Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Luster

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Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

ellawton72's review

challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

This book is very good at looking critically at the issues it raises, it brings them into the light with brute force and tackles them with dry wit and honesty, which makes for a hard-going but educational read.

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kimmulholland's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-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

4.0

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samkennedy's review

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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a_reader_of_book's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

3.25

"Luster" was a confusing read for me. I don't mean that the plot or story was difficult to follow. I just couldn't tell if I liked the book while I was reading it, but by the end, I believe I liked it. "Luster" was the story of a young, poor, black woman's relationship with an older, white, wealthy, married man. But it's also more than that, because it's also about her relationship with herself. Edie is struggling to find her place within herself and in her life. She wants to be an artist, but she struggles to find any talent or truth within her work. She wants to be in a relationship, but she hates who she is and how she acts once she's in one. My favorite parts of the book were between Edie and Akila and Edie and Rebecca. I think this novel really highlighted the importance of female friendships, or even just female-female interactions, and how the most seemingly simple exchanges can bring about deep insight. Raven Leilani does have a very complex writing style that prompted me to mark a few lines I thought were very jarring, honest, and nearly poetic. While I struggled through some sections of the book, I found hope to keep reading in some really beautifully worded sentences. Overall, I'm glad I read it. Not a lot happens, and no character is really likeable, but "Luster" has its moments.

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leah_alexandra's review

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challenging emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

I got this from the library, and was so stunned by it that I might just go out and buy a copy to keep. I thought this was a 4-star book for the first third or so, and then it just ramps right up. The writing is phenomenal, the characters are believable, the emotions are acute. Everything is rendered so finely. Leilani writes sentences that are unique and clearly her own, that a lesser writer would have struggled to make come off so naturally. Nothing felt forced, everything is felt deeply.

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jlucillemathis's review

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dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

the plot was hard to follow at times but the prose was absolutely incredible. i did struggle to finish this book due to its rambling narrative: it reminded me of (and i mean this with the utmost respect) a longform tumblr post, but less sophomoric. lots of angst, loneliness, melancholy. descriptions that were grotesque and ripe with body horror. despite the heaviness of the themes, i couldn’t stop reading.

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talislibrary's review

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dark emotional 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

5.0

It's hard to pinpoint what I liked about this, but it was a clear 5 star. The main character really drew me in, and I could see myself in some of her decisions. I am extremely glad I'm no longer dating in my twenties.

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