I love Etaf Rum books. Deep analysis of an ordinary people's inner life and how it impacts relationship with other people makes me believe what good psychologist she is. Despite the emphasis on Palestinian origin of the main character in this book, there so many women who have same trauma not being descendants of emigrants or belonging to other cultural groups. I would definitely recommend to read this book.

“The painting was a reminder of how she felt most days living in this world, her body tense as she completed assignments and chores, the hours speeding by, stacking against one another like beads on a string that would total her whole life. Only how much of her life would she remember living, anyway? How much of it would ever mean something?“

I was absolutely glued to this story. Yara is a young woman, in an arranged marriage with two young children. Born and raised in New York to Immigrant Palestinian parents, and the trauma of her childhood and the painful marriage of her mother continues to haunt her and her marriage. Still bound to Palestinien custom and values through her marriage and relationship with her in-laws, Yara is trying to live a fulfilled independent life, with ambitions and creative ideas yet is continually thwarted by those close to her. Escape from this life isn’t easy.
I got really immersed in this. A great contemporary novel that will resonate widely.

Yara is a young wife, mother of two girls, a teacher and graphic designer at a North Carolina college, and one day she comes to a startling conclusion: “Everything in her life had been a succession of things that she hadn’t really wanted to do.” Following her bestselling 2019 debut, A Woman Is No Man, Etaf Rum returns with an introspective second novel, Evil Eye. Both books tell universally appealing, tightly focused stories about Palestinian American women and explore multigenerational issues of inherited trauma, misogyny, the difficulty of balancing career and motherhood, and what makes a fulfilling marriage and a well-lived life.

The daughter of extraordinarily protective Palestinian immigrants, Yara had a sheltered childhood in Brooklyn and often watched longingly through a window as her brothers were allowed to do whatever they pleased. Now, living in a North Carolina college town with her workaholic husband, Yara realizes she still doesn’t have the freedom she has long craved—to travel, be creative and shape her own life. In the art class that she teaches, she bristles at expectations to “center whiteness as the custodian of high art.” No, Yara thinks, “she had not worked this hard over the years—rushing through her degrees while raising two kids and maintaining a home and standing up to her mother-in-law and trying to succeed in a world that did not value her contributions—so she could stand in front of a classroom and perpetrate the very injustices that had coloured her entire life.”

Rum’s observations about the intersections of Arab and Southern traditions and their similarities in art, history, media and food are particularly strong. Yara gradually befriends a gay man, Silas, who lends support as she slowly but boldly becomes the person she yearns to be. Just like A Woman Is No Man, Evil Eye has the power to reach readers of all ages and cultures, who will undoubtedly cheer Yara on as she forges a new path.

Evil Eye is an emotional story where one person's individuality is tested as Yara tries to navigate between different cultures and family and other people ideas of a happy life. Her life may feel a bit simple or even monotonous but sometimes that is life in general and Yara wants something more, a bit more and then it comes that moment when she has to take the biggest decision of her life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc!

I read Etaf Rum’s previous novel, A Woman Is No Man, a couple of months ago and fell in love with the storytelling and the emotion that was built in the writing. It was such a gorgeous book, and Rum’s upcoming release is no different! I once again became completely absorbed by the storytelling in this book, the writing is beautiful and the characters are so complex and well developed. I felt so many emotions, pain, heartache, anger, confusion, sadness, hope, and happiness. After reading this book, Etaf Rum is solidified as one of my new favourite authors and I can not wait to read whatever she releases next.

Such a compelling, well written read. I’ve found myself still thinking about it days after finishing.

Tara was born in Brooklyn to Palestinian parents. She was brought up in a traditional manner - a daughter’s job is to look after her brothers who have so much more freedom. We join Tara as an adult with two daughters- she thought she would finally be free once she married.

This was, I thought, very good. Rum captures the feeling of “otherness” very well. Perhaps it was a wee bit cliches towards the end but I didn’t mind as I was engaged with the book. Beautiful writing:

“I’ve never been good with words.There are some things language cannot communicate.

Instead, I paint pictures in my mind. I build a white house with a colorful garden and a tranquil lake covered in emerald-green lily pads, then I put myself inside of it.The rooms are bright and airy, with big windows through which I Copyrighted Material watch the world. Outside, birds chirp and flowers bloom and everything feels calm beneath the wide, open sky. I close my eyes and paint more images, one stroke at a time, of sunflowers and sunsets and rooms full of books so I don’t have to be alone.

I am trying to listen to William’s advice, to close my eyes and quiet the voices in my head. But when I begin to write down memories, attempt to lay them out in clear sentences, the words won’t connect.When I look back for you my mind goes blank. I can’t describe it, this feeling I cannot name, this wound I cannot see. I feel it though, like every bone in my body is on fire.
William says that writing can transform the unspeakable into a story. Only I don’t want to tell a story, I want to break free.”

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

"What kind of life was this? What was the point of being alive if she couldn't escape the feelings that overwhelmed her body and made ordinary life impossible? She had to do better than this, be better than this."

Yara is an American woman of Palestinian descent. She is married, has two daughters and works at the local college. As fulfilling as her life seems to be, Yara struggles with her day-t0-day routine. She struggles with communicating her thoughts and always feels like an outsider. The emotional and traumatic scars she carries stem from her unhappy childhood.

"It's already enough that we are homeless and nameless. But our identity runs through our blood. We can't let them take that away from us, too. And they won't. As long as we continue to share our stories, our history will be remembered." Alongside the theme of mental health, Etaf Rum has also highlighted the plight of Palestinians who have lived in refugee camps for generations.

In eastern cultures and Islam, the evil eye is considered real. Yara's mother was considered as cursed and Yara was led to believe that she was cursed as well.

As insightful and emotional as this read was, I found that it did drag and it was very repetitive in parts - especially when it came to Yara and Fadi's evening routine.

This is a contemporary masterpiece that artfully captures the essence of the modern human experience. The author skillfully navigates the intricacies of our rapidly changing world, crafting a narrative that's as relevant as it is compelling.

From the opening pages, I was drawn into the lives of the characters, each facing their own set of challenges, aspirations, and internal conflicts. The author has a remarkable talent for creating characters that are both relatable and multidimensional, allowing readers to see reflections of themselves in the struggles and triumphs of the protagonists.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Yara is different to many other married women in her culture in that she not only has a degree, she also works. Born to immigrant Palesinian-Americans she fought hard not to live the life of her mother and the generations before her but moving away from such traditions and beliefs comes at a price.

The authors previous novel A Woman is No Man blew me and away so it'll come as no surprise I was really looking forward to reading this one.

Yara's journey isn't an easy one, her chosen path has her pulled in all directions, feeling inadequate, resentful and misunderstood. Racism, guilt and criticism feature heavily in this novel, but its not a depressing read, the author gets the balance just right and its also a powerful and moving novel about relationships, love and finding friendship in the unlikliest of places.

A well written, thought provoking read that days after finishing is still whirling around inside my head.

If you like Elaf Rum’s other books you’ll like the latest instalment to canon. It’s a literary book. I liked the interspersed journal entry’s.