Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Luster

Luster by Raven Leilani 🏠
🌟🌟🌟🌟

🏠 The plot: Edie is just scraping by. She's coasting in a dead-end job at an all-white office, having unfulfilling encounters with men, and she's barely doing the thing she really loves, painting. Starting an affair with an older man soon takes an unexpected turn as she moves in with his family: his (kind of intense) wife and adopted black daughter.

I went into this read knowing that it has a divisive main character, and I can kind of see why. Edie's narration is depressive and one-note for much of the novel, especially in the first half, and she is wilfully self-destructive in her relationships. Reading it directly after another book with a mentally struggling main character, I did find it very heavy reading at times.

However, as the novel unfolded I thought the style of narration was very clever, and I found that the connection I formed to Edie was more interesting because of her more complex motives. Particularly as she developed a friendship with her lover's adoptive daughter - and tried to teach her things that her white parents had neglected to - I thought the way she opened up to the reader was really powerful.

To be honest, I suspect a lot of the discomfort around this book - mainly, it has to be said, from white reviewers - comes from the fact that Edie is scathing of white spaces and the behaviour demanded from her to assimilate into them. The book also draws a clear connection between this generalised hostility and police violence. It's a really powerful novel, especially for a debut(!!) so don't let the "unlikeable narrator" label from many reviews put you off!

🏠 Read it if you liked My Year of Rest and Relaxation or if you like unflinching portrayals of difficult relationships, grief, racism, and depression.

🚫 Avoid it if you're avoiding scenes of police violence, sexual violence, and workplace discrimination.

Content Warnings

kasey_'s review

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dark funny tense fast-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

4.25

Content Warnings

innastholiel's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

laurataylor's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

2.5

Content Warnings

madelinedalton's review

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challenging 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

2.0

Content Warnings

yustawrites's review

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funny reflective sad fast-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

4.0

This books got me out of a reading slump. I can't help but compare it to Queenie, but this was much better. I DNFd Queenie quite quickly, whereas this book intrigued me.

It didn't match all of my expectations. If it's called Luster, I really expected more eroticism or kink. This books was more about loneliness, family issues, art as a way to deal with life. The writing was so good and I actually expected the plot to take a sinister turn but this also never came.

Overall I really enjoyed this story, and it was full of brilliant writing that made me reflect on things along with Edie. There was no BS or unnecessary long scenes. The story moved quite fast in a way that kept you engaged rather than confused.

I particularly enjoyed the clever and accurate descriptions of how it feels to live in someone else's house/flat. And although sometimes I thought Edie makes questionable decisions that don't make her situation any better (and then she's like: why is my situation not any better??) - it was quite frustrating - but at the same time I realise as an onlooker it's not all what it seems. I have to give Edie credit because she has a good heart and tries to make the most out of her situation, wherever she is!

Content Warnings

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