2023-06-21
Typical contemporary fiction about a woman’s journey toward self-knowledge and identity is enriched by the protagonist’s particular situation as the resentfully obedient daughter of Palestinian immigrants.
On the first page, Yara, a wife and mother approaching 30, announces her intention—and by extension, author Rum’s—to “reconcile past and present.” Raised in Brooklyn within a tight Palestinian expatriate community, Yara has always been torn, wanting to honor the history and hardships of her ancestors while resisting many of her culture’s prescriptions, agreeing to an arranged marriage but refusing hijab. For 10 years she has lived in North Carolina with her husband, Fadi, and their two daughters. Along the way she has earned a master’s degree and works at a local college. But as her life begins falling apart, she can no longer avoid the unresolved conflict she has always felt—the safety of obedience versus an inner urge to break free and claim control over her life. Yara’s central conflict revolves around her mother, a deeply troubled woman who, despite all-consuming anger and frustration, never considered leaving her abusive marriage. She always considered herself cursed and told Yara she was cursed, too. At a therapist’s suggestion, Yara begins a journal to confront her past, but the repetitiveness of Yara’s memories and her use of therapeutic jargon weaken the impact. More compelling are Yara’s struggles within her own marriage. While Fadi is deeply flawed, he is neither stereotype nor villain. And Rum does not simplify the choices Yara faces as a woman whose ambition conflicts with family responsibility. The couple shares a surprising degree of intimacy—showering together most nights—and similar unhappy childhood memories. Whether Yara can break the vicious cycle in which she finds herself is the question.
Rum’s nuanced approach to difficult questions of individual and cultural identity is refreshing.
"Rum’s sensitive portrayal of Yara’s inner monologue paints a clear picture of the traditional gendered expectations that are placed on many modern Palestinian American women, and the ways an unsettled past can affect the present." — Washington Post, "10 Noteworthy Books for September"
"Wise, expansive, and deeply compassionate, Etaf Rum’s Evil Eye takes a deep dive into the tensions between generations and cultures as it follows a young Palestinian-American woman on her journey into self-discovery. This fierce story explores the notion of women’s freedom and of what becomes of identity when gender roles, family, and cultural traditions are challenged and rewritten. A rich and compelling read." — Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Fencing with the King and Birds of Paradise
"Bold and immersive." — The National (UAE)
"A deeply resonant tale of multigenerational trauma and survival." — Booklist (starred review)
“Rum is a skilled, generous and cadenced writer. While she is not the first to unpack the ways in which first-generation children of immigrants grapple with the weight of newfound freedom and generational fear, she does so with a complexity and nuance that makes every interaction feel fresh and unexpectedly powerful. . . . Perfect for book clubs, EVIL EYE cements Etaf Rum’s position as one of the leading writers of literary fiction that transcends continents and histories.” — Book Reporter
“Etaf Rum’s talent shines in the pages of this stunning book. . . .A beautiful novel about the ways in which past traumas can plague us, narrowing our field of vision and threatening our future happiness. . . . I’m grateful for this newest addition to the growing canon of Palestinian American literature.” — Middle East Eye
“A nuanced exploration of exile filled with the sharp poignancy of immigrant experience. . . .Evil Eye is interspersed with umpteen Arab motifs, sights, sounds and smells. At times, it takes the form of an elaborate dinner spread, the sound of the oud or the verses of Mahmoud Darwish. In a dreamy sequence, it captures Palestinian women slipping off their headscarves to dance, ‘their bodies radiant with freedom’. . . .While Evil Eye chronicles Yara’s interior and intimate worlds, it also becomes the tale of Palestine and its homeless, nameless people.” — The Hindu
“Compelling. . . . Rum does not simplify the choices Yara faces as a woman whose ambition conflicts with family responsibility. . . . Rum’s nuanced approach to difficult questions of individual and cultural identity is refreshing.” — Kirkus Reviews
"With subtlety and precision, Etaf Rum interrogates the complex interior landscapes of love, passion, immigration, identity and art. Rum is a phenomenal talent who combines raw honesty with a lyrical sensibility. A wonderful read!" — Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and The Leftover Woman
“A moving meditation on motherhood, inter-generational trauma and how surface appearances often obscure a deeper truth. . . . A stunning second novel from a writer who set the bar very high with her first!” — Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics and Community Board
“With her characteristic insight and tenderness, Etaf Rum takes readers through Yara’s journey as she reflects on her family’s past and its lasting impact. Evil Eyeis a moving look at the complexities of identity, marriage, and redemption.” — Melissa Rivero, author of The Affairs of the Falcóns
"Both a love letter to storytelling and a careful object lesson in its power…. A startling portrait of the mechanics of complicity, of the intergenerational pathology of silence.” — New York Times Book Review on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
"Complicates and deepens the Arab American story — a tale as rich and varied as America itself.” — Washington Post on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
“A blistering exploration of three generations of Palestinian-American women, unfolding in lyrical but demanding prose.” — Entertainment Weekly on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
“Etaf Rum's acclaimed debut novel looks at Palestinian-American women's experiences within their tight-knit, patriarchal Brooklyn community. Though their neighborhood isn't far from the hip Williamsburg neighborhood of Girls, it's worlds away. . . . When writing her book, Etaf Rum drew from personal experiences. . . . Like her protagonist, she had to undergo a trek to find—and listen to—her own voice.” — Oprah.com on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
“Garnering justified comparisons to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns... Etaf Rum’s debut novel is a must-read about women mustering up the bravery to follow their inner voice.” — Refinery 29 on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
“Riveting. . . . From the very first line, Rum brings you into the hearts and minds of these characters, and you’ll stay connected to them well beyond finishing the last page.” — Buzzfeed News on A WOMAN IS NO MAN
