Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Luster by Raven Leilani

103 reviews

ayannamaslog's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-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

1.5

I really wanted to like this book after seeing the reviews. I found it painful to read, with long sentences, endless metaphors and no real plot going on. I personally don’t enjoy this type of writing style and even though it’s only 220 or so pages it felt like the book was loooong. 
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edytaworyna's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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lilysaddler's review against another edition

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

4.0

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nialiversuch's review against another edition

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

4.75

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anxiousnachos's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5 stars. Apparently messed up twenty somethings who have no idea what they’re doing is my brand of contemporary, strange coincidence don’t you think…

This was so fucking good! The writing hurt in all the best ways, it was written so well to wring me out emotionally as much as I could possibly be. It brilliantly examines sex and desire and race and mental health through the eyes of Edie, a young, Black, bi/pan woman as she loses her job in publishing and is taken in by the family of the married man she is sleeping with. It is an insightful and brutal look at what it means to be a twenty something right now as capitalism is destroying the world around you. Stunning! 

Content warnings: abortion, miscarriage, suicide, police brutality, racism, racial slurs, toxic relationship, infidelity, violence during sex (consensual? I think?) alcoholism, drug use, adult/minor relationship (in part, described in few scenes), animal death (off page, non graphic, results in the police brutality) 
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heademptybookcasefull's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

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bellamuerte_'s review against another edition

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

4.5

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kimberlyallen011's review against another edition

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

3.75

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literarylion's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-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

4.5

Pros:
  • Absolutely staggeringly gorgeous writing
  • Rich social commentary that is not didactic or patronizing
  • Vivid rendering of characters 
Cons:
  • Plot weaved around a bit, not really cohering, but that is to be expected from a character study like this
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toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The first thing I absolutely have to say about this book is that the writing is beautiful. There is a sense of realism to every page of the book that really makes the story believable. Edie is a painfully raw and real protagonist with a strong narrative voice that I thoroughly enjoyed, I just wish that she, as a character, loved herself as much as I love her. The book follows her as she tries to navigate her life and relationship with a married older man. A relationship that only becomes more complicated when Edie loses her job and is invited into his home by her paramour's wife. Another character that I really enjoyed apart from Edie was Akila, her lover's adopted daughter.

As for drawbacks to this book, I think that more could have happened in the second half and I'm surprised that it didn't. There was a stretch of pages where it seemed like not much of anything was happening, and though I was never *bored* exactly, I was waiting for the pace to pick up.

Overall, this was a really great, quick read, and if you've been thinking about picking it up, here's your sign!
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