Reviews

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

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zytha's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

aroseshaw's review against another edition

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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

Read if you like:
😭 Emotional reads
🧳 Reading about immigrant experiences
🚺 Women struggling against cultural expectations
❤️‍🩹 Heeling and self discovery

1️⃣ POV
📍 North Carolina with flashbacks to Palestine 🇵🇸

“To surrender to the vulnerability of love and allow ourselves to be loved by others—isn’t that the most courageous act of all?.”

Yara grew up with conservative Palestinian immigrant parents in Brooklyn and was told that she could do whatever she liked once she was married. Finding her escape in a charming man who wants to break away from his father’s business to start his own, they marry and move to NC. Yara was able to finish her college education and become an instructor at a local college but as a traditional wife she still cares for her two young daughters, their home, and makes sure dinner is ready for her husband when he gets home. She has much more freedom than her own mother but she still wants more for her life and feels increasingly stifled.

Evil Eye was a tough book to read for me because I felt Yara’s frustration and I was so angry for her. Etaf Rum’s characters always elicit strong emotions and I love learning from them and their experiences. There is a lot of discussion of mental health and generational trauma so take care of you may be sensitive. There are a couple amazing characters that bring some joy to the story. The stories of her Grandmother in Palestine were beautiful and heartbreaking. The end was the beginning of a lot of healing.