Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

95 reviews

thatvirgoreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful 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

5.0

This book is incredible, heart-breaking, intimate, and honest. I really enjoyed this book. This book is also VERY sad. Yara’s mental and emotional journey is the plot. I would say this book is slow-paced. The novel is about a woman working through the many challenges, traumatic experiences, generational trauma that has been passed down, and cultural/gender expectations that feel restricting to her while ALSO trying to answer the questions many of us face— what am I doing with my life, is this all there is to my life, how can I take ahold of my wants and desires and make them my reality? 

I think the journey, even though it is fictional, that we get to go on with Yara is meaningful to anyone who has struggled mentally. My heart would ache and empathize with the pain, anger, and fear she was experiencing. I felt connected to Yara through the things she was learning about herself, and other times I just wanted to give her a hug and be there for her. 

This book was one that felt really important to me as a person. I would recommend this to people, but don’t tell me if you don’t like it haha. 
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queenkath32's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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melhock's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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courtthelionberryanne's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A poignant story of a Palestinian American woman struggling with trauma and finding her own identity. 
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clalaure's review against another edition

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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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thebookishhawaiian's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

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theredheadprotagonist's review against another edition

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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

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amandafitz's review against another edition

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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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mandi_lea's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.5

I Listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did an amazing job! I loved this maybe even more than Rum’s first book🩵 I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Evil Eye is told through the POV of Yara, our MC, both in the present but also sometimes switches to her journal entries reflecting on/flashing back to her childhood and relationship with her family. The flashbacks also share stories of Yara visiting Palestine and her grandparents experience in refugee camps following the Nakba.

I enjoyed getting to learn more about Palestine and Palestinian culture. The food descriptions and imagery as a whole was very well written! I also enjoyed the discussions on white feminism and the idea of “saving Arab women.” The character development and getting to know Yara, as well as the side characters, was incredible. I really felt like I got to know everyone in this novel!

The novel was very insightful, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking novel. Giving readers a complex look at facing childhood trauma, marriage, mother-daughter relationships. and finding your voice. I highly recommend Evil Eye, especially if you love complex characters and deeply emotional/moving stories!

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