The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
For better or for worse, The Eyes are the Best Part puts readers deep inside the mind of its narrator, Ji-won, an 18-year-old student whose life is falling apart. In high school, Ji-won had perfect grades and a close group of friends. But all of that fell apart after she was the only one in her group who didn’t get into their preferred university. Now, in college, her grades are less than stellar. Meanwhile, at home, her appa has left the family for another woman, leaving her umma in a deep depression.
Then Umma finds a new boyfriend, George, and for a while, things are looking up. At least for Umma. For Ji-won and her sister Ji-hyun, George is a nuisance at best and a leering pervert at worst. George is a white man who clearly fetishizes Asian women, and Ji-won is suspicious that her umma is not the only woman he’s seeing. She sees the way George stares at Ji-Hyun, and she doesn’t trust him. But his bright blue eyes…certainly look tasty. After all, Umma always told the girls that fish eyes brought good luck. And Ji-won can’t help but wonder about human eyes…
Soon, Ji-won can’t stop dreaming about eyes. And then her dreams start melting into her reality. Once Ji-won gets a taste for human eyes, she can’t stop thinking about them and can’t stop wondering where she’ll get her next fix. No blue-eyed man is safe from Ji-won’s hunger and rage.
The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of one young girl fighting against the patriarchy and the racism she sees in her everyday life. It’s incredibly violent (seriously, beware if you are squeamish in the slightest), but all the blood and gore is purposeful. And truthfully, it is difficult to feel sorry for the men she targets because they are truly the worst. I’m not saying I’m about to go out and kill men for their eyeballs, but if I did…these guys would be high on my list. And okay, there’s some catharsis in reading about gross dudes getting murdered.
This is Monika Kim’s first novel, and I’m so excited to see where she goes from here. This story was so wild and unique. I’ll be lined up to read her next book, no matter what it is. I think you will be too!
