Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Luster by Raven Leilani

131 reviews

sedgewren's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

The language and imagery in this book is stunning, with complex emotions rendered in breathtaking accuracy. If I had read the physical copy, I would have underlined the heck out of this book!

However, the plot often felt like it was crafted to serve the descriptions the author wanted to write, rather than the other way around - perhaps this was what was intended, because the main character's actions often felt like they weren't under her control (which added to the sense of her drifting along in life), but her actions were often very frustrating to me. This book is very much more about the intense character portrait rather than the plot!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, and Death of parent

libbyhb's review against another edition

dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Picked this up on a whim and really enjoyed it. It's weird as hell but in a good way! Edie is such a compelling protagonist, and I liked that her decisions continually surprised me. I found the relationship between her and Rebecca so interesting - the way it was kind of mutually caring but then also gross and off-putting (primarily w/r/t the way Rebecca wielded her power over Edie - she was so quick to manipulate her with money and information). I also loved the scenes with Akila and how their relationship developed but didn't seem unrealistically close. The writing is beautiful and kept me sucked in the whole time. I look forward to what Raven Leilani does next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Death of parent

joanaprneves's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-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

3.75

This is a compulsive read. Which I honestly am starting to question. Is that a good thing? The book is very well written to the point where I felt it was almost too well written. I associate this book with Taddeo’s Animal where the writer’s virtuosic writing is too present and thus performative. Sometimes the descriptive somersaults are spot on, and a lot of the times they seem to be there for effect. Same with the plot and the characters. Of course the wife works at the morgue and many scenes will develop there; of course the husband is an archivist, talking on the phone about weird specimens, of course there is

a pregnancy and its inevitable miscarriage.
All this while there is very little character development and no real incursion into the characters and their behaviour. The middle-aged characters have the most movie-cliche middle-age crisis, whereas the young twenty-something is critiqued for the instant-validation typical of her generation. Of course

the character’s weird behaviour is explained as a journey into becoming an artist. I felt that this was an excuse that prevented a real excursion into trauma, aspirations, sexual desire and  the hardships of working terrible jobs.
Just like in Animal, this seems like a very well produced hit song lacking the depth of an indie first album.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infertility, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

larkken's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Police brutality

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion

booksaremyabode's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Suicide, Blood, and Pregnancy

ashleybeereads's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Infertility, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Abortion

onion's review against another edition

mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Medical content, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Stalking, Pregnancy, and War

madelynfrank's review against another edition

emotional funny fast-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

4.0

Writing was gorgeous. Grimy. Other reviews said “sexy” and it’s def M. But sexy doesn’t quite describe. Some really soft and heartbreaking moments. I felt satisfied with the choice of ending. Also check TWs if there’s stuff you look out for, felt like I was checking a lot of boxes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

sillylittlereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent

smlima1992's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Violence, Abortion, and Death of parent