A review by mmccombs
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

Character-driven and deeply emotionally grounded, Evil Eye was a compelling narrative about motherhood, intergenerational trauma, and the expectations placed on Palestinian women. I enjoyed the journal entries which created strong connections to Yara’s family and roots in Palestine. However, I did find this book to be quite repetitive and simplistic, the writing did not spark anything in me (Yara’s hands shook and blood rushed in her ears in almost every chapter) and the dialogue was very wooden (somehow every character sounded like a therapist, it was kind of strange). Something kept me from fully connecting with Yara and this story, maybe something with the organization left me feeling emotionally distant from the true weight of Yara’s past. I do think I’d recommend this book especially if you love character-driven stories about women finding themselves and their voices, but I think I expected a bit more.
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