Female Rage: The Novel, The Eyes Are the Best Part is a ferociously told, surrealist story centering around the female experience of a Korean-American collage student. As an Asian first-gen immigrant myself, I greatly resonated with Monika Kim's depiction of the breakdown of a nuclear family in a foreign land, as well as various forms of racism in America.

Even though it is marketed primarily as horror, the first half of the novel reads more like a brutally candid character study with a dash of the macabre. I've seen The Eyes Are the Best Part's marketing material mentioning Michelle Zauner's Crying in H-Mart, and that is actually a very spot-on reference point for this portion of the narrative. The horror and violence does amp up drastically in its later half, offering numerous instances of nightmare-inducing visual (I will not be seeing eyeball the same way after this).

The one critique I have is regarding its conclusion, which feels a bit like the author simply ran out of steam — various plot details are explained away in quick succession with great amount of convenience, and I would've preferred to have what was suggested in its open-endedness actually depicted on page.

Despite the slight premature ending, as a whole The Eyes Are the Best Part hits home emotionally, I sympathize with the rage and pain of its female protagonist, and they are expressed with blood-dripping style and gusto. Maeve Fly by CJ Leede comes to mind as a comparable (but also vastly different) reading experience.

A twisting story of desire, obsession, and a woman slowly losing her sanity. The Eyes Are the Best Part keeps you on your toes as we follow a daughter trying to make sense of her mother's collapse after the end of a marriage and the beginning of a new relationship. It covers everything from the fetishism of Asian women to predators pretending to be allies. The descent into madness is brilliantly portrayed.

I feel like if you enjoyed The Vegetarian you will enjoy this. I did think it was a tad slow at times, given the overall mood of the novel, but I think it pulled itself together in a great way at the end. I give it 4 stars! It is supposed to be published on June 25, 2024 in the US.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a review copy!

There are so many things I love about this book, but the first of them has to be that the premise and cover DELIVER exactly (and more) than what they promise. I went into this expecting a goop horror with female rage, an unhinged protagonist, and descriptions that would make me sick to my stomach but still have me keep reading…and I got it. I literally have heebie-jeebies from reading.

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART is a strong debut. Monika was kind enough to have her publisher approve a Netgalley ARC for me after I got rejected the first time around (yes, that is just how desperate I was to read it) and I am so grateful that she did. This was an unputdownable read. Right from the get go (the FIRST LINE), the book grips you by the throat and refuses to let go. There’s a description of a character eating a fish eye right there on page 2 and it serves as the warning: <i>This is just the start—if you think this is gross, just you wait. You’re not even ready for what’s coming.</i>

I could not stop reading. It’s not just a typical serial killer horror/thriller. The prose dives deep into the psyche of Ji-won, throwing us into one of the worst points of her life, showing us both the seeds of <i>bad</i> that have always been inside her, a part of her character, and also her slow descent into madness. The dread and trepidation just kept looming as I read. There were points where the book got so dark I had to shut my Kindle and take a breather, but that didn’t stop me from diving right back in and gobbling the rest of it up (pun intended). I love, LOVE how insane Ji-won is, she’s truly everything you could want in a female-driven serial killer book.

Every character is deeply layered, and I absolutely loved how all the heavier themes played into the plot. The queer pining in the book was unexpected, and made me EUPHORIC because it was everything I could’ve wanted—the queerness was the cherry on top to an already brilliant book. The portrayal of scarred familial dynamics and complicated friendships were so REAL and Ji-won’s feelings towards each of the people who impact her life were three-dimensional.

I especially loved Ji-hyun. She’s such a strong, tenacious, badass, and snarky little thing, yet she never shies away from displaying her vulnerability. She was the best side character in the book. I need to see a book from her perspective. Maybe one where both the sisters murder misogynists and feast on their eyeballs together *insert sneaky eyes *.

Eating while reading this book was definitely a choice on my part (one I won’t be making for book 2) but I thank Monika for grossing me out in the best way possible. Need book 2 asap.

Good. For. Her. This is a stunning debut! I was a little nervous with the slow start but by the end I felt I completely understood its necessity. The slow building of madness and anger while also setting up the unfortunate stressors in Ji-Won's life let me unhinge with her. Female rage is an extremely complicated and hard to capture yet this book explains the process and lets you feel it. The ending of the story encapsulates this rage and how it's dealt with in society in such a beautiful way. I would gladly descend back into madness with Ji-Won again and again. Ji-Won's story was so gripping it nearly had me forget this was a horror story until the very vivid descriptions began. Suddenly much more tempted to give a fish eye a try.
Thank you thank you net galley, the publishers, and the author for the advanced copy!

4.5 stars: I don’t get squeamish about many things, but eyeballs are one of them…so this book, with its VERY VIVID descriptions of eating eyeballs, was quite the doozy for me. Despite that, I couldn’t put it down! This feminist horror is full of feminine rage and body horror. It’s a bit heavy-handed in providing the catalyst for the feminine rage, and the ending seemed rather abrupt, but it was still a juicy (see what I did there?) read. Definitely an exciting debut from Monika Kim! This one is going to live rent free in my head for a long while. 😳

Incredible character development and themes of manipulation, slow descent into madness, fetishization, trauma dumping, and unhinged women. Very relatable for Americans growing up with parents of different cultures, and the experiences faced as a translator and burden-holder.

The Eyes are the Best part is a brilliant contemporary horror following the decent of a troubled young student into an unhinged serial killer with a growing, insatiable hunger inside…

I thought this book was brilliantly written and gripping from start to finish. I thought Ji-Won was a very real character, her problems start off as being quite relatable- everything around her seems to be changing, people are moving on with their lives and she still seems stuck and unable to cope with her new situation. As readers, we get to see her slowly being overwhelmed and unraveling and her decent into a young woman filled with nothing but rage and hunger. I thought it was so well done, despite everything we still end up rooting for Ji-Won throughout the book!

I also really enjoyed the themes in this book. It perfectly shows how misogyny is subtly ingrained into everyone’s lives so much sometimes you don’t even realise until it’s clearly pointed out. Also, speaking as an Asian woman myself, touching on the fetishisation and racism against Asian women hit quite close to home- Monika Kim integrates it in a disturbingly realistic way which I hope resonates with all the readers!

As for the horror aspect of the book, there are plenty of revolting gory horror scenes but there was also a more psychological aspect which made the book a bit deeper. I think some of the true horror comes from how accurately she has written some of the characters- the realism of the terrible people in her life is a contrast with the Ji-Won’s serial killing, eye eating tendencies and it gives makes the book an absolutely mesmerising read! Now, my one criticism would be the ending. There was a lot of build up but I feel like the ending itself was rather abrupt and could have been a bit more fleshed out! However, I was still satisfied with it and the overall book is still a horror masterpiece!

Thank you to @erewhonbooks and @netgalley for an advance copy of what I think will be one of the best horror releases this year!
The plot follows the making of a female serial killer through the eyes (ha) of Ji-won, a Korean-American college student.
It's got an unhinged narrator under intense pressure, divine feminine rage, and the demise of toxic men.
I loved this like I loved Maeve Fly but it's actually a book I can recommend to other people whereas Maeve Fly is... decidedly not. I also think The Eyes would make a fantastic movie or series so I hope to see it get picked up somewhere in the future!
I couldn't put this down once I started. Pre-order a copy, it releases 6/25!

A read I devoured in one sitting. I wanted a little more from the ending, THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART delivers exactly what it promises with no qualms; sharp, succulent, flush with character, grief and anger.

2.5 stars

I don't read a ton of horror but after reading a few last year I remembered why I liked them and I'm an eye doctor, of course I'm fascinated with eyes, so I thought I'd give this book a try. I'm not easily grossed out, but eating the eyes were described more in depth than anything else in this book, not once, not twice, but multiple times. I often read while eating lunch. It ruined my lunch more than once. Lesson learned.

The story was okay. Ji-won seems to be having a mental breakdown, spurned on by her father leaving their family and filing for divorce from her mom. Ji-won seems like a typical college age person, but we get little insights to her past that makes me think not all has been well with her for a while. Lying, stealing, trying to create rifts between friends, etc. When her mom gets a new boyfriend, a white man who seems to be obsessed with Asian women, something in Ji-won's psyche breaks. She becomes fascinated with his blue eyes and even more so, fantasizes about eating them. Yes, eating eyeballs. Ji-won continues her downward spiral until a revelation late in the book made me wonder if there was in fact a medical reason for her issues...apparently not, because the author didn't make any effort to connect the two things.

My biggest issue was this wasn't deep on character development. There was a real opportunity here to flesh out (pardon the word choice, lol) Ji-won's character and really make this make more sense as to why she spiraled and started doing the things she did. Unfortunately, most of the characters came off as caricatures to me. There are a lot of important issues here (Asian marginalization, Asian fetish, feminism, cultural pressures, identity exploration, cultural and female degradation, etc.) but everything is just surface deep. The only place it really resonates is with Ji-won, it gets under her skin causing her to lose touch with reality and essentially become a serial killer, exacting revenge on those who have wronged her. The writing was kind of clunky, the pacing disjointed and unfortunately what I'll take away and likely remember is the gore factor and not the messages behind all the gore. My eyes are brown so I think I'm safe.

This book was hard to put down. Our main character Ji-Won has a growing hunger for eyes… In this book we get to see the development of a serial killer from a young Korean-American girl struggling in life with things just really not going her way. The ending was genius. Ji-Won is smarter in more ways than I expected in the end. How she handled the Geoffrey and George situation really put the cherry on top! Thank you NetGalley and Kensington publishing for this arc!

Ji-won is not having a good time.

Her mother is spiraling after her father abruptly abandons the family. She does not get into her dream college, but all of her closest friends do - resulting in some manipulative actions on Ji-Won’s part caused by jealousy, and ending in a rift between her and those friends. She struggles deeply her first semester of college, and worries a lot about her 15-year-old sister.

This is all bad enough - but then, just a few months after the separation, her mother starts dating a racist, misogynistic piece or garbage named George. And George has the most mesmerizing blue eyes…and so begins the slow unraveling of Ji-Won.

The book opens with a fascinating scene where Ji-Won’s mother tells her daughters about a Korean custom of eating fish eyes for good luck. As you can imagine from the title, eyes are a very key motif throughout this book. Starting with this opening scene was such a smart choice, priming readers for what’s to come.

For me, this book has two issues. First, the pacing was far too slow. It was about halfway through before we really stepped into the horror elements; we spend a lot of time in Ji-Won’s head, yet it still felt a bit abrupt when things started picking up. Something about the pacing and character development didn’t match up entirely. My second issue was with the amount of dream sequences. I almost always skim dream sequences in books because they are so rarely needed (in my opinion.) I feel like they cheapen the actual plot a bit, and that there are more effective ways to show a character is losing it.

Those critiques aside, though, I really did like this book. Once the horror starts, the visceral descriptions are ones that will surely stick with you! I felt truly disturbed, and I really liked how the story was grounded in feeling as if your family is falling apart.

I will definitely read more from Monika Kim!

I really liked "The Eyes Are the Best Part". I think it delivered what it was trying to achieve: the story was fast-paced enough, the characters were likeable (well, at least the protagonist was) and the dialogues didn't feel so repetitive. Maybe it's just my impression but some of the scenes felt over the top for me, but maybe it's just because I'm not a personal fan of the female rage trope.

Still would recommend.

A very bleak look at the making of a serial killer. The characters are believable, the writing is brilliant, and when it gets down to business it does not blink.

I really enjoyed this feminist psychological horror thriller by Monika Kim. Such a unique portrayal of the making of a female serial killer.
.
I found myself enthralled in the main character’s story. There were some intricate descriptions and imagery of her killings that I found perfectly disturbing and awesome.
.
Definitely recommend if you like horror thriller! The story follows Ji-won, who tries to keep her family together as her mom goes into a spiral of depression after their dad leaves her for another woman. Ji-won descends into a dark place herself and her behavior escalates when her mom starts to date George (a very misogynistic and racist man). Ji-won begins to have dreams of eating his blue eyes.

I love horror where we witness the mental decline of our MC, where we're unsure what is real and what's in their head, culminating in a total, usually violent, breakdown (it's not as niche as it sounds).

This story follows a family as they deal with the fall-out after a failed business, and a failed marriage. The oppressive sadness, and the cramped living space were written so well I could actually feel the dispair. The horror moments involving eyes made me legitimately uncomfortable, but in a way that's enjoyable to those of us that devour horror to feel the thrill. Ji-won's pressure to succeed, her fragile mental health, and her resentment towards a mother who falls apart without a man in her life is so relatable. Her struggle to maintain friendships and her (self) destructive behavior gave me secondhand anxiety. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Ugh it's just so well written it's crazy. I just finished it, and am already wanting to read it again. Just like with Ji-won and the fish eyes, I'm hungry for more.

The Eyes are the Best Part was a wild ride, and one I'd pay to take again. I would absolutely recommend this book to fellow horror fans, and looking forward to more from the author, Monika Kim. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Kensington Books for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐
CW: Visceral body horror, gore, murder

The book is set to be one of my favorites of 2024. While there are some minor plot holes that I think would only really bother me, this is a great dark story about second-generation immigrants, family, loyalty, and revenge.
We see all the instances and annoyances that lead Ji-Won to becoming a psychotic serial killer. Yet, this book is written so well that I never was against her. The character does horrendous things and I was routing her on every second.
I also appreciated the cultural perspective this story took. It did a great job of portraying the Korean-American experience and how that culture collides with others. It was particularly interesting to see the balance between being Korean AND American as a second generation.
The descriptions of the murder scenes were so visceral, and if you have a problem with body horror, especially with eyes, I would prepare yourself for some intense descriptions. While it grossed me out, it was so good!
I thought the guys were all horrible and deserving of their fates. George makes me feel disgusted, and his demise is so satisfying. There was also the fake feminist incel character who scared me the most just because of sinister someone like that can be in real life.
I thought the ending was a little confusing. This is where some of the plot points that didn't make sense came in. I also think the implied path that Ji-Won is about to follow doesn't feel as satisfying. But that could just be me.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC.

I think the author was trying to make a point. I guess I really didn't get it. I found this just plain boring and repetitive. The sad diary of a teenage girl struggling with her parents separation. I think she added the weird dreams and the eyeball thing in for shock value but I wasn't shocked. The ending was just plain ridiculous. Everyone else seemed to like this; clearly I'm the minority.

Well if you are a fan of the unhinged female trope in horror. You can go ahead and add this to your list. Because I think it will satiate your appetite for that kind of horror.

Ju-Won is a unique addition to this particular sub genre in horror. It’s a pretty straight forward premise. A young college student overwhelmed with life. Her father walked out on the family and now her mom is working hard to support Ju-won and her younger sister. In walks George, mom’s new boyfriend and this ultimately sets in motion Ju-won’s “unraveling” as she grows a taste for human eyeballs.

This is a serial killer origin story that delivers stomach churning gore while still providing commentary on topics such as xenophobia and generational trauma. Overall I found the story to just be okay, it was unique enough to stand out amongst other books in this sub genre, but for my personal reading experience the pacing was a bit off which didn’t make for a particularly compelling read. Additionally, I found some characters to be a bit underdeveloped.

People seem to really enjoy this one, I think this book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Maeve Fly, completely different story but very similar vibes.

Thanks so much to #netgalley, and publishers for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

**please check for trigger warnings before reading**

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART
Monika Kim

I’ve got a horror stunner for you today. I read it in early summer, and it might have been the highlight of my trip.

Let’s talk about it.

Usually, a divorce means separating from the spouse and not the children but when Ji-won’s dad left his wife he left everyone else. And in his place, in his wake a hole formed so deep and so wide no one else could fill it. And in that hole things started to fall in and become part of the darkness and the vastness of it.

Grief manifests in Ji-won as an obsession with the eyes. How they look, how they smell, the way they taste and feel between her teeth and going down her throat. Seeing everything they pass, somehow consuming all the while being consumed.

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART is about what it means when someone could so easily up and leave you. How it affects the way you see yourself. The more Ji-won starts to feel herself disappearing the more she becomes obsessed with being seen.

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART is the ultimate psychological horror book. Rarely do horror books come this polished with no confusion or meandering. It was straightforward and fantastic.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books | Erewhon Books for the advanced copy and the opportunity to provide feedback!

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART…⭐⭐⭐⭐