A review by sarasreading
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.5

This book gave me so many intense feelings.
I felt like I was in the arguments she had. When someone would say something awful and/or gaslight-y to her, I often had a retort in my head that she then said. I felt like I was by her side her every step of the way. While I don't know at all what it's like to be in her shoes racially or culturally, I've been in a surface level relationship with no emotional depth. You spend so much time begging for connection, not getting it, and then being told you should just stop being sad about the relationship, to get over it and be happy instead. I was fuming on her behalf.

There was so much gaslighting and past trauma, and it was so emotionally satisfying to see her begin to work through things, become a healthier person, recognize what she was constantly being put through, and then start making healing changes.
Rum does such an amazing job at making me feel intimately connected to her main characters. They feel so real and alive, and make me want to physically fight anyone treating them badly. 
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