Etaf Rum’s Evil Eye is a powerful look at identity, generational trauma, and the challenging expectations placed on Palestinian-American women. Trapped in a marriage that leaves her feeling unfulfilled and stifled, Yara begins to question the roles she’s been taught to accept. As her carefully built facade begins to crumble, Yara starts taking steps to find out who she really is and wants to be by starting therapy and forging new friendships. Yara’s journey is raw and real, and a must read for anyone interested in the connections between culture, identity, and womanhood.
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum, (List Price: $18.99, Harper Perennial, 9780062987914, September 2024)
Reviewed by Bianca Eckhoff, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina