Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

57 reviews

notthatcosta's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-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

3.5

My favourite parts of the book were the loving descriptions of cooking Palestinian food and the exploration of generational trauma, both of which resonate particularly hard considering the plight of Gaza. On the other hand, the dialogue felt a bit static and watered down at points which pulled me out of the story often - as did the reputation of the physical manifestations of Yara's grief. 

As a Cypriot, stories about the Nakba and reverence for olive trees and our ancestral land hit me hard and add gravitas to the ways in which Yara's heritage informs her struggles and create conflicts within her head. 

The journal entries are challenging to read, and Yara's lack of self belief make it hard to root for her at points because of the extent to which she is suffering from generational trauma and PTSD, but ultimately the sense of liberation and self-discovery feels really earned and grounded with the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and War

tenderbench's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse

fkshg8465's review

challenging dark emotional informative 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

Once I started, I couldn’t stop. Stayed up all night to finish it. Thought of my own mom the whole time - Yara and my mom had a lot of similar crossroads. Yara made choices I wish so many women could too. The story was told at the right pace and with well developed characters, with childhoods overlapping a lot of familiarity with my own immigrant experiences that made the story feel even more authentic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Racism

fran_buesa's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

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

amberrc's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

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

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Racism

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent and Mental illness