Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Luster by Raven Leilani

48 reviews

norcalchris's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Some of the most impressive and daring writing I’ve ever experienced. Darkly funny at times, vaguely sinister, and shines an unflattering light on the rotten ugly within and around us.

Will be an obvious reread in the future and a study piece on writing style and voice. 

I’m not giving it quite 5 stars because I had no problem putting it down halfway through and reading a full other book before I picked it back up and at times the long streams of consciousness became exhausting. Regardless, will be one of the best books I read this year and glad I bought a physical copy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Miscarriage

Minor: Drug abuse, Abortion, and Suicide

sork's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

the premise and the writing style r good but the actual execution of the plot had me lost. I get Edie wanted to be apart of a family and I feel like a lot of the focus on the mundane was meant to like deepen like the intimacy of being apart of Eric's family or wtv but NGL it made the book really boring and I feel like a lot of points that were focused on ultimately were for nothing so much vivid description and for what. I think it was all tied together nicely but the fact that I feel like the same points could have been made which sufficiently less book takes away from the punch of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Child death

jkreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's been a while since I last felt FED by a book, but this one felt like a whole meal. The prose was so lush, it was such a pleasure to consume. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great.

Raven Leilani has such an exquisite way of describing the mundane - something as ordinary and dare I say, cliche, as a twenty-something living in a crappy roach and mouse infested apartment in New York is recounted in a way that almost adds a layer of magic and whimsy to it.

Don't get me wrong, nothing about it is glamourised, it's bleakly realistic, but the language used is just so divine.

I'm not usually a litfic girlie, I tend to get bored, but I was HOOKED by Luster literally straight away. I anticipated that I would get bored halfway through like I usually do during anything that isn't a fantasy or a romance, but I was pleasantly surprised that Luster kept me hooked from start to finish. Everything about this book felt cliched or inevitable, which it leaned into, but it's really a testament to Leilani's writing that the story was so captivating because in my opinion this is not something that's easy to pull off. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Mental illness, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Medical content

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Abandonment, Abortion, and Blood

al_davies_jones's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Slavery, Animal death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Mental illness, Medical content, Physical abuse, Blood, Infidelity, Addiction, Sexism, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Drug use, and Grief

kjofalltrades's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Medical content, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Abortion, and Police brutality

Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

jujuwithbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Racism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

yosistachrista's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, and Death of parent

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Sharp, smart, emotional, and more. This is worth the hype (not seen on Goodreads clearly lol). Very quick read and is exactly what I wanted to see from Such a Fun Age, with Edie and Rebecca’s relationship, specifically. I laughed out loud a few times and then held back some heavy emotions at others. Ultimately, well worth your time because it’s finish-able in one sitting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Death, Miscarriage, Racism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, Blood, and Hate crime

salma__m's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Racism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, Miscarriage, and Abortion

nicolaparty's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content and Drug abuse

Minor: Racial slurs