Etaf Rum

Evil Eye has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

A Novel

Evil Eye

Saffia

I do not yet understand my grandmother's need to retell the events of the day, her obsession with speaking the words aloud, as though desperate for someone to validate her experience. I have not yet learned what she has, that refusing to acknowledge a pain endured hurts worse than the pain itself. 

"After the Israeli planes bombed the olive trees," Teta began, "the soldiers gave us thirty minutes to leave our home. I remember watching my mother turn off the stove before leaving the house. My father locked the front door and clutched the house key, as if certain we would return soon. It seems so foolish now, looking back. But what we were experiencing was unfathomable." She frowns, pushing out the words slowly. "Can you imagine someone breaking into your home, on land you've lived on for generations, and forcing you to leave?"

I looked at her in disbelief. Even thinking about her loss fills me with so much sorrow, I can't bear to imagine how she might have felt living through it.

This was a really heartbreaking book that touched on so many themes, some of which include: domestic violence, gaslighting, abuse, colonisation, duty and obligation, the search for meaning, racism, healing in a toxic culture. It gives you an idea of the generational trauma experienced by refugees and immigrants and how, even though you may be in a safer country, your mindset, life and future are shaped by it. I love that the characters have Palestinian roots, and there are references to Palestinian culture, the amazing food, the sad reality of having your home stolen from you and not quite feeling like you belong anywhere. A relevant book, beautifully written. 

Evil Eye A Novel

Reviews

Highlights