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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I purchased a copy of this book at a library book sale.
"Luster" follows a young twenty-something Edie as she tries to make it in her life. Edie's life seems to be crashing down around her as she is trying to build a name for herself. The only good part of her day is painting, and the married man she has just started seeing, Eric. Eric has an open marriage with his wife and has a teenage daughter. When Edie really hits rock bottom and moves in temporarily with Eric's family while he is on a business trip, her life really becomes wild.
This novel eloquently explores the difficulties women face, especially black women, when they are first starting out in their life. Edie just does not seem to be able to catch a break, and she does not want to rely on Eric or his family, but she really does not have many options.
One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was Edie's relationship with Eric's daughter. Eric's daughter was adopted and is a black girl being raised by white parents. Although Eric and his wife love their daughter, there are just things they do not know, and it is difficult for them to always care for her in the best ways. Edie really steps up as an almost guide and helps the girl come into her own and embrace her blackness. I think this was great to see as a character growth, but I think this also helped Edie with her own life.
Edie is ruthless in her attempts to make it on her own. For example, when she needs to find a new job and nothing is panning out, she gets a bike and delivers food to people. She knows how to scrap by and hustle, but she also knows how to practice self-care and not run herself into the ground. Painting is her release, and she continues to allow herself to indulge in this to maintain her sanity.
I think this is an exceptional debut that explores how difficult it can be to start out in life. I definitely recommend this to anyone struggling to find who they are and who they want to be.
"Luster" follows a young twenty-something Edie as she tries to make it in her life. Edie's life seems to be crashing down around her as she is trying to build a name for herself. The only good part of her day is painting, and the married man she has just started seeing, Eric. Eric has an open marriage with his wife and has a teenage daughter. When Edie really hits rock bottom and moves in temporarily with Eric's family while he is on a business trip, her life really becomes wild.
This novel eloquently explores the difficulties women face, especially black women, when they are first starting out in their life. Edie just does not seem to be able to catch a break, and she does not want to rely on Eric or his family, but she really does not have many options.
One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was Edie's relationship with Eric's daughter. Eric's daughter was adopted and is a black girl being raised by white parents. Although Eric and his wife love their daughter, there are just things they do not know, and it is difficult for them to always care for her in the best ways. Edie really steps up as an almost guide and helps the girl come into her own and embrace her blackness. I think this was great to see as a character growth, but I think this also helped Edie with her own life.
Edie is ruthless in her attempts to make it on her own. For example, when she needs to find a new job and nothing is panning out, she gets a bike and delivers food to people. She knows how to scrap by and hustle, but she also knows how to practice self-care and not run herself into the ground. Painting is her release, and she continues to allow herself to indulge in this to maintain her sanity.
I think this is an exceptional debut that explores how difficult it can be to start out in life. I definitely recommend this to anyone struggling to find who they are and who they want to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Infidelity
Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Bullying, and Racism
bethanstanleyy's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Miscarriage, Racism, and Infidelity
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
literarylion's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Racism
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Suicide
whatannikareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
wowowowowow. so i can see why people hate this book, but i personally loved it, and i like how polarizing the book can make its audience. i was so absorbed the whole time. the writing is sharp and captivating. while none of the characters are particularly likable (except maybe akila, although imo she's not written to be obviously likable), there are some really real, relatable moments leilani incorporates to make the characters all feel tangible. and there is some really beautiful, poetic commentary of edie's world around her, despite the fact that it's mostly bleak and unforgiving. sometimes i think the book veers into lengthy descriptions (particularly during comic con) that doesn't contribute to the plot, but overall it is tight and to the point. it's a book i actually feel compelled to look through again bc there felt like there were so many little nuances and subtleties i could've missed. this could be used in classes for picking apart and analyzing for more depth. i really enjoyed this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
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