Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Luster by Raven Leilani

236 reviews

kikireads1232's review

Go to review page

reflective 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

2.0

I just... why? Whyy
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

seizuredreading's review

Go to review page

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I didn’t put this book down. I thought, maybe, just maybe, I’ll read one chapter per day. You know as a little treat. Raven truly said to MY face, “WRONG ANSWER FO HEAD!” 

She disturbed my peace from the first word right up until the last. Sure, some people may find some of the crucial topics trite (racism: as it was discussed in the book at how exhausting it is to be Black in PWI spaces *Kanye shrug*), however comma. That aside mc is working out parental issues with a couple she stumbles across. An “open” marriage that may not be as what’s advertised.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pikkumarja's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Aluksi suhtauduin kirjaan varauksella; ensimmäinen virke ei saavuttanut sitä shokkiarvoa, jota se ehkä tavoitteli. Kirja muistuttaa kummallisella tavalla Akwaeke Emezin Hölmöä rakkautta.

Kirjasta muotoutui kuitenkin erittäin ansiokas ja tarkkanäköinen tutkielma Ediestä ja hänen suhteistaan Rebeccaan, Akilaan ja Ericiin. Tarinassa käsitellään limittäin rakenteellista rasismia, fanitusta, hyväksikäyttöä ja lohtua ja se muodostaa erittäin erityisen kokonaisuuden.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

al_davies_jones's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kjofalltrades's review

Go to review page

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

1.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

futurememory's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective fast-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

Wow. That was everything that I thought a Sally Rooney novel would be, and far, far more. 

Luster is gorgeously written. It flows like spoken word poetry, and is not remotely afraid to revel in specificity. It’s uniquely Black, and Black NYC at that. The sentences ramble with a lyrical cadence that begs to be read aloud, with often surprising and wonderful turns of phrase. I often found myself smiling as yet another sentence hit perfectly. Line by line it’s a delight. 

I loved how brutally messy this was. How quietly sad and unflinching it is, how literary it is, and how full of 20s ennui and unfocused chaos it is. 

The characters are all so flawed, so human, that I couldn’t help but hope for them. 

I think this is divisive for a reason, but it worked tremendously for me.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

poenaestante's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

The book hooked me in from the very first page. I had no clue what this book was about when I picked it up from ny neighbor's community library box, and I'm rarely a fiction reader but I do have time for black authors. This book was so novel and arresting that I can't wait to see what the author does next
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bowelhaus's review

Go to review page

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

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pv_789's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense 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

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

scarroll178's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

4.75

The writing is beautiful and thought provoking. I loved the relationship between Edie and Akilah. It was interesting watching Edie’s relationships with Eric and Rebecca change as the story went on. 

The only reason I didn’t rate it 5 stars was that the ending felt a bit anticlimactic. That was probably the author’s intention, but I just can’t understand why Rebecca ran away after seeing Edie’s painting. I really thought the draw they felt for each other would culminate into something more. 

Side note: Can you believe Rebecca shot that dog??
Expand filter menu Content Warnings