I started The Eyes Are the Best Part yesterday morning, devoured half of it before tearing myself away for a music festival, found myself thinking about it between sets, crashed upon arriving home, then finished it today in a single feverish, sunburned second sitting.

Both delicious and grotesque, this debut is as propulsive as it is repulsive, as clever as it is shocking; its intelligence and social commentary more than justifies its violence for the average reader, and for horror fans, that same violence is the gelatinous, dripping-red sphere (I mean... cherry) on top of one fucked-up sundae. It's definitely one for the female-rage/unhinged-woman crowd, of which I am a proud member. I would also recommend it to fans of Eliza Clark and Sayaka Murata. You won't want to miss this.

I read this book in a few hours! It was very easy to read and want to keep going to know what would happen in the end. I love books that grab you from the start.

This is a debut novel from Monika Kim and I would definitely read more from her in the future.

The book is a great mix of real themes like family relationships and the very bizarre. If you are looking for something a little different, check out The Eyes are the Best Part. Oh, and maybe don’t eat anything while reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Monika Kim, and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read The Eyes are the Best Part. I have written this review voluntarily.

“The Eyes Are The Best Part” is a psychological thriller that begins as a family drama. A mother and her two daughters are devastated when the father leaves the family for another woman. As the mother spirals into a deeper and deeper depression, the older daughter, Ji-won, feels responsible for holding the family together. Out of desperation and loneliness, the mother moves into a quick relationship with a horrible man, leaving Ji-won feeling even more hopeless and vulnerable, wanting nothing more than to keep her family safe. The second half of the book takes a turn where everything reaches a boiling point and Ji-won’s unraveling begins to escalate.

The plot and the need to know what happens will keep you turning the pages, but this is a slow burn. There are many dream sequences to show Ji-won’s mental state, and background info on the parents as well as Ji-won. While I do highly recommend this book, you’ll be disappointed if you’re going into it expecting a fast-paced thriller.

“The Eyes Are The Best Part” will be released on June 25, 2024. I suspect it will be one of the most talked about and debated books of the year. Congratulations to author Monika Kim on a unique future bestseller. Thank you for the opportunity to read in advance!

Okay this just become one of my favorite reads of the year. I absolutely loved how at the start this read more like a traditional family drama that slowly twists into horror. Loved the main character and it was so satisfying seeing her exact her revenge. I did expect this to be more gruesome and messed up, but I was pleasantly surprised with how effective the author managed to make it with her subtle writing.

Another great addition to the "good for her " -horror genre.

Gonna keep my eyes out for the author's upcoming work as well.

Asking for a friend, is it possible for me to have one of my top five for 2024 already? Obviously that might be a bit heavy-handed but I will say this: THE EYES OF THE BEST PART is probably easily one of my favorite reads of 2023.

When I saw this arc on netgalley the cover immediately drew me in, but when I read the description I knew this was one I was going to try to get my hands on. Cannibalism? Feminism? And unhinged female lead doing the most? Sold. Sold. And yeah, sold again.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this story, it was fast without feeling rushed and I felt like all the characters were people that you would legitimately meet (some / most, unfortunately so). Due to time constraints it takes me longer to get through written books than it does audiobooks but I still devoured this one as quickly as possible.

Even though it's not even out officially I'm excited for more from Monika Kim and will be keeping my eyes (heh) out. Thank you to both netgalley and Erewhon books for the arc.

If the opportunity presents itself to grab a copy of this come June,or you're waffling about snagging it - , I definitely would recommend giving it a read and I will be singing the book's praises upon its release.

like gwen stefani once said, this shit is bananas, but like in the best way possible.

i enjoyed watching our main character descent more and more into a fever-dream like madness. this one's so unhinged and feral and i ate up every wild second of it. couldn't help but draw comparisons to "chlorine" by jade song, which i read and enjoyed this year.

will say that the various descriptions of eating eyeballs made my stomach turn.

many thanks to net galley and the publishers for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Roses are red
Irises are blue
The anti-hero we need
Is within you

This is a "good for her" body horror masterpiece.

The story rages against the patriarchy, white saviorism, performative activism, and Asian fetisization. This novel brought out the same fiery passion in me that I experienced while reading Slewfoot.

An impressive debut from an author who is destined for success; palja be damned.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC. I screamed when I saw I was approved for this one!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I felt like I wanted this to be MORE unhinged. It’s weird that I didn’t think there was enough craziness in a book about a girl who’s obsessed with eating eyeballs. I loved the story and I love unapologetic women serial killers. They are my favorite. Getting revenge on the men who wronged them? The best. One of my early complaints was how long it took for things to hit the fan, but it got there and it was good when it did.

I love books that give me an insight to other cultures. Ji-won is Korean and she lives in a tiny apartment with her family. After her Father runs off with another women, her family is torn apart and her mother isn’t sure how to go on anymore. Until she meets George.

I HATED George. The fetishism and the way he ogled underaged girls made my skin crawl. Also all the casual misogyny and racism that the characters display make this an eye opening (pun intended) read. I usually hate the “men bad” plot line that a lot of books and movies use where every single man in the story is the worst, but I gave this one a pass.

The ending was weirdly touching to me and I wanted to know what happened after. Another unhinged Queen to add to my list of anti hero faves.

A story of female rage.
Equally heart wrenching as it is violent.

Ji-Won doesn't feel like herself lately. Between struggling with college, lack of sleep, having her father walk out on their family, and now her umma's new boyfriend. All the men she's encountered in her life seem to treat women like objects that they own and can control. And Ji-Won is sick of it and is full of a fury that needs to be fed.

I absolutely loved Ji-Won's character and was completely sympathetic towards her struggles and the extent she goes to to keep her family from falling apart. Great literary horror.
I know that this is a feminist story. So just keep in mind that all of the male characters are painted in a very bad light.
I can't wait to read another of Ms Kim's books!
I highly recommend to both thriller and horror aficionados

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Erewhon Books, and Monika Kim for an advanced copy of this book!

Wow. This story was so hard for me to put down! I enjoyed the slow burn of Ji-won's descent into becoming a serial killer. It was disgusting, yet satisfying! Also, it was unique to focus on a female serial killer, which I rarely see in literature.

When Ji-won's father leaves their family, she and her sister are left to pick up the pieces and console their mother. Eventually their mother starts dating again, and the man she brings into their lives is a truly horrible human. After years of dealing with misogyny, racism, and fetishism, Ji-won has had enough and decides to take matters into her own hands.

I loved the short chapters, it made reading this story go by so quickly. However, the pacing of the plot was more of a slow burn, with Ji-won slowly building up to becoming a serial killer and essentially coming into her own way of doling out justice. Every detail of the story contained some event that just built on years of the mistreatment she endured by all types of men in her life. I like to think of her as an anti-hero, because even though what she was doing was morally wrong on every level, it still felt satisfying seeing these men essentially getting what they deserved.

To me, this book was perfect from start to finish; enough to make you emotionally invested and disgusting at times, but not too over-the-top as to take away from the actual plot. I cannot wait to read more from Monika Kim in the future!

3.5 stars

I went into this with extremely high expectations since the synopsis sounded like this could potentially be my new favorite book, encompassing everything I love to read about. However, somewhere along the way, I could feel myself losing interest as the story progressed due to its very slow pacing, too many dream sequences, and a lack of action. I also wasn't on board with the abrupt ending; it left me wanting more, and I wished for more character exploration because I feel like her unraveling was done too quickly to seem organic. On the other hand, I absolutely cherished the concise chapters and insightful commentary on various topics such as the male gaze, codependent relationships, female rage, the impact of divorce, Asian fetish, family dynamics, womanhood, and so much more woven into the narrative. Ultimately, I found myself drawing comparisons to other books with similar themes that, in my view, executed them more effectively.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

"The Eyes Are the Best Part" by Monika Kim is a feminist psychological horror novel that explores the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective. The story follows Ji-won as her life spirals into chaos after her father's extramarital affair and subsequent departure.

Ji-won's family is left shattered by her father's actions – her mother is distraught, her younger sister is hurt and confused, and Ji-won's academic performance is suffering. In the midst of this turmoil, Ji-won begins to have horrifying yet enticing dreams. In these dreams, she walks through bloody rooms filled with eyes, specifically succulent blue eyes that resemble those of George, her mother's obnoxious new boyfriend.

George has overstayed his welcome in Ji-won's family's apartment. He boasts about his job, behaves condescendingly toward Ji-won and her sister, and shows disrespectful behavior. Ji-won is determined to ensure that George gets what he deserves. As she navigates her life on campus, a string of victims begins to accumulate, and Ji-won's hunger and rage grow, leading her down a dangerous path of deception and manipulation.

Set against the backdrop of a family falling apart, "The Eyes Are the Best Part" is a subversive and inventive novel that delves into themes of unraveling, revenge, and the search for connection. Monika Kim's storytelling promises to captivate readers with its unique perspective and bold exploration of horror.

I really didn’t know what I was getting into here.

Between the title and the cover and the description, I was…worried.

Reader, it was terrific!

While this does get pretty surreal eventually, it’s also a powerful story of grief, family and culture. I adored Ji-won and her sister and had so much empathy for Umma. (George needed death.)

As Ji-won starts unraveling, so does her family, and it’s both tragic and fascinating.

A surprisingly good story!

• ARC via Publisher

Eye-Tea G-I-R-L

Feminist Psych Horror, brilliantly done.

A Korean/American girl is fed up with the male gaze, and becomes obsessed with eyes...

Loved it! I don’t want to spoil it for others, so again, loved it!
Looking forward to more from Monika Kim!! Thank you so much for the ARC!

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!

Ooh, boy, this one was grotesque! And I mean that in the best possible way! You know how people are all about unhinged women and supporting women's wrongs? If that's what you're into, this book is for you! It's a nasty one! It did get a little predictable in a few places, but that might just be a personal problem, since I watch a ton of horror movie and have basically seen it all. It was still super fun to read! All the racism poor (Poor? I don't think that's right) Ji-won experienced was gross, but it made sense to include it within the story. I liked the pacing, too! It was quite quick, with short chapters, which is always a plus for me.

I give The Eyes Are The Best Part five stars out of five! What a great read!

THIS BOOK!!!!!! WOW!

I started it on the 22nd of November and finished it on the 25th...3 days later. Once I started, I couldn't stop (sound familiar? 👀). As this current version of the story is an arc, I will try to keep my review as spoiler free as possible—but, nonetheless, you NEED to experience THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART firsthand to truly understand the rollercoaster ride it is.

Ji-won is an icon. She is angry (rightfully so), methodic (show us how its done girl) and just going through it. Kim has articulately crafted a character who, despite committing morally heinous acts, is so hard not to support. There is a righteousness to her claims, her thirst for power.

The innuendos and metaphors, every delicate detail carved into the fleshy layers of this story are just breathtaking. Reading this felt like being in a fever-dream that I couldn't quite wake up from, and I know it's going to sit in a spot in my mind for a long while to come.

The only reason this one gets 4 stars is because I truly hungered for more. The ending, whilst perfectly satiating, still had me yearning for Ji-won. I wanted to see who she became as she continued to evolve, what happened to her mother and sister, if she truly got away with the crimes she committed; and if her obsession was simply because of what we learn about her, medically, in the last few scenes, or if it's truly a sort of sickness rooted in her forevermore. I wished we could've seen more of her and Alexis; I don't think a story such as this particularly requires that romance to keep it plotting along, but it truly made me happy to see Ji-won with someone who made her feel safe and seen.

All in all, TEATBP is a vicious story demanding to be heard, with characters that will make your heart ache and your blood boil. Definitely pay close attention to the triggers for this one, as it's not for the fainthearted—but it is a very important story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

It feels weird saying this, given the subject matter, but I bloody loved this book! What a ride. It gave me the same vibes as the movie AUDITION did back when it came out. I wanted to cover my eyes (literally), but I just couldn't look away. The title and cover give a not-so-subtle nod to the premise, but this debut--by Monika Kim--is also wonderfully layered and thoughtful as it presents grief and trauma in an incredibly visceral way. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced reader copy.

This was a very engaging read!
I don't think it works all that well as a horror novel. The eye gimmick got old pretty fast, and I was never particularly scared or horrified. As a contemporary literary novel, though, this was very, very solid. I read it in one sitting; it's very quickly paced and easily digestible (no pun intended). The social commentary was also excellent--I definitely read a lot of this book peeking through my fingers because of the intense, audacious levels of cringe from certain characters. I related to the main character--probably more than I'd publicly admit--and I loved how terrible and messy and often tragic she was. I'd definitely read a sequel about her exploits as a serial killer.
Looking forward to whatever this author writes next!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book!

4.25 stars. Incredible and taut. This story is ridden with everything I love. Unreliable narrator,, unhinged woman and eyes….lots and lots of eyes.