Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

53 reviews

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

---

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! 

---

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

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: War

martinj's review against another edition

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting

Minor: Death of parent

jilliand973's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

I gravitate towards stories with human-ness. Yara’s journey towards self love, self acceptance, and allowing herself to break through was beyond powerful.  Yara is so human, I saw specks of myself in her words, thoughts, and views of herself. This book offered me a lens to a perspective I will never fully experience, I am grateful to be able to read and share this book with others.  This book speaks on intergenerational trauma and the internal processes one goes through, and offers hope in showcasing Yara’s journey through it, accepting then challenging it. As a future counselor, the dialogues with the therapists opened my eyes and I hope to take this story with me as I work with clients through all walks of life. This is my first work by the incredible Etaf Rum and will certainly not be my last. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism and Death of parent

sinasbooknook's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.0

just wow. there was something so simple yet so captivating about etaf rum’s writing that made this such a compulsive read. if you’re looking for plot, you won’t find it here but it was still hard to put this book down. i felt so connected to yara and invested in her healing journey i needed to know that she would be ok in the end. 

the ending was almost too picture perfect given the circumstances and personalities laid out from the start. but i loved how this wrapped up so many fragile subjects — navigating culture, marriage, motherhood, identity and belonging, and expectations placed on women — into such a beautiful story that was easy to read and absorb without feeling banal.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent and Mental illness

deereadstoo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Domestic abuse

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Abandonment

shay43geek's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

queenkath32's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia