Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

23 reviews

koiolee's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

2.5

This book has a purpose. But it's not really my cup of tea. I normally love books about marginalized communities fighting what they know to move forward, change, heal, but this book felt more like a therapy session than a story of healing. There are long segments of typical therapy advice, stories, jargon, that makes the book drag on. There's metaphors that the author tells you explicitly what they mean, instead of an implicit nod towards. It feels like you're dumbing it down for your audience, when your audience is likely college-level, college-educated, media literate readers. You're writing for a small audience, when your actual audience are more or less people like me.
EDIT: It gives Catcher in the Rye vibes omg.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Grief, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Self harm

clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

I found this book incredibly affecting. Yara's sense of loss and instability really resonated with me, and the themes around generational trauma and an enduring sense of wrongness got to me. I felt attached to Yara from the beginning; Rum does a phenomenal job of explaining how Yara's depression showed up in her body, how she tried so hard to be a good mother and good partner, and how she had no safe place to land. Her friendship with Silas is really beautiful, and the journey she goes on feels so rewarding. As with A Woman Is No Man, Rum's depiction of patriarchy and sexism and stifling family expectations is truly devastating, and her examination of how we can have empathy for our mothers while wishing it had been different anyway really hit me. This one will stay with me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Islamophobia, Racism, Genocide, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

taliabasma's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

I enjoyed reading Yara’s journey however, it was so frustrating throughout the whole book, which I’m sure was the author’s intention anyway so in that regards, she was successful at making me feel the frustration that Yara felt as she tried to break free from the chains of her trauma. 

Had I not been reading this for a bookclub, I would’ve stopped ages ago - not because the writing was bad, but because I hate reading anything that isn’t a romance lol

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Racism and Islamophobia

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Misogyny, Islamophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, War, Genocide, Colonisation, and Homophobia

author2223's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Islamophobia, and Racism

Minor: Genocide and War

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

sjbshannon's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Islamophobia and War

bookoline's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Religious bigotry

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