For me, everything about this novel was so relatable. Very reminiscent of struggling through my parents’ divorce and my mother’s new boyfriend/husband. So much in fact, that now I’m wondering how eyes taste….

Holy what did I just read???? The beginning do this book had me thinking ….oh what a nice story about a mother and her two daughters dealing with divorce. Then BAM…..here comes the eyes!
To be fair, I chose this as my (didn’t read the blurb) book for a book club challenge. So just by the title I got there was going to be some ickyness.
This book definitely did the female serial killer well. And the ending?? Well I was not ready!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is the most perfect insanity. The most perfect intense insanity. Insane intensity. Intensely good, perfectly written, and insanely awesome.
The book is fascinating. Unique. Weird.
The ending. THE ENDING. It got me grinning like a crazy person. The ultra-satisfying ending, it almost made me cry how good it was. I finished reading it last night, and I’m still grinning as I think of this book’s ending. This book and its ending now live in my head rent-free.
Ji-won, my love. My unhinged book love. She is the best. I may finally have a book crush.
This is the next-level thriller, next-level horror, next-level feminist rage, next-level everything. This book is everything. Next-level everything. The world desperately needs more books like this one. Although there most definitely is no book shortage out there, nope, the opposite is in fact true, books are everywhere, they are in huge abundance, yet somehow there are so, so very few books like this one. I cannot believe this book is the author’s debut. It does not read like someone’s first book. What it does feel like though is this – whatever Monika Kim ever writes next, I will be there for it. I will be the first one in line to get it and read it. to devour it. With my eyes. Because, after all, the eyes ARE the best part.
The book’s pub date is set to… June. JUNE. That’s like a lifetime away. I feel like when this June comes, this book will be everywhere. I feel like this book is going to be so big. So big and such a big deal, there is just no other way for a book like this one.

As a whole, I really did enjoy this novel as it not only was short with short chapters, but it also presented multiple important themes such as generational trauma and racism in a cohesive manner that allowed the story to keep its own proper flow. My only critique would be that I felt as though there was a somewhat lack of danger or threat of getting caught nearing the end of the novel. Overall, I was hooked from the beginning pretty quickly and felt that the pacing was great as it did not feel rushed or too slow that it became a slog to read.

What an unhinged master piece!
Such an original concept!
The eyes are the best part, tells the story of Ji-Won and her family after her father leaves. Lots happen but to not bury the lead here, she becomes obsessed with eating blue eyes.

I know I sound like a broken record, but this is yet another reason to continue promoting and uplifting women in horror, especially diverse women in horror!

The uncomfortability that Monika Kim is able to portray through scenes with Geoffrey and George, the lens of the female experience and further the Asian American experience is as beautiful as it is devastating. All paired with just the right amount of body horror, and fantastic ending.

Read this - you will not be disappointed

And again more female more diverse more queer horror always!

I was so excited to receive an arc of this book. Every booktuber I subscribe to and every booktoker I follow had also received an arc of this book. I thought this was completely unhinged in the best way. The ending was perfection.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and the book’s kind publisher for approving me for an ARC of this book. This book immediately captures attention with it’s beautifully designed cover. I knew from that moment that whatever laid between was going to be deliciously horrifying, and then I read the description. The part that grabbed me was, “For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.” What woman doesn’t want the chance to tear apart our patriarchal world every once awhile? Honestly, I love this era of feminine rage literature, it’s quite soothing to my soul.

What I Liked:

-The general premise, of course. Like I said, I enjoy a good dose of female rage, and they can be tricky to do. It’s like those “girl boss” moments in Hollywood films. Do I want strong female characters? Yes! Do I still roll my eyes 90% of the time Hollywood attempts it? Also, yes. I think it comes from a lack of authenticity, which is not a problem this book suffers. It’s clear that the author has felt or been adjacent to this anger, as many women have, and in a world that judges female emotions, there is something deeply satisfying about being angry and forcing the world to take it seriously. Though, to be clear, I don’t actually condone murder.

-Moments of Ji-won’s relationship with her mother. I say moments because I think her Umma cuts a tragic figure and I found it hard to share Ji-won’s anger at times. One moment, I thought was particularly strong was when she was taking care of her mother and noticed the role reversal of the daughter now parenting the parent. It made me recall The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Though the previous book is a memoir, I still felt there was a bit of a juxtaposition between the two. Thi Bui had to give up the role of “child” to find peace with her parents as people while Ji-won is that raw anger. Which I certainly believe there is a place for in these kinds of dynamics. Anger is not inherently negative and it deserves to be recognized and in the scope of fiction an ode to that anger is intriguing and captivating.

-I loved Alexis’ character and I think she was criminally underused. I honestly think that this book had the room to make their relationship a sub-plot. I also think that had we delved deeper into that subplot it would have made Geoffrey so much more interesting, because we could’ve seen his charade slowly fall apart as he forces his proximity to Ji-won and the damage to his ego as Alexis is able to see and relate to Ji-won in a way he can’t. I would’ve highly enjoyed watching him fall apart, but a lot of it happens off screen.

Which leads to the few things I didn’t like/could’ve been better. The pacing felt off to me. I think it was a good 40% of the book before the “action” begins. Which had we focused on Alexis, Ji-won, and Geoffrey wouldn’t be so bad, because we could still have had that psychological tug of war between the three which would devolve into the action of the last half of the book.

I also wish the villains or racists or misogynist characters where a bit more subtle. Of course, there are people who are cartoonishly evil, just turn on Fox News, but I think the true insidiousness comes from the subtle ways it is expressed. Which would pair nicely with the psychological aspect of this psychological horror. It requires readers to think deeper and evaluate themselves more, in my opinion. I think one good example of this was Geoffrey’s gift to Ji-won. When I first read it, I thought to myself, “I would love that gift. I’ve been looking for a nice pair so I can stop using disposables.” Then he mentioned the alternative gift and I immediately went, “Oh, hell no!” Which made me pause and think about the context, intention, and identities of each of the characters and my own personal context.

The ending also killed me for two reasons. One, was, what I think, was a slight error. Without spoilers, all I can say is, as a child of chronically ill parents, I feel like the author forgot that patients are usually hooked up to some kind of monitoring that is accessible by the nurses’ station. However, I am also not a medical professional, so maybe I am wrong. The second, is because just when I’m hyped up and ready for Ji-won’s revenge extravaganza, the book just ends. Leaving me without what would’ve been the most satisfying part of the book! I was nearly rabid when I saw that 100% completed on my kindle. Please, Ms. Kim, where is the rest of the book?!? I need to know how it plays out!

All in all, it was an enjoyable book and a solid debut for the author.

I am usually down for whatever in prose but ohhh man did this one have me skimming in some of the more balls-to-the-wall gross parts. And I thought I had a pretty high tolerance for cannibalism!! This was a weird, dark, unusual take on body horror, madness, and obsession anchored by a fantastically intriguing main character.

Given the squishy chaos of a lot of the narration I thought that the ending wrapped things up a bit too neatly, while also leaving some plot threads dangling that I would have liked to see a little more expansion on. I think the structure of this book would work specifically for a (very gross) TV show, as I don't necessarily need a follow-up novel here, but I do think there's a lot of very rich material to expand on and I'd like to know more about these characters and what they get up to from here. HBO Max given Monika Kim a call, please!

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5 ⭐️ Okay, wow. I’m obsessed with this book. It may be one of my new favorite horror novels! The Eyes are the Best Part is such a unique story. The ending was soo satisfying and I was actually surprised with how it ended! This book is UNHINGED, raw, emotional, and sometimes a little gross (which I think we all love a bit).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review! Pub date 6-25-2024

The Eyes are the Best Part follows two sisters and their mother in the wake of their father leaving them in an extra-marital affair. With their mother crushed and hollowed out inside, Jiwon our main character starts her freshman year at college. The first half of the book is really important to character building and learning the intricacies of the family dynamics, and the relationships between mother and daughters, and the sisters.

Things take a turn when their mother brings home a man named George, a messy racist Asian fetishist white man who takes an interest not only in their mother, but in them, and their Asian waitresses when they go out to eat.

Around this time Jiwon begins to form an obsession with blue eyes, and realizes she has a hunger for eyeballs.

The entire book was a wild ride, I flew through the entire thing. Rooting for Jiwon, disgusted by the sexism and the comments that came from George’s mouth, anticipating what would happen next. If you can make it through the build up (slow but interesting) you’re in for the ride of your life through the next half.

Feminist horror has to be one of my favorite things these days. New authors with fresh perspectives and ideas in fiction, I’d read anything Kim published after this. I need a copy of this on my shelves.

The trigger warnings I gathered include: abandonment, infidelity, cannibalism, racism, fetishism, misogyny, body horror, stalking, and pedophilia

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim comes out June 25, 2024.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Monika Kim and Kensington Books for allowing me the pleasure of reading this eARC version of The Eyes are the Best Part in exchange for an honest review.

I first learned about this book from an online forum and was enthralled by the synopsis and first few hundred words. I was so excited to be able to get my hands on an advance copy, so thank you NetGalley for this opportunity!

The Eyes Are the Best Part is a chilling contemporary horror about a young Korean woman whose life is upended after her father has an extramarital affair and abandons his family. Her mother, an insecure wreck, hastily jumps into a relationship with George, a white man with a clear-as-day Asian fetish. The protagonist, Ji-won, soon starts having dreams about eating blue eyes that look like George's, and as her family and academic life unravels, so does her mental state.

I devoured this book in less than 2 days. The pacing keeps you on your toes, hungry for more, and the ending was deliciously unexpected but satisfying. I felt sympathetic to Ji-won and her sister and disgusted with the older adults in their lives. There were some chapters that paint the family's history in an illuminating light and I found these passages to be especially well-written; I appreciated that Appa and Umma are both given compelling backstories that allow for nuance in interpretation of their motives in the current day.

My only real criticism is that the social commentary felt heavy-handed at times, especially in the characterization of the antagonists. I found myself wishing for more subtext to explore and subtlety in the description of their clothes, the bumper stickers on their car, etc. as they read much more one-dimensional than the other characters, but I tend to favor stories with more complex villains and I realize this is not that kind of book.

Overall, I found The Eyes Are the Best Part to be a thrilling read and will continue to recommend it to friends and family who enjoy darker stories. This is a strong debut from Monika Kim and I look forward to reading more from her!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with this ARC. This was a fun, fast read! Unhinged female main character, female rage, unfair expectations placed on daughters, racism, sexism, fetishization, performative activism – this book covers A LOT, and it does so succinctly. I enjoyed reading the gory parts; they were detailed and gross in the best way. I felt for our female characters, particularly Ji-hyun, and felt like I got to know them all well. I understood each of their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. Ji-won, our protagonist and the queen of gaslighting, was entertaining, making the short book unexpectedly funny.

Do note that the book is heavy-handed at times, and the antagonists in the story are very unlikeable, to the point that it's almost too much at times. I wish that either of the main antagonists had a bit more nuance. One antagonist, who I think the reader was supposed to like at first, was a blaringly obvious walking red flag. The other antagonist was dumb and did not challenge the main character as much as I would have expected. This inevitably caused the book to lack the tension it needed to make it more high-stakes for Ji-Won. I never thought she was in danger of getting caught for her ... questionable actions, and the ending only reinforced that. Besides an unnecessary reveal in the final chapters, I liked how the book ended though (see: gaslighting queen).

This is a 3.5 for me, but I'm rounding it up to a 4.

I'm so grateful to have been able to read this ARC, and I'm excited to see what Monika Kim writes in the future!

What immediately caught my attention in this book was its title and cover. It caught me off guard as it seemed to be something I had never read about before which instantly peaked my interest. I could not begin to image what I was about to encounter.

The Eyes Are the Best Part follows our main character Ji-won, an 18-year-old college student living with her mother and younger sister. After her father leaves the home to be with his new love affair, the entire family is left to deal with their emotions and the feeling of being abandoned. Each of them handles this differently, but the following unfolding of events takes Ji-won to the extreme.

Exploring themes of sexism, racism, female rage, and losing control, this book does an amazing job at depicting strong emotions, taking the reader in an absurd and extreme journey of what can make us tick after a traumatic experience. I felt a turmoil of emotions: compassion, disgust, surprise, and revolt, all the while being deeply engulfed in the story, the main character's inner struggles and experiences.

This is one of the best books I have ever read and I can't wait to read more of Monica Kim's work.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark books with some insanity, as well as a wild ride. I would not recommend this book to someone who is squeamish and is looking for a relaxing read.

Thank you NetGalley and Erewhon Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Four stars rounded down to a solid 3.5. When I saw the cover and read the blurb, I immediately requested it, and then crossed my fingers and toes it would be approved 😂

Deranged in the best way, the story follows 18-year-old Ji-won and her Korean-American family. Touching on topics of race, misogyny, generational trauma, as well as the pressures that come with being an immigrant family and the oldest sibling, this book explores it all. I enjoyed Ji-won's slow descent into madness, and loved seeing a female serial killer for once! There's obviously body horror and gore (I mean, just look at the cover), but it's relevant to the story and not too over-the-top. The chapters are short, and I felt like I flew through it. The one thing I was a little disappointed in was the quick resolution -- I wanted a bit more there.

Overall though, an excellent female rage horror read! This book comes out June 25, 2024, so make sure to add it to your list!

"The Eyes Are The Best Part" manages the one-two punch, in equal parts, against your heart strings and gag reflex. From one page to the next, Monika Kim somehow leaves you hungry for more after rolling your stomach like wet rice paper. Fans of Agustina Bazterrica's "Tender Is The Flesh" should skip lunch and feast on this, the best gross out good read of 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I loved this book. It’s very readable, I couldn’t put it down. Nothing too crazy happens until 60% of the way through, but I wasn’t bored for a second. I would call it anticipation with a side of dread.
I enjoyed the substitute for the MC’s desires in similarly textured foods and her slow decent into temptation.
I was fooled into thinking there was going to be a tired ending, only to have it wrapped up perfectly.
I will say that body horror isn’t always my thing. If it’s yours there are some parts of this book you’re going to love. It’s done well and in small doses that have a bigger impact for their brevity. It’s deliciously gory, no pun intended.
I think this would be a good choice for fans of Maeve Fly.

January 12, 2024 - 5 Stars!
Thank you so much Net Galley for the advanced reader copy! This incredible book comes out in late June, 2024, and the hype surrounding it already is well deserved. 5/5 stars. I'm calling it now, this book is going to win awards.

For the lovers of the unhinged, angry, "good for her", and "I support women's wrongs", this fever dream of a book is for you. "The Eyes Are The Best Part" is fast paced, but the characters are incredibly well developed. You sit down to eat with and sleep next to this family in their apartment, feeling the claustrophobia, grief, frustration, and love between them.

Ji-won is struggling with things most young women have to face: sexism, performative activism, the pressures of university, and navigating friendships and potential romance. But she also has to deal with racism, white saviorism, Asian fetishization, and the hardships of supporting her mother/Umma after her father's/Appa's swift departure from their lives. As she descends further into anxiety and anger, her mother then begins to date George, an insufferable manipulator. It all becomes too much for Ji-Won, and the tension builds from there.

I love books with sister relationships. The body horror was foul but so necessary. And I was surprised at how much this book made me laugh. A tender yet twisted masterpiece.

18 year old Ji-Won is a Korean American college student living with her family when suddenly her father leaves and her life changes. The story follows through her eyes as she heads toward becoming a killer. I really enjoyed this one, the plot moved forward quickly as she changed. Some of the descriptions were gory enough to make me squirm but never enough that I wanted to put the book down. I feel like reading this one again will bring it all kinds of hidden clues and Easter eggs, leading to the surprising finale. I will definitely be looking for more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read the advanced copy.

This has an interesting premise but I ultimately found it lacking, I felt there wasn’t enough motivation for the main character and plot points that would have added a lot of context were skimmed over. The ending felt rushed and way too convenient.

Oh my gosh— how creepy and wonderful. For all the fans of “i support women’s wrongs” (think A Certain Hunger, Blood Sugar, My Year of Rest & Relaxation). This is just an absolutely pleasure to read.