Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Luster by Raven Leilani

39 reviews

angel_kiiss's review

dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

Now I understand what people mean when they feel seen by another human being. This woman is both the girl I hate and my best friend. A girl who probably hates me but I do anything I can to impress her. 
Out of all the “unhinged” women I’ve read, Edie feels the most real; she’s layered and complex, a nice girl and sometimes horrible person, she’s lovable but that is hidden beneath her antagonistic flaws. 

Who hasn’t found themselves in love with someone before they realize it wasn’t ever really love. Who hasn’t been struck by the reality of a person only after you’ve dug yourself six feet for them. 

I can’t believe this was a debit novel. Very few books have moved me this much, and even fewer gripped me like this from beginning to end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Medical content, Alcoholism, Blood, Dysphoria, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma

Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Mental illness

mair_ad's review

challenging reflective sad 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

4.0

Super interesting and unique book. The prose was simultaneously sparse and evocative; it had beautiful, lyrical turns of phrase but was also straightforward in its own a way. The format/structure of the book reflected the narrator Edie very well. It was also very quick to read (not long and not dense or overly complicated prose).

I'd heard recommendations for this book that focused on Edie's involvement in Eric and Rebecca's marriage, on her position as a "mistress" (which is misleading given the marriage is/was open). I think, though, that Edie's involvement with Akila--how Akila knows Edie is her dad's gf and how that affects their relationship, how Eric, Rebecca, and their community each view Black women and think about anti-Black racism, how Edie navigates

her own pregnancy after growing to care for Akila

--is much more interesting. A bit less flashy than "woman moves into her married boyfriend's home", perhaps. 

I think that sometimes the author pushed the limit of credibility of Edie's actions. There were times when Edie did something and I was just like, what the fuck? Not just because she did something weird, but because it didn't seem in character to me. Also, the body image, disordered eating, Akika-is-counting-calories issues were left where they lay, and I think would have benefitted from _more_. I would also have loved more about Edie's parents, not necessarily because the book needs it but because they were some of my favorite parts. So, so evocative and effective without giving much away. The retelling felt very true to Edie.

I have to say, I don't exactly know why I didn't *love* this book. It was beautifully written and a complex, interesting topic, and I feel like I should love it, but it came off dispassionate and removed, despite the apparent depth of the narrator's emotions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts

mekaylynn's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Violence, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Infertility, Eating disorder, Suicide, Infidelity, Cursing, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.75

The last third of this book saved it from getting a lower rating. While I can appreciate the poetry and extended metaphors in Leilani’s writing, I can’t help but feeling it comes across as rather constipated and convoluted in parts. I quite often found myself completely lost and having to reread to regather the thread of the prose.

The actual premise was intriguing - the commencing few chapters were not particularly enthralling, but the pace did pick up later on in the novel. The portrayal of nihilistic self-destructive sex was raw and ugly, knitted together in a web of nuanced discussions on race, sexuality, feminism and capitalism which I found very interesting and affecting. These are the parts that dragged this book up in its rating.

However, I overall found this to be quite a slog to get through. I powered through the final half in one sitting, and the concluding chapters were immaculately done. But in the end I wasn’t particularly enthralled or interested in Edie as a character.

I stand by my appreciation for Leilani’s prose, and I finish my review with this quote that I found powerful:

I am inclined to pray, but on principle, I don’t. God is not for women. He is for the fruit. He makes you want and he makes you wicked, and while you sleep, he plants a seed in your womb that will be born just to die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Fatphobia, Grief, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Vomit, and Addiction

arys_library's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

4.25

Such an incredible debut novel. In this book we follow a 23 year old black woman named Edie as she joins an open relationship with an older white couple. During her visits and experiences with the couple, she notices that have an adopted black daughter that Edie is immediately drawn to. Edie realizes that she may be the only black figure in this girls life and wants to help navigate her through the world, even though at times, Edie seems to need help doing that herself. 

I absolutely loved the narration throughout this book. It’s scattered, insecure, and inadvertently funny. The way she thinks reminds me of parts of myself, which is why it felt so familiar and how I read it in one sitting. 

The beginning of the book was funny and sexual and the relationships that were formed bordered on unhinged. It was so easy to get through. The ending half could have easily been a different story, and I mean that in a good way. The ending focuses on Edie and her relationship with herself and the family she inserted herself into. 

I loved the ending half of the book even more than the beginning. It was a bit tiring though. The writing style is beautiful, and requires you to read it slowly to absorb the information. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Racism, Sexual violence, and Abortion

Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Infertility, Body shaming, Police brutality, Vomit, and Toxic relationship

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

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

Minor: Vomit and Abortion

fineeyes's review

dark reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Moderate: Suicide, Vomit, War, and Gun violence

Minor: Animal death

dakarif's review

dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

I don’t know what it is, but I really like this book. It’s not my usual style. Its slow, not dramatic, and is character driven. And I’m not similar to the main character at all, she’s definitely bold in ways that are unthinkable to me. 

But her perspective of the world is relatable (even if I disagree). She just really personifies this depressive numbness and the ways you try to feel through it. I can appreciate her dry humor, and the honesty in her narration.

I don’t know who I would recommend this book to, but I would count myself as the target audience.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit

megdarcy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Vomit

harrirebekah's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

2.5

2.5 ⭐️ A confusing one. Really enjoyed the start of this book, but for something so relatively short this took me so long to finish the last 80 pages.

I’m not gonna lie I was completely lost after the 110 page mark, I felt like I slipped a chapter. I also really didn’t vibe with the Eric of Rebecca at all, I felt conflicted about Edie and just miserable for Akila.

Idk I thought there were some interesting themes around being a twenty-something who is lost post-graduation, dealing with a lot of built up trauma and an honest and witty take on sex and relationships. But, I just didn’t love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts