Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying… yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

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.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.

I got this book in one of my Arrdvark boxes a few months ago but set it aside for October. I almost didn’t choose it because I don’t do well with gore, and the title implies cannibalism (which grosses me out), but I went ahead and selected it anyway – I shouldn’t have. Not because the book is terrible – it’s not. It’s very well-written and covers interesting topics. I say that I shouldn’t have selected it because it has some really gross scenes. I am forever eyeball traumatized now.

The book plants us firmly in the dark and twisted mind of protagonist Ji-won as she grapples with the aftermath of her father’s betrayal. Her father’s infidelity and subsequent abandonment of the family lead to her mother’s new relationship, which Ji-won vehemently opposes. When this man (George) comes into their lives, Ji-won really starts to spiral. As her mental state begins to deteriorate, she starts to dream about killing people (specifically men) and eating their eyes. And then she actually does it, awakening her desire for revenge and a hunger for beautiful, blue eyes.

Kim has an uncanny ability to create a sense of unease and tension throughout the story. From the very beginning, we are thrust into Ji-won’s world, a place of anger, resentment, and, ultimately, obsession. The writing is raw and visceral, often leaving me squirming in my seat.
The character of Ji-won is complex and multifaceted. Her descent into darkness is gradual and nuanced and becomes more unsettling as we read. As Ji-won becomes more consumed by her anger and hunger for revenge, her actions become increasingly disturbing and chilling.

The recurring motif of eyes throughout the novel is a powerful and haunting symbol that adds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere to the story. The eyes serve as a constant reminder of Ji-won’s inner turmoil and her growing thirst for revenge. The relationship dynamics in the novel are also well-developed and add a lot of depth to the story. Ji-won’s strained relationship with her mother and sister, anger toward her father, and growing hatred towards George (the boyfriend) create a tense and emotionally charged atmosphere. Kim explores themes of family dysfunction, betrayal, and vengeance in a compelling, though very gross way.

Overall, I felt the story was very well-written. I love a female serial killer, and Kim created a character who wasn’t at all like any of the other female serial killers I have read as of late. The book is definitely different, and I loved that. What I wasn’t so keen on were the descriptions of what it’s like to eat an eyeball. I’m seriously scarred. I also realize that this is 100% a “me” issue, and others will be totally fine with it. If you can handle a little cannibalism, and you like a questionable female protagonist who likes serving up revenge in unconventional ways, this one might be for you.

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