Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

27 reviews

lcg527's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence

jmiles758's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Racism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

readingwithtemperance's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Evil Eye's main focus is generational trauma. How it seeps into every nook and cranny of our lives. And how breaking the cycle can be excruciating but so freeing at the same time. 

The therapy sessions/journal entries were so personal. My heart ached for Yara so much. I loved watching her finally be able to begin to heal and find out who she truly is/what she wants out of her life. 

Etaf Rum's writing is so engaging. Every time I stopped reading I just wanted to jump back in. I would love to read more from her in the future! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Toxic relationship, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent

ccerpa's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: War

amberlfaris's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Violence, and Mental illness

clalaure's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia

amandafitz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

morethanmylupus's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

I enjoyed this story about a Palestinian-American woman who finds herself stuck in a life she never dreamed she'd have. Without a supportive family or supportive in-laws, Yara finds herself turning to new friends at work as she comes to terms with the differential between her real life and what she wants her life to be. Navigating topics of patriarchy, generational trauma, domestic abuse, and racism, Evil Eye was one of my book club's favorite reads this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Racism

stella_petit's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: War

thecaffeinatedlibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

'She wouldn't let herself be confined, simmered down, erased. For once in her life she would make a choice that was fully her own.'

This book looked directly into my soul, saw the messy parts of me, and then cracked them wide open. Evil Eye lays bare all the grit, all the unfavourable things, of what living with trauma is like, and the ways our brains try to run from it.

In Evil Eye, Yara is learning how her trauma has impacted her life and the decisions she has made. She learns about intergenerational trauma, and how it festers like rot inside of us. She learns that she can break this cycle. The heart of Yara's journey is this intense desire to be better than her parents were, to be more. This entire novel moves through Yara's journey like a tidal wave in slow motion,  it is as heartwrenching as it is hopeful.

Etaf Rum also does a really incredible job at showing the reader the ripple effects of intense familial trauma — in this case, the Nakba. She creates such empathy in the reader, that I'm sure it would be impossible for anyone to walk away from this novel with anything but intense sadness, and rage, over what has been done to Palestine and the effects zionism has had on its people. 

Etaf Rum is now firmly in the 'favourite author' camp of mine, thank you for sharing these words with the world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Domestic abuse