A light and lazy horror that explores the duality of racism/sexism and power in modern life. There is nothing too squeamish and the slow pace keeps the creeping disgust and repulsion from ever becoming overwhelming

I support women's rights but more importantly, I support women's wrongs!
I loved this so much!!!
The female rage of it all, the revenge, the obsession with gobbling eyeballs, that ending? Wonderful!

A gripping and unsettling listen, it’s the perfect audiobook for the spooky season. It leaves you thinking you never really know what someone could be going through

This book contains the eerie, creepy horror that really gets under your skin. A wildly original story of a young girl who becomes obsessed with eyes after eating a fish eye at dinner one night, all she can think about is what that initial experience was like and how she can experience it again. There is so much more to this story, exploring themes like Asian fetishisation, stereotypes and misogyny. There are truly layers to this story and I really enjoyed every second. The vivid imagery of the cannibalism that takes place in this book turned my stomach but simultaneously had me yearning to read more. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!!

n is left to pick up the pieces of her family when her father moves out to be with his mistress. Enter a revolving cast of terrible men including a creep who won’t hear No and a step-father who refuses to learn pronounce their names… All this at a turbulent time in Ji-won’s life AND while she’s haunted by dreams of eating delicious blue eyeballs. Sounds like disaster, yes? Yes.

I loved:
- Themes of racism, misogyny, and the way the two interconnect in the fetishisation of East Asian women
- Good for her horror elements
- Gross and camp and so much fun!
- The writing
- The narration and voices
- The ending 🤌

Would have loved it more if:
- I really wish it had been weirder

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hachette xxxx

This was a weird book (as expected) with some interesting concepts. I would recommend if this genre is new to you, but for me everything wrapped up too nicely/conveniently at the end. It combined two genres of weird/body horror with slight thriller/mystery vibes. I don't know how, but it just read a bit young for me despite the dark themes. If this isn't your usual read, I'd recommend giving it a go, but if you think you'd love this, maybe you wouldn't... somehow.

Solid creepy disturbing horror! Author had a good way of making you root for the character that you definitely wouldnt root for in real life!!

I loved this book so much and the narration was absolutely wonderful! I love when the voice matches what I’m reading so perfectly. Everything was enunciated correctly and was super easy to listen to.

Story itself was gripping, fun, and so easy to get sucked in.

One of my fav reads of 2024! I couldn’t get enough of this plot and the writing! So good! This story will stay with me for a long time! 5 stars!

Absolutely smashing, reminded me of How to Kill Your Family, the Sweetpea Series and Tender is the Flesh. Really enjoyed the plot, the characters are obviously quirky making it a fun read. Super good to read with a book club. Holiday or plane ride vibes. Cover is eye catching but maybe needs refining a bit to make more readers go for it? Over all a 5 star read

I was really excited to read this one. The short sharp chapters got me hooked straight away and I didn’t want to stop listening. The audio narrator did so well with the story, really ramping up the tension where needed and helping to show the MC’s mental state.

Ji-Won's spiraling madness, accompanied by acts of cannibalism and murder, was depicted so so well! Her internal monologue, marked by escalating obsession, paranoia, and self-justification, combined with surreal dream sequences - created an unsettling, immersive atmosphere that was both fascinating and disturbing. Despite her manipulative nature and heinous deeds (and this doesn’t even include the murdering), I found myself inexplicably rooting for her.

What I will say is, I’m glad I have a strong stomach. Because there was some seriously vividly detailed and gruesome descriptions. But they were both shocking, gruesome and completely compelling, making it hard to turn away.

The book offers sharp social commentary. Covering issues like racism and misogyny to fetishes and the objectification of Asian women - plus elements of mental health issues and trauma. Everything building up to really add on to the discomfort and relevance to the reading experience.

The way everything comes together at the end is so well done. Giving you a proper satisfying ending to the read. Overall, this uniquely bizarre and grotesque story was utterly captivating and impossible to put down.

This book was pretty great for a debut. I am not usually into rather gore stuff, but the disturbing scenes in this one were not exactly meaningless. The storyline itself might not that outstanding, but the way in which the events are interlinked and the topics that the book discusses (specifically related to race and gender) made the book captivating. The audio version was a bit confusing for me in terms of the timeline, though.

Uniquely unhinged and weirdly wonderful.

What's it about?

A feminist psychological horror with a brilliant Korean American protagonist who becomes a revenge serial killer as her family is falling apart.


What did I think about it?

- The synopsis and the cover sold it for me in the first instance and it more than delivered!

- Ji-won is with her mum and sister in the aftermath of her dad leaving them for another woman, it's not the happiest of family times.
Trying to bring some luck their mother, Umma, eats fish eyes at dinner and encourages her daughters to try, Ji-won does and it's from their her obsession begins.

- This is a clever, portrayal of a young woman's psychological unravelling and steady morphosis into a revengeful killer.

- The descriptions of Ji-won's eyeball obsession, killing and cannibalism are graphic and gaspingly gross, I was in awe! Books that can make you feel squeamish and squirm are like horror movies that can make you scared - accomplished!

- But this isn't just a story about an eye ball obsessed serial killer, oh no! This story has outstanding societal commentary about racism, misogyny, fetishisation, and hypersexualisation of Asian women, as well as dealing with depression and abandonment, which is woven throughout the book. Making it a whole other level of, on-point, uncomfortable reading.

- This book is so uniquely weird I can't stop thinking about it. Ji-won is an amazingly written character (as are the characters around her, especially her family) that despite her spiralling into a cannibalistic serial killer I was absolutely rooting for her!

- Kim's debut is a mesmerising combination of revenge, body horror, familial bonds, misogyny and Asian identity and experience in America.

- I read this on audio thanks to Brazen Books, and the narration was amazing, I consumed this in only 2-3 days! Highly recommend.

"Somehow I've become the mother, and she the daughter."

'The Eyes Are The Best Part' was a welcome surprise. I walked into 2024 so bored of 'spoilt women turned serial killer' books. Monika Kim subverted this narrative and made it her own in such a unique way.

Ji-Won's relationship with her sister and mother is genuine. The need as an older sister to protect when those who should be doing it fail us. That is not to deny that many of Ji-Won's actions were selfish and that at her core she is a deeply floored character. More that she clearly has a deep love for her family and will do whatever it takes to protect them if they can't protect themselves.

The most memorable parts of this book are Ji-Won's dream sequences and her relationship with George. To start with the latter we can tell from the get-go that Ji-Won cannot stand him, but this is placed in a careful juxtaposition with her obsession with his eyes. They do say infatuation and hate are separated by a thin veil and Monika Kim managed to personify this. Ji-Won's dream sequences were well-detailed, I remember the first one quite literally made me gag. Ji-Won could not catch a break, even in dreams she is haunted by the eyes she so desires. Kim writes desire so well, that I would love to see her write a horror/romance.

The only thing that mildly disappointed me was the ending. It felt like a slight cop-out and left me feeling rather flat when reflecting on the rest of the book. Regardless, I loved around 97% of this book.

I really enjoyed this one. Feminine rage and men getting what they deserve.
The audio narrator was great also!

Just finished this and am feeling slightly queasy - I'm assuming that's what the author was going for! This is a beautifully written dark satire with strong elements of gross-out/ body horror. The MC is at sea in her life after her father upsets the status quo by leaving her mother. From there her internalised rage ripens and finally finds a muderous and cannibalistic outlet.

Pretty much every character in this book is awful or very 2D or both (which is why I think this is actually a satire). The three male characters are more personifications of traumatic events and racist micro aggressions. You don't get the sense that they are even supposed to have their own arcs. Similarly the MC's mother and 15 yr old sister represent aspects of female helplessness whether that is a learned behaviour which has been embraced or a circumstance thrust on a person due to youth and lack of power.

The MC is a dispicable person. While her anger and resentment are understandable, in real life terms the number of times she rejects understanding and acceptance and takes revenge on people sho actually haven't wronged her except by existing is disgusting. However, I found myself secretly admiring her by the end of the book when she ditches trying to be a 'good girl' and actually starts to scheme. It was a Dexter-esque fascination and I'll admit that I do find people who are able to be superior to their circumstances interesting and admirable. There's nothing wrong with a well executed revenge fantasy as long as the author acknowledges that the MC is also a garbage person.

I thought the ending was going to be weak in the style of 'it was all a dream'. However it rescued itself and was actually really satisfying.

This was a really intersting and darkly funny way to explore cultural clashes, exoticism, racism of the microaggression/ resentment kind and family issues. I pitied the mother but also dispised her bfor her utter lack of identity when out of context of a male companion. Also her inability to even attempt to protect her daughters excited my scorn.

However, I thought the portrayal of a genuine male gaze/ white gaze on Asian women was interestingly explored and came to a er crunchy conclusion with the MC's hungry obsession with blue eyes. There is a catharsis in literally devouring a threat.

Overall a really interesting book. Not my preferred type of horror but clever and compulsive.

Ji-won's life is tumbling down in pieces, everything is going wrong. Her parents are divorcing, her friends all have left, her college life is not what she was expecting and her mother brings home a man that has an obvious fetish for asian women.
In the midst of all this a slow and insidious desire grows within Ji-won, a peculiar craving that she feels compelled to satiate, she long for delicious eyes, specifically blue eyes, her father's favorite color and the color of her mother's new boyfriend eyes.

I have to say that I didn't really feel the horror aspect of the book, aside from the very detailed descriptions of eyes and liquids. But it is a nice thriller that keeps you hooked with the need to know what will happen next. Ji-won is definitely not a reliable narrator and experiencing the story through her thoughts is intense, as she slowly comes to terms with the realization that she is not a good girl, like her mother and father expected of her, but she wants to be a strong woman and have her revenge on everyone that wronged her.

i had been eagerly anticipating this book and it thankfully did not disappoint! if you want a good ‘i support womens rights and wrongs’/unhinged woman book then look no further.

the eyes are the best part tells the story of a young korean american woman who is going through a difficult time. her father has abandoned them, she is struggling to make friends, her grades are slipping and to top it all off her mother has started dating a white man with an asian fetish.

at the start of the story, ji-won’s mother has taken to eating fish eyes for good luck following her separation. so when george comes along, a white man who seems flush with cash, she dives headfirst into a relationship with him— never mind the cultural and language barriers or the fact he is continuously looking other, younger, asian women up and down right in front of her. while ji-won’s mother seems blind to all george’s flaws, ji-won and her sister can see nothing but them.

following a disastrous first meeting, george ends up moving in with them and ji-won starts being haunted by dreams and visions of eyeballs. big, blue eyeballs. george’s eyeballs. if eating fish eyes can bring good luck, what fortune would follow eating george’s eyes? ji-won is hungry and looking to find out.

the uk copy markets this as “my sister, the serial killer meets boy parts” and i think that is rather apt. my only recommendation is that you steer clear of both cherry tomatoes and spaghetti while reading, and maybe for a little while after reading too.

four eyeballs out of five for this one!

thank you to octopus audio and netgalley for the early audio copy

This was really good!! Grotesque and morbidly fascinating! I love a story where the main character descends into madness and this was particularly gruesome and absurd- it was a really interesting read! The narrator was fantastic- I’m so glad I gave this a read <3

What a book!

This novel is a feminist family and horror story. With the main topics being racism, blatant patriarchial behaviour, family bonds and living between two cultures.

The reader witnesses the slow but steady drifting of main character Ji-Won into a horrorlike obsession with blue eyes. All after her father leaves her mother, her sister and her to found a new family. Then a new man steps into her mothers life, who has a fetish for asian women and uses rather than loves her. A fact that her mother is oblivious of, but Ji-Won doesn‘t want to accept.


And just when you think the plottwist hits you, this story keeps going and takes you even deeper down the rabbithole of Ji-Wons mind.