Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

137 reviews

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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

No, I am not Palestinian. No, I am not from New York nor have I ever been. No, I am not a mother. No, I am not married. No, I have never been a teacher. No, I am not the eldest daughter, nor do I have siblings. 

BUT SHE JUST LIKE ME FR !!!!!! I LOVE HER SHE IS ME. ETAF RUM YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS. Perfect writing. Perfect exploration of culture and family. I don't have the words to express how moved I was. Am! She just like me fr !!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Moderate: Physical abuse, Grief, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Death of parent

Minor: Xenophobia, Islamophobia, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

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

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! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Toxic relationship, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death of parent

runningonwords415's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Oh how I missed Rum's narrative writing. I was immediately transported back to A Woman is No Man within minutes of starting the first chapter of Evil Eye, her style is just so definitive and notable. A visceral telling of generational trauma, toxic masculinity and patriarchal norms, empowering and empowered women, the complexity of this story is so layered and yet so "normal" it's a story many women and wives have heard - or lived - before.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Grief and Mental illness

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

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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

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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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism and Death of parent

kimberpoi's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

skylivohr's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

What an incredibly beautiful and painful story. I related so heavily to Yara, so I was angry for most of this book. Rum brilliantly portrayed the real and raw truth of the yo-yo-ing that can play out on the journey to freeing one’s self and healing trauma. I was totally captivated throughout, but I found myself wanting more out of the last quarter. Still, Yara and mama and Teta will stay with me for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

littlelikkel's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: War