Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

111 reviews

decie's review against another edition

challenging reflective

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Colonisation

lettuce_read's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts

kirstym25's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts

anilourengo's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

3.0

We follow Yara who deals with the pressure of the expectations of Palestinian-American women, the meaning of a fulfilling life, and the ways our unresolved pasts affect our presents.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

crakandra's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism

theblushbookworm's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

“Evil Eye” follows a Palestinian-American woman as she tries to balance healing her mental health and unhappiness with her family and culture. I felt sucked right in to Yara’s life; she really comes alive off the page. The novel was a little slow to start, but when it picked up, it became totally engrossing. The portrayal of Yara’s depression and complex trauma is so realistic and is such powerful representation. This is a timely read that I wholeheartedly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and War

samepaige's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

This book started out slow for me, mostly because I was not in the right headspace to read it. Note to self: don’t read a book that evokes anger when you’re already angry at the world. I’m really glad I pushed through and finished it though. Evil Eye is an incredible story of healing from deep generational trauma, exploring life on your own terms, and living amongst everyone’s expectations of women.

One of my favorite sub-plots of Evil Eye is how Yara picks up journaling and it actually starts to help her. I saw a lot of myself in Yara and this book made me want to start journaling (my therapist would be so pleased). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Suicidal thoughts

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: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Domestic abuse and Violence

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