Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

93 reviews

nerp's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely stunning and heartbreaking. It’s such a brilliant study of intergenerational trauma and identity—something many people of color face, but some of which is very distinct to the experience of being Palestinian. Beautiful prose (especially in Yara’s journal) and thoughtful in its approach to its themes. The audiobook is lovely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Violence and Domestic abuse

alychee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

i could never give this book less than 5 stars. it spoke to me, i spent sleepless nights thinking about my life and yara's and how similar we could be and how i absolutly can't allow myself to be trapped like she and her mother were. 
i love this book, it made me feel things deep down in my bones : sadness, hope and so much anger. i was so angry. at her husband, at her mother, at her father. yara is amazing and so strong and so real and i know that if i ever end up in her situation (in shaa Allah i never will) i'll be thinking of her resilience. 
read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Mental illness

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Infidelity, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Death of parent

author2223's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Islamophobia, and Racism

Minor: Genocide and War

meimeililylil's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

Okay, so I devoured this second book after loving her first one.  NOT a warm and fuzzy read nor is it action-packed, so if you’re looking for that type of story, this is not it. A Woman is No Man has more action. However, Evil Eye is still a great read for other reasons.

This novel paints a heartbreaking picture of generational trauma. The story drags for most of the book, I’m talking barely any action, but it seems that the author did this intentionally to really make the reader experience the hopelessness emotional landscape of Yara’s life. Part of me just wanted her to resolve the conflicts and create some action early on! But the other part of me was in awe at Etaf Rum’s ability to bring such a hard to verbalize reality to life on the pages. 

It might seem less exciting than if she applied for the trip behind her husband’s back or had an affair or divorced him right away, and yes I would love to see Yara live those stories in detail, but that wasn’t the point of this novel.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Racism

notthatcosta's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

3.5

My favourite parts of the book were the loving descriptions of cooking Palestinian food and the exploration of generational trauma, both of which resonate particularly hard considering the plight of Gaza. On the other hand, the dialogue felt a bit static and watered down at points which pulled me out of the story often - as did the reputation of the physical manifestations of Yara's grief. 

As a Cypriot, stories about the Nakba and reverence for olive trees and our ancestral land hit me hard and add gravitas to the ways in which Yara's heritage informs her struggles and create conflicts within her head. 

The journal entries are challenging to read, and Yara's lack of self belief make it hard to root for her at points because of the extent to which she is suffering from generational trauma and PTSD, but ultimately the sense of liberation and self-discovery feels really earned and grounded with the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and War

tenderbench's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse

casira's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Colonisation, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Cursing

bellabooks0423's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

bgoodbookclub's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow, this book spoke to me. I loved it so much. I loved Yara's journey, her unpacking of her past trauma, her friendship with Silas, all of it. I feel similar to how I felt about As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow, you must read this book!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

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