Reviews with content warning for Violence - Luster

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Luster by Raven Leilani

73 reviews

bookedbykiki's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.25

Personal, introspective, and uncomfortable is how I would describe this novel. Edie is so hyper aware of her flaws it can be frustrating.

Edie’s relationships with the men in her life are toxic, demeaning, and lack emotional intimacy or depth. Being so insecure, it was interesting to see what different men brought out in her, or maybe it’s more that they cultivated it in her.

Edie, Eric, and Rebecca are seemingly trying to hurt and using each other for personal gain. The ending was unexpected and leaved me wanting more, but I don’t think in a bad way. The plot seems to take more of a back seat to the characters flaws and interpersonal relationships.

I really want to take time to highlight the writing style, it’s fluid like an continuous stream of consciousness. There’s a sense of existential dread but frustration with the character often making choices that were guaranteed to have painful and messy consequences.

Content Warnings

lngoo's review

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dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

dee_hzz's review

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challenging reflective tense 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

3.0

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helenkadetroika's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.75

Content Warnings

srhi96's review

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dark 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? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

booksbeyondthebinary's review

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challenging emotional sad 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

4.0

This story features Edie, a young black woman who meets Eric, a man who says he is in an open marriage, navigating his wife and their adopted daughters presence.

It’s a realistic look at everyday relationships, the ways in which we pick and choose what we want to show to others and what we prefer to keep hidden for ourselves. It’s also an interesting story about how our upbringing shapes us and shapes the way we view those around us, evidenced by the ways we interact, write people off, and develop preconceived notions.

It’s an incredibly human story. Edie is, for me, a relatable character. It’s a story of survival, trying to fulfill our most basic needs, and figuring out where we belong.

Content Warnings