well. Ji-Won becomes fascinated with eyes because her mother believes eating fish eyes brings luck. That's not why she eats them. George and his blue eyes- I can't even. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Interesting read.

Korean-American serial killer Ji-won is spiraling out of control. Her family split up and her mom is now dating the worst person imaginable. We are reading the perspective of Ji-won. It’s sick, brutal, and fascinating. She is vengeful, just, and obsessive. Her obsessions are intensive. She is also stuck in this weird…triangle I guess you can call it with her friends because Ji-won is also a student at a college.

I honestly don’t know how to summarize this book besides I have not read one like it. It’s the odd ball out in the thriller/horror community and I loved it for that. Great writing and premise!

Thank you to netgallery and the publisher for letting me read the arc!