The Eyes Are the Best Part was my favorite thriller of 2023.

This story is about Ji-Won, a college age Korean-American girl whose parents separate at the beginning of the book. Her mother is a sweet but naive older woman who begins dating a white man that fetishizes asian women.

While these changes are occuring in Ji-Won's life, she forms an obsession with consuming blue eyeballs.

This was so fresh and different from most of the thrillers I read. My favorite thing about a good thriller is when I am just as invested in the characters as I am the plot, and Kim did a GREAT job with this. I loved Ji-Won and reading about her relationship with her sister, watching her make friends, and navigating these new changes in her life. I think this shift she is dealing with is something MANY of us can relate to, and it only made the story more compelling.

The eye horror was incredible. It wasn't overdone, it wasn't masterfully sprinkled in just enough to leave you wanting more.

If you love unhinged women and want to diversify your thriller/horror reads in 2024, you need to add this one to your list.

(Also I loveddd the ending!)

*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 stars. I genuinely don’t know where to begin.

Let’s start with: if you really want to experience this story the right way, close Goodreads, wait until the story gets published and buy it the second it is. It’s good. Trust me bro.

And now for the review: this book was so so so good. Unhinged, creepy, disgusting, angry, sad but also lovely and cute at times. If you support women’s wrongs, this book is for you.

The main character shows her true colors the further you get into the story, and the seemingly small details depicted at the beginning become so important in understanding her character and motive. You start out rooting for her, getting to know her situation and her bond with her mother and sister. Her father left her, you’ll say, anyone would become resentful in her situation. She has a world of responsibility on her shoulders due to her mother being extremely fragile emotionally and her sister only being fifteen years old. She has to juggle her classes and her mother’s new love life and her little sister’s big feelings about it all so <i>of course</i> it would become too much for her at some point. Then things become crazier and crazier, and you realize that this girl definitely has a few screws loose, and it becomes harder and harder to justify the actions she’s taking. Her way of deflecting blame and ignoring any accountability for her wrongdoings tell early signs of the things she’s capable of doing later on.

There’s also a (hinted?) sapphic romance and it confused the hell out of me. I loved Ji-won’s relationship with Alexis, but sometimes I really wanted to grab the sweet girl by the shoulders and tell her to RUN.

Her hallucinations were disorienting and just plain confusing at times (in a good way). You never truly know if she’s genuinely being followed, if she’s actually watching someone while they’re sleeping or if she’s really about to murder someone. I’m still on the fence if some dialogue has even really happened or not, but I’m also not sure if I’m just unnecessarily complicating it.

I had to time reading this book outside of eating-hours. The depictions of cartilage, goo, fluid while chomping down on fish eyes on literally the first page made me prepare for the obvious progression of events that were waiting for me in this book. Before this, I thought I was capable of keeping a poker face while reading even the most demented things, but that illusion was soon shattered when a friend asked me why I looked so sour during yet another extremely detailed description of eyeballs on teeth.

The mom was written really well. I had to do my best not to get angry during her narcissistic tangents. One of them really hit close to home:

"Fine," Umma snaps. "If neither of you care about me, I'll go crawl in a hole and die. You'll both wish you were nicer to me when I'm gone."

This paragraph awakened an anger that for years laid dormant somewhere inside of my brain, and I think anybody who has had an upbringing with a narcissistic parent will say the same. It’s so accurate. That’s all I can really say. The mom goes from crying about her separation to glueing herself to a man that shows her kindness once in the grocery store she works at, and makes her children (who are ALSO mourning the man that left them behind, their fucking <i>father</i>) meet this guy after a short month of dating him. She THEN lets him move in a little while after, and oh my god I didn’t think I could relate this much to a book about a female serial killer (this is not by any means me hinting at anything please don’t lock me up). He turns out to be—surprise surprise—a fetishizing asshole, and you really share the hatred Ji-won feels, praying he gets what’s coming for him.

The sisterly bond is also described exceptionally well, and I really loved the way they’d go from laughing and tickling/play-fighting each other to slamming doors and promising they’ll hate each other forever. Nothing short of amazing.

I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, but I think everything came together nicely. I do think some things in this story were a bit too conveniently placed/timed, but that’s easily overlooked with the amazing writing and fast paced chapters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and of course the author and publisher for lending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Song on loop: Geometric - Akin Sevgör

A fun page-turner, though the execution can be better at some parts for me. I especially love the characterization with how realistic they are, and the mental spiraling of the main characters throughout the story's progression is riveting and painfully relatable sometimes. However, I can only give this a 3 stars as the narrative is a little uninspired. The prose doesn't showcase the needed urgency at some of the plot points, and personally the short, punchy chapters didn't work for me towards the end.

After seeing others reviews of this book and hearing what it was about I was dying to get my hands on it. This was incredible and everything I could have hoped for and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Excited for publication day when I can add the physical copy to my shelves! This was an incredible book to start my year off with!

Monika Kim's "The Eyes Are the Best Part" is a gripping and psychologically intense novel that delves into the unsettling journey of its protagonist, Ji-won, set against the backdrop of Korean-American culture. This dark and atmospheric narrative explores themes of obsession, resentment, and the pursuit of the unconventional in a truly unique and captivating way.

From the very first page, Monika Kim's writing style is nothing short of remarkable. Her prose effortlessly draws readers into a world filled with vivid and haunting imagery that lingers in the mind long after the book is closed. Kim's storytelling approach is both distinctive and immersive, making the reading experience a memorable one.

The characters in the story are portrayed with depth and complexity, making them feel relatable and, at times, deeply flawed. Ji-won, as the central character and unreliable narrator, invites readers into her distorted world, allowing them to experience the narrative through her eyes. Despite the characters' imperfections and the tensions that arise between them, readers will find themselves connecting with their emotions and motivations.

What truly sets this book apart is its ability to maintain an unrelenting grip on the reader's attention. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, along with eerie and suspenseful moments that keep the atmosphere tense throughout. Ji-won's gradual descent into obsession, particularly her fixation on blue eyes, adds a layer of unease and anticipation that never wavers.

While some elements of the plot may be anticipated by readers, this sense of expectation only enhances the book's allure. Monika Kim skillfully crafts a narrative that is both suspenseful and thought-provoking, keeping readers engaged until the final page.

"The Eyes Are the Best Part" is a brilliant and subversive exploration of themes such as family dynamics, obsession, and the hidden darkness within us all. Monika Kim's fresh and distinctive voice in the realm of horror literature leaves readers captivated and hungry for more. Whether you are seeking a psychological thriller or a profound examination of the human psyche, this book comes highly recommended. It is a compelling and unsettling read that will leave a lasting impression and linger in your thoughts long after you've finished reading.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Here is my honest review:

This book pulled me in from the first page and didnt let me go until I had finished. Having lived in South Korea for 4.5 years, I have a soft spot for Korean culture so I was so excited to read this book. The book is very much steeped in Korean-American culture. The book follows a mother and her two daughters after her husband leaves her for another woman. Their mother is distraught, holding out hope that he will return, holding vigil by the front door in case he decides to come back. This leads the mother to cook a traditional Korean dish that comforts her, whole fish. She tells her daughters of the magical properties of the eyes, namely that if eaten they give the person who ate them good luck. Ji-won and her sister are disgusted when their Umma brings out the whole fish for dinner and eats the eyes. But, she is undetter, she is actually pleased that she doesn’t have to share with them, claiming she needs all the luck she can get. That is really where Ji-won’s story takes off. She eventually eats a fish eye as a show of solidarity with her mother and becomes consumed with her obsession with eyes. Particularly with blue eyes, she discovers this after her mother brings home a new boyfriend George (a white man, with piercing blue eyes and an affinity to fetishize Asian women). She first becomes fixated on them, researching them on the library computer, dreaming about them, fantasizing about the taste, etc. This is all happening simultaneously as her mother shrinks herself down to fit with this man whom Ji-won and her sister both hate immediately. Not to mention she is trying her best not to crumble under the pressure of her first year at college which is proving to be a bigger challenge than she expected. As we follow Ji-won during this tumultuous time in her life, she is slipping further and further into her own delusions and obsessions. Ji-won’s slow descent into madness was an irresistible delight. She pushes most people away and is unable to stop herself when an opportunity presents itself for her to finally get a taste of what she desires. The body horror in this book is not to be trifled with. I was cringing hard reading some of the passages in this book but I loved it! That’s when the stakes get very high and I was in suspense wondering 1) if Monika Kim would cop out at the end and 2) if Ji-won would make it out of this story alive and free. But, Kim does not back down. The end was so deliciously delectable that I couldn’t dream of giving this anything less than five stars! Please read this book. I can guarantee you that you have not read anything quite like it before.

What a delightful read! I was rooting for Ji-won the whole way through. The gross bits are gross, the sibling relationship is real and gripping, and the ending is pitch perfect.

This was a delicious, fast-paced thriller, centered around the fetishization of asian women (particularly from white men), as well as the way that generational trauma unfolds upon everyone. I found it easy to follow, as well as a realistic portrayal of a serial killer in the making. Some parts felt a bit like they weren't fleshed out, and didn't entirely make sense to me as a result-- I would have loved to see more between Ji-won and Alexis. Nevertheless, an excellent feminine rage thriller!

Delicious! Fast paced, page turner with a problematic protagonist that you can’t help but root for.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

5 stars.

I started this book at the end of 2023 and finished it the beginning of 2024, what a wonderfully disturbed way to start the new year! I loved every second of this book.

Ji-won is headstrong, smart, and unhinged. What more could you want in a young woman? She sees and understands more than she lets on and she’s going to grab this problem by the eyes (wait that’s not the right phrase?) and solve it!

This book is for those of us who support women’s rights… AND wrongs 🤪


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, I can’t wait to add this to my shelf upon its release.

This was sooo awesome! I couldn’t stop reading all day. Creepy in the best way. Loved it!
Recommend to anyone that likes horror!

The Eyes Are The Best Part took me by surprise in the best way. Kim’s writing was phenomenal and I love how she incorporated a family storyline into the horror. We need more strong female authors in the horror genre and I look forward to reading more of Kim’s work.

I had high expectations for this and it was absolutely brilliant! The narrator Ji-won had me hooked into the story straight away and Monika Kim managed to perfectly balance horror alongside heartfelt and emotional moments.

I am a total wimp when it comes to scary books, but OMG I could not stop reading this. It was twisted and disgusting in the most addictive way. It had so much to say about misogyny, race, and class, but doesn't beat you over the head with it. I'm so excited about this debut and can't wait to see what other amazing grossness Monika Kim will come up with next. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book delivered the bizarre, unhinged, hot girl horror I wanted. I loved the slow descent into deeper and deeper rage as Ji-won faced the hardship of parenting her own mother and consoling her younger sister while dealing with racism and misogyny. The imagery was deliciously disgusting, and the story had so many unique elements.

The only reason it is not a full 5 star is a couple details seemed just a bit too convenient or totally random, and I wanted a little more complexity and exploration from Ji-won and Alexis's relationship.

This one is for fans of the unwell women literary genre, Eliza Clark, and Mona Awad—The Eyes Are the Best Part is both an inventive psychological horror and an extremely impressive debut novel. Monika Kim is an author I’ll be keeping on my radar for sure!

Kim’s book is a clever analysis of the male gaze with a pretty fantastic on-the-nose eye-eating metaphor as the main plot, but it also hits on female rage, sexism, the fetishization of Asian culture, performative activism, and the pressures of family members coming apart around you. The horror sequences are well-written, as is the book in general—this has strong prose for a debut and a consistent tone. The beginning was somehow cozy despite how dark it was, and the author does a great job inserting the reader into the life of this family and their dynamics while keeping the focus on the protagonist. Also, every single eyeball-eating description had me wanting to protect my eyes; I could practically feel myself eating one. That kind of immersion is rare in horror and definitely praise-worthy.

A lot of the characters and symbols are pretty heavy-handed, almost satirical, but I think it works—it actually adds some footholds to Ji-won’s unreliable narration and makes for a fun read. Geoffrey is always an over-the-top activist; George is always an over-the-top racist. Both of them get called out hard, and the book quickly becomes impossible to put down. At about 35% I was totally engrossed and ended up reading the rest in one sitting. Recommended!

Five star read! Brilliant psychological and body horror that was both extremely creepy and provided interesting social commentary. Kept me guessing and I definitely didn't see the ending coming. Ji-won was such a compellingly written character that I found myself rooting for her even as I became more and more horrified by her actions. A truly mind-bending book! Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Book for and ARC copy of this book.
I tried really hard to love this book. I just didn't. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the story itself. It felt like it took a really long time to get anywhere in this story at all. So much to the point that I actually ended up not even finishing the book. I may go back and try to finish it at some point but I'm doubting I ever will. It wasn't really what I had expected the book to be and while some parts of the book were absolutely gruesome and the author was EXTREMELY detailed about eating eyes and the taste, the feel, and other details I began wondering if the author actually ate eyeballs in real life, aside from the gory details though it just wasn't the kind of story that drew me in and kept me reading to the end.

This was a fantastic horror story! It took a little bit to really get to the horror but once it gets started, it really delivers. I found the main character very engaging and the way in which she deals with the issues around her are....interesting to say the least. I would definitely recommend this to any horror fan!

Wow!this was masterful mama's little psycho. This was so twisted in the best possible way. I totally enjoyed this. I received this as an ARC and voluntarily choose to reveiw. From Netgallery.