The surreal elements blend in so easily with reality the deeper into the story we get, I was worried when towards the end it seemed for a brief moment that it all had been in Ji-won's imagination. I also loved that the author didn't shy away from making main characters unlikeable in certain instances.

Incredibly engrossing, original storytelling. Refreshing to read a horror novel with an immigrant perspective that explores class, gender, and race. Excited to read more from this author!

Thank you to Net Galley and Erewhon Books for allowing me the opportunity to preview Monika Kim’s exciting and disturbing thriller The Eyes are the Best Part. I was instantly drawn to the title and cover art for this book, and reading the description as feminist horror further piqued my interest. Although this isn’t necessarily the kind of traditional horror, it is a psychological horror story told through the experiences (or eyes) of Ji-won, a first year college student. Kim creates a relatable yet complex character through Ji-won. I found her to be someone with whom I could empathize and sympathize, as she goes through the trauma of her father abandoning the family while also experiencing micro-aggressions and stereotyping. As a first-generation Korean American college student, Ji-Won must not only navigate the challenges of adapting to college, but also in emotionally supporting her mother and sister through this difficult time. Ji-won experiences further challenges when her mother meets George, a middle-aged white man, who eventually reveals himself as someone who objectifies Asian women. Kim’s characterization of him was creative and detailed, as told through Ji-won’s observations about George’s choice of restaurants or his ogling of waitresses. To further emphasize his lack of cultural competency, George resorts to creating nicknames for Ji-won and Ji-hyun, Ji-won’s sister, since he cannot accurately pronounce their names. Beyond taking their mother away, George also introduces his blue eyes, which begin to haunt Ji-won and tear at her sense of reality. We experience Ji-won’s nightmares as they happen, unsure if she is dreaming or not. Kim’s descriptions are both unnerving and creative, and I found these parts disturbing, but in a meaningful way. George’s intrusion into the family and imposing his beliefs and ideals on the family has further disrupted Ji-won and Ji-hyun. While sharing a seafood meal with the family, Ji-won is reminded that her mother always said eating the eyes brings good luck—hence, the eyes are the best part. This eventually sends Ji-won on a quest for the blue eyes that haunt her in sleep and eventually in wakefulness. She grows her plans to take George’s eyes further and further, watching him as he sleeps and imagining how they might taste. As her fascination with eating blue eyes grows, Ji-won is also dealing with some friends from her classes and trying to obtain better grades to get off probation. The family stress greatly affected her during her first semester, and she struggled to successfully complete her first semester. We also learn that she lost some of her high school friends due to some self-sabotage. This part made me question Ji-won’s motivations, since she was angry or jealous of her friends for getting into Berkeley. It seemed like she resented them for their status and advantage, and she did things to sabotage them. This incident and the later meeting with these former friends during winter break provides us with a different side of Ji-won, one who seems slightly vindictive, but also someone who is somewhat powerless and seeks to go behind the backs of others to make herself feel better. I wasn’t sure if this part provided more motivation for Ji-won’s later actions, seeking out blue eyes, and that she is somewhat self-destructive. However, I also think it helped to emphasize the fact that Ji-won was someone who was also somewhat bound to expectations and stereotypes and that taking action secretively against her friends showed how she sought to empower herself, but that she couldn’t necessarily do it in the light. It was a little surprising, but it also added to Ji-won’s complexity. As Ji-won’s mother falls more in love with George and Ji-won deals with Geoffrey, a boy from class whose ingratiating personality wore thin and eventually becomes obsessed with Ji-won. It’s interesting that both white men in the novel have similar names and kind of represent opposite ends of the kinds of aggressions that Asian women face. However, Ji-won gradually abandons Geoffrey, tiring of his incessant messages and his micro-aggressions, like giving her chopsticks for a present. I found both Geoffrey and George to be really annoying but done so in an over-the-top manner that also kept me reading to see what Ji-won would eventually do to them. While she eventually gets revenge on Geoffrey, it’s the games that she begins to play on George that are vindictive and entertaining. Ji-won eventually begins to experiment with eye-eating, finding victims around the college. Kim’s descriptions of eating the eyeballs are some of the best writing in the book. Pretty graphic and gross, but also incredibly detailed and appealing to different senses (tasting like iron, popping, gelatinous). Ji-won’s eye eating also transforms her, and I found this part of the book to be somewhat like Crime and Punishment, where we experience the paranoia of someone who knows they did wrong, but still feels justified in their actions. Ji-won’s crimes gradually empower her and give her more confidence to take action against George, with the hope of driving him away from their mother. Kim’s writing is propulsive and the short chapters kept me reading to find out what would happen next. I also really loved the use of chopsticks to mark the chapter breaks. Very creative and unique. Although the book was exciting and disturbing, the ending happens a little suddenly and was a slight let-down. In some ways, this book reminded me of some other books about racial identity and transformations—both Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang and White Ivy by Susie Yang. Both characters in these books experienced a kind of lack of acceptance by the dominant culture and felt the need to change their identities, to become more white and change their ideals and values as well. They pay the costs, yet Ji-won is somewhat different. While it seems like family and racial trauma eventually pressure her into destructive behavior, she is able to plan out a way to escape and place blame on those who have wronged her. I think this also kind of positions Ji-won as a powerful character and an empowered character who is eventually able to use the stereotypes and expectations against those who try to pin her down. Although I couldn’t put this book down, I think that some people might struggle with the racism, objectification, and graphic violence in the book. It’s not gratuitous; Kim does show how the daily racism and aggressions can take their toll, but she also creates a character who seeks to subvert that trauma and pain and use it to right the wrongs she faced. Highly recommended and important book to read.

What a deliciously, dreadful tale of teenage growing pains and not being able to control the chaos going on around you. I devoured this book (pun intended) and I sure do hope Monika Kim follows up this story with a second book! I will be first in line to read it!!

Thank you Netgalley for this unforgettable book! This review is unbiased and my own.

‘The Eyes Are the Best Part’ is a psychological horror novel following Ji-won through a tough period in life, during which things gradually become very unhinged.

Having read the blurb in it’s entirety after finishing the book, I am grateful that I started this book knowing very little beyond the title, cover, and the involvement of eyeballs. If you haven't read the description yet, I would strongly encourage you to do the same, provided it feels safe for you.

As expected, there are many eyeballs involved, usually in very gory ways, so consider yourself warned.

Beyond the absolutely unhinged spiral into madness and rage, I found myself truly appreciating the social commentaries, from critiques of the patriarchy and the family unit to the exploration of the fetishisation of Asian women and cultural belonging.

I will note that the book has a very slow start, where the pacing feels somewhat stunted. However, once it picks up, it REALLY picks up. I also found myself craving more detail around certain plot points but felt fairly satiated… ;) by the end.

I am already excited for whatever Monika Kim writes next. Her writing style is incredibly gripping and vivid—some might say even a little too vivid at times!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the characterisation in this story, everybody felt believable and fully fleshed out. Ji-won was a really interesting character and I liked following her story but sometimes I felt like she switched personas too instantaneously which made it hard to suspend my belief during the more violent parts.
Weirdly, I just wish the book was longer to expand upon certain plot points, her father leaving, her relationship with her sister, and her growing compulsion, to allow for a more believable and gradual descent into her obsession. That said, I’d definitely read from this author again and recommend for people looking for a short horror/thriller read, though not to those easily grossed out.

Thank you so much to the publisher for inviting me to read this title early through NetGalley!

This is by far one of my favorite reads of the year so far! For such a small book it had a ton of moving pieces and I think by the end they all slid together perfectly and in SUCH a satisfying way. This is such a great debut!

Ji-won is such an engaging character to follow. Horror is my favorite genre but I especially love getting to read horror that's so rooted in cultures that I'm not part of. It feels very intimate--like I'm being invited to witness and experience fears and stressors and horrors that I'd otherwise have no idea about. It adds such an incredible layer to the story that I'm so appreciative of! I loved her relationship with her sister and that despite everything, she was still in some way looking after her mother by the end.

Our "villains" so to speak were so absolutely sinister and they had my skin crawling on more than one occasion. Gross and evil. It's made worse because we all know those people are out there and there's so many of them.

I probably don't need to make this warning, but be wary of this one if you've got sensitivities to eye trauma. It gets gnarly!

The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim is a fun and strange horror book about a Korean-American college woman and her struggles in a toxic household while at the same time developing a craving for eyeballs.

This book is all around dark with its racism, toxic men, and cannabolism. It's not too gory but the beautiful descriptions make up for it.

The first half was definitely slower than the last half but it was short and fast pace enough that I didn't really mind. Despite the pacing issues, I still enjoyed my time reading this book.

I also can't see hard boiled eggs the same way anymore.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this Arc.

This was jam-packed with social commentary and I ate it up. It was so good! You pretty well know what's coming right from the very start, but the build is just slow enough that it's so, so tasty. The female rage is on fire in this one. Wake up babes, we're gonna go eat some eyes!

Loved this version of a horror story. Not the typical horror I like, but really felt all the emotions the MC was feeling.

A little outlandish at times but fun all around

"The Eyes are the Best Part" by Monika Kim is DARK! Korean-American Ji-Won's life is turned on end when her father leaves her mother for his mistress. She struggles to balance college life and the responsibility of keeping her family together. Things move from bad to worse when her vulnerable mother meets George, a creepy white man with a fetish for submissive Asian women. Ji-Won becomes obsessed with George's blue eyes...and what they might taste like if she cut them from his face and ate them. Ms. Kim takes the reader on a terrifying and gruesome journey as Ji-Won slowly devolves into madness.

This book is weird and I was thoroughly grossed out, but I couldn't put it down! The writing is exceptional and the plot unlike anything I have ever read. It is also a powerful social commentary on the challenges Asian women face in a largely white society, including racism and misogyny. This fast-paced psychological horror novel will certainly be considered one of the best in the genre for 2024 and I eagerly await Ms. Kim's next offering. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this book!

4.75 stars

Monika Kim has written a weird girl fiction hall of fame book!!

We follow an 18-year-old Korean-America girl named Ji-won who is navigating the pressures of being a first-born daughter, failed friendships, university life, alongside her parents’ recent separation. Soon after this separation, her mother begins to date a boisterous and uncouth white man with a strange, uncomfortable fetish for Asian women and a slew of secrets. Amidst all these life changes (enough to drive anyone to the edge of sanity in my opinion), our main character develops an obsession with eating eyes, and yes, I mean those of the human variety.

Kim expertly blurs the line between reality and madness, and I at times found myself questioning what was real or not. As this line becomes more blurred, we witness Ji-won’s behaviour becoming increasingly erratic, her rage become increasingly unflinching, her obsession with eyes grows, and her appetite for them increase. This descent into madness was perfectly paced making for an incredibly enjoyable read.

I think these characters were so well developed and the story offers plenty of gory horror intertwined with an incredibly complex and sensitive portrayal of a young girl struggling with familial and societal expectations.

This would’ve been a 5-star read for me, but I was not the biggest fan of the ending. However, I still highly recommend this novel and I cannot wait to read more of Monika Kim’s work!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Ooh, I really enjoyed this! Although the novel started out relatively slow and I found Ji-won to be an oblivious main character, the novel takes a creepy turn as her mental health spirals. I ended up really liking her as a character because she was unhinged and, as an older sister myself (although I do not have the taste for human eyeballs) I can understand the pressure to be the sole provider and needing to be able to fix everything. I also really enjoyed the themes explored in this novel surrounding misogyny, racism and fetisization through the eyes of a vengeful college freshman. My one complaint with this novel is definitely its writing - while I found a lot of it to be eerie and intriguing, there were some instances of overexerting themes Kim wanted to hammer home, and I found that led to some plot conveniences that I couldn't ignore. Overall, this was still a really fun debut and I am looking forward to what Monika Kim writes next!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel!

A book hasn't made me cringe as hard as this one did in quite some time. The way that Kim depicts fetishization and racism towards Asian women is so hard to read at times. It was honestly more horrifying than her eating eyeballs.

This is a great debut. I've seen some critique around the writing, but I thought it was quite good. The main character reads like an 18,19 year old so, yeah, she can be a little dramatic and immature, but that's pretty par for the course.

I thought Kim did a great job building tension. The first half or so of the book is really about the slow unraveling of our main character, Ji-won, and then the second half really amps up the horror. I did think that the book had a bit of the too much gene: there's a lot explored here and, sometimes, I wanted the book to delve a bit deeper into its messaging.

That said, I enjoyed this one! It's a strong debut, and I am excited to see what Kim comes out with next. I'm also still deeply revolted by eyeballs so kudos there.

Misogyny and racism force Ji-won to take matters into her own hands, with unexpected results. Unusual and slightly gory take on the thriller and horror genre.

*2.5
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I did have high expectations for it from all the reviews but unfortunately it wasn’t as horror-filled as I would have liked. I liked the legend behind eating fish eyes and how they were believed to bring good luck and how this then evolved into the main character Jiwon becoming obsessed with blue eyes to the point where she hungers for them.

The eye horror in this was great and I enjoyed how female rage was portrayed - you could really feel how Jiwon was struggling with everything in her life, from her mother constantly being in fear of being left alone, to her mother’s disgusting Asian-fetishising white man boyfriend and her creepy NiceGuy™️ friend.

The only reason why I couldn’t rate this any higher is because I found the first half of the book to be quite tedious and hardly have any gore or horror elements in it; it mostly focused on the family dynamics and Jiwon’s mother. The pacing and action really picks up in the second half and that’s when I started to get into the story more. Jiwon as a potential serial killer is creepy, and she can be so manipulative. I do applaud her for taking matters into her own hands to protect her family though!

I am looking forward to this author will write in the future as I find their writing easy to follow. I know there are many readers who would enjoy this book, unfortunately I just couldn’t get into it as much I would have liked.

Thank you to netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC! ✨

Ji-won is the eldest daughter of a Korean-American family who is going through a tough time after her father decides to abandon them, as she will now have greater responsibility for caring for her mother and younger sister.
Through the pages of "The Eyes Are the Best Part" we will see how Ji-won's mind tries to deal with so many changes until she commits very questionable acts.

And I'm not going to lie to you, you have to have a very hard stomach because the author is sometimes very explicit in her descriptions of shapes, flavors and so on...

One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book is the way in which the author creates her protagonist because I feel very sorry for her but then there comes a moment when you know that Ji-won is very different from the idea that one as a reader has of her.

It is a story that I would recommend for all fans of psychological horror but also feminine rage.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Eyes Are the Best Part is about the psychological depths of Ji-won, and how her life spirals after her father leaving and his affair. As she grapples with familial turmoil and academic failure, Ji-won finds solace in disturbing dreams that blur reality. Her resentment towards her mother's new boyfriend, George, ignites a thirst for vengeance. Set against a backdrop of campus murders, Ji-won's descent into darkness challenges societal norms and familial bonds. Monika Kim crafts a narrative that explores themes of identity, power, and the complexities of female rage. The Eyes Are the Best Part captivates readers with its fresh perspective on horror and compelling exploration of the making of a female serial killer.

Honestly, I didn't go into this book expecting much. I've read so many mediocre horror books and have learned not to expect a good plot and something well-written. I truly loved The Eyes Are the Best Part. Ji-won is the best kind of unhinged. I am very much looking forward to Monika Kim's future work.

Thank you to Kensington Books / Erewhon Books and Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Eyes Are the Best Part is a gripping exploration of family, identity, and the messy realities of life. Through flawed yet relatable characters like Ji-won and her mother, Kim crafts a story that's both heart-wrenching and hopeful. With its subtle horror elements and insightful social commentary, this book will keep you hooked from start to finish. A must-read for anyone seeking a raw and authentic portrayal of the human experience.

The horror was well done, but a bit too tame for my personal tastes.

This was such a fun and eerie book to read. The author has a very unique story-telling ability and manages to creep you out while keeping you intrigued throughout the entire novel.
The story was well developed and the characters really caught my attention, especially the male characters. This novel dives deep into culture, femininity, and the rage that comes from upholding societal standards. The horror elements were visceral and even though they were somewhat unsettling, I was still rooting for the M.C throughout the entire book.

I really enjoyed this book and have added Monika Kim to autobuy author list.