Evil Eye by Etaf Rum - Everything You Need to Know About This Upcoming Book

Are you an avid reader of cultural heritage fiction, family life fiction books, and women's domestic life fiction? You can opt to read the fiction of the bestselling author Etaf Rum. She is back with another masterpiece, a heart-touching and compelling novel titled, Evil Eye. You might feel mesmerized reading the most captivating story of a Palestinian woman in the US. She encountered various life traumas and lived a complex life. However, she empowered herself to improve her present circumstances. She hoped that her efforts would help create a better future for her little girls when they grow up.

While writing her captivating book, Etaf Rum shared her personal experiences. Like her protagonist, the author also went through the same trauma, miseries, and hardships. Marriage and motherhood were the essential obligations she was destined to fulfill. Writing this unique novel paved the way for this strong lady to speak on behalf of oppressed and abused women. Relating to their miseries helped the author to overcome her fears. Moreover, she got the opportunity to share her authentic story with the world. Consequently, Rum developed the mental stability and courage to face the traumas of life.  

The powerful fiction writing delves into the life of a Palestinian immigrant Yara Murad. A Palestinian-American woman is portrayed as a strong lady who rebelled against her culture. The story emphasizes her journey toward self-knowledge and establishing her unique identity in the male-oriented society. Throughout the book, the strong and resilient mother and wife explore the meaning of a fulfilling life. Confronting contemporary traditions, she strived to understand the meaning and purpose of her existence and strive to lead a great future ahead.

The immersive and captivating Scenes demonstrate the woman’s strength, determination, and courage

The book begins by demonstrating the life traumas that the leading character Yara experienced.  The young girl was born in a Brooklyn family, within a strict Palestinian expatriate community. She completed her undergraduate degree in Arts and began her job at the local college. As compared to other young girls, Yara was a bit different. Since childhood,  she has been bold and defied past and present cultural and family traditions. As she got married to an entrepreneur, she hoped that her life would improve, she would opt for a prosperous career journey and her daughters would have encouraging prospects in life. However, life was not the same as he anticipated, her dreams were shattered and she suffered different traumas. 

Palestinian immigrant lived with her husband Fadi in North Carolina for 10 years.  She raised two daughters and efficiently fulfilled her domestic errands.  However, deep in her heart, she felt emptiness, an urge to break free from the chains of oppression and unresolved conflicts in life. Her story explores the notion of women's freedom, the provision of equal rights in society, and empowering women to become educated and independent. Yara aspires to remain strong, and resilient, and confidently face complex problems. Her persistent struggle to gain personal identity in an authoritarian cultural environment continued throughout the book writing.

The unique plot comprises Yara’s inner monologue regarding her childhood trauma, the cultural taboos, marriage, and motherhood. As Yara strived to seek her self-identity, she suffered intense grief, mental torture, and personality disorders. Her central conflict moves around her mother’s conservative thinking about her daughter’s upbringing, education, and marriage. As her mother spent her entire life in a conventional and emotionally unstable Palestinian family, she inherited inter-generational traumas. Therefore, she strictly followed long-established family customs and traditions.

The last part of the book becomes more compelling for the readers as it exhibits Yara’s struggles within her marriage and her sheer despondency of facing heartbreaks and feeling isolated. The story writing demonstrates the trauma she experienced at the workplace and how it adversely impacted her personality. Yara suffered abusive behavior from a colleague at the workplace. With no family support, she is unable to relate her anguish to her parents. Her mother was conventional-minded minded, blamed a family curse for Yara's troubles. While her husband had a rigid and narrow-minded attitude. He was happy that she would devote more time to her children and household.

Having no choice, she slipped into silence and pondered at her powerlessness to prove her innocence and maintain her self-identity. She therefore took compulsory therapy sessions to avoid mental stress. She felt stranded as being part of a patriarchal Brooklyn community, her ambition conflicted with family responsibility and marriage life. However, as time passed, Yara developed emotional instability and felt her life falling apart. The rising distress finally gave her the courage to figure out what she wanted from her life, her longing to break free and claim control over her life. She earnestly desired to take the initiative to break the cycle or else her daughters will continue to suffer.

An Engaging Conclusion gives a sense of closure and resolution

Rum’s writing continues to engage the readers to know what happened in the end. Whether the Palestinian woman overcame her unresolved trauma, grief, and mental illnesses, and gained freedom and individual identity. The ending presented that Yara's life experiences are based on reality. Being a feminist, she believed her life was scary and perceived a gloomy future. She consistently stayed unfulfilled as her past trauma, present circumstances, and conventional taboos made her suffer. Throughout her life, she has struggled to find ways to gain true happiness. She aspired to live a free and independent life that builds up her self-esteem and acquires a more positive outlook on life. Being empowered will give her control to make strong decisions on her own. Furthermore, exhibiting her courage and vigor will help maintain her self-identity in an extremely conventional environment.

Till the end, Yara felt isolated and depressed for she had no friends, or outreach to morally support her. Therefore, she discovered therapy to soothe herself and found ultimate peace of mind.

Available Platforms to Buy the Novel

The book format is available in paperback. The hardcover includes 352 pages. The book is likely to be published by 5th September 2023. Since the book genre is cultural heritage fiction, family life fiction, and women's domestic life fiction, it is widely read by a broad audience. Moreover, book lovers can find hardcover, audiobook writing, paperback, and Kindle editions on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Kindle book store, and Google Play Books.

Publisher’s Description

The book Evil Eye by Etaf Rum will be published by HarperCollins Publishers. They are considered the second-largest consumer book publishing globally. They have published numerous books on entertainment, education, and other genres. With more than  10,000 new books published every year in diverse languages, Harpers has continued to inspire millions of readers. They aim to deliver outstanding and knowledgeable content that attract more readers.

The  Fiction, Evil Eye will be soon published by Harpers. A stunning second novel written by a bold writer who deeply delved into a young Palestinian-American woman's journey for self-discovery and gaining self-identity. Belonging to a conventional family, the young wife and mother fulfilled her role of a traditional wife and mother. She raised two daughters and perfectly executed her domestic and professional responsibilities. Throughout the story, Yara tries to figure out her place in the world and strives to have a free-will life. Her life explores the notion of women’s freedom in society. Thus, she aims to break the cycle of abuse, helping women raise their voices against cultural traditions and practices that cause emotional and traumatic scars.

About The Authors

The author, Etaf Rum is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants. Born and raised in Brooklyn, the author received her master's degree in American and British Literature as well as undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and English Composition. She taught undergraduate courses in North Carolina, where she lives with her two children. Etaf also manages her Instagram account @booksandbeans and is also a Book of the Month Club Ambassador.

Conclusion

The author excels in creating intricate plots, evocative settings, and compelling characters that resonate with readers. The writing style kept readers engaged from start to finish. The book deep dive into the tensions between generations and cultures.  The young Palestinian-American woman wanted freedom from conventional customs and practices. Throughout the book, she resisted these cultural traditions. Consequently, she developed an inner urge to break free and claim control over her life. She made efforts to gain her self-identity and self-discovery. The story passionately narrates her strength and resilience to accomplish her goals. The book deals with generational trauma, the notion of women's freedom, and attaining personal identity.