Evil Eye - by Etaf Rum (Hardcover)

About the Book

Raised in a conservative and emotionally volatile Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur who took her to the suburbs. She's gotten to follow her dreams, completing an undergraduate degree in art and landing a good job at the local college. As a traditional wife, she also raises their two school-aged daughters, takes care of the house, and has dinner ready when her husband gets home. With her family balanced with her professional ambitions, Yara knows that her life is infinitely more rewarding than her own mother's. So why doesn't it feel like enough?

Book Synopsis

An NPR Best Book of the Year - A Time Magazine Most Anticipated Book of the Year

"A moving meditation on motherhood, intergenerational 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

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Woman Is No Man returns with a striking exploration of the expectations of a Palestinian-American woman, the meaning of a fulfilling life, and the ways our unresolved pasts affect our presents.

Yara Murad has worked hard to outrun the demons of her tumultuous Brooklyn childhood. Now living far from home, Yara has achieved everything she aspired to: She is highly educated and teaches art to college student. She's also raising two daughters with her businessman husband, Fadi. Her marriage is nothing like her parents' high-conflict relationship, and she knows her life is worlds better and freer than her mother's.

So why doesn't it feel that way? Why does Yara experience flashes of anger out of nowhere or a sadness she can't name? When an incident at the college threatens her job, her mother suggests that a family curse could be to blame. While Yara doesn't believe in old superstitions, she's shaken as she finds her carefully constructed world beginning to implode. To save herself, Yara must finally confront the childhood she thought she'd left behind and forge her own path forward.

Review Quotes

"A deeply resonant tale of multigenerational trauma and survival." - Booklist (starred review)
"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
"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
"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
"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
"Rum's observations about the intersections of Arab and Southern traditions and their similarities in art, history, media, and food are particularly strong . . . . 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." - BookPage
"The fierce feminist sentiments and nuanced approach to Yara's fraught marriage and family history make for a winning combination." - Publishers Weekly
"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
"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
"Bold and immersive." - The National (UAE)
"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