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tulilipz's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Racism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Abortion, and Police brutality
Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide, Animal death, and Drug use
agatha's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
Der Schreibstil war unfassbar interessant und gut. Zwar musste ich einige Sätze tatsächlich häufiger lesen, um zu verstehen, was mit ihnen gemeint ist, aber das ändert nichts daran, das er mir gut gefallen hat.
Die Handlung war ebenfalls sehr interessiert und ganz anders, als alles, was ich seit langer Zeit gelesen habe. Edie ist so schonungslos ehrlich mit sich selbst und ihren Gefühlen und Gedanken und wie sie andere Menschen um sich herum wahrnimmt und diese deutet.
Viele Dinge bleiben ungesagt in diesem Buch und man konnte sich nicht wirklich an die Charaktere gewöhnen und sich mit ihnen anfreunden, weil dafür nicht genügend Zeit war.
Aber es war ein sehr, sehr interessanter Einblick in das Leben von Edie, in die Vorurteile und die Angst, die sie begleiten. Ich fand die Beziehung zwischen ihr und Akila jedoch sehr schön. Es wurden viele Themenbereiche abgedeckt - wie die Comic Con, Kunst, der Job als Patholog*in, die Vergangenheit von Edie und ihren Eltern etc. Vieles davon hat auf jeden Fall neugierig gemacht und vieles war auch tragisch zu lesen. Das Ende ist sehr offen, aber wunderschön geschrieben.
Die Handlung war ebenfalls sehr interessiert und ganz anders, als alles, was ich seit langer Zeit gelesen habe. Edie ist so schonungslos ehrlich mit sich selbst und ihren Gefühlen und Gedanken und wie sie andere Menschen um sich herum wahrnimmt und diese deutet.
Viele Dinge bleiben ungesagt in diesem Buch und man konnte sich nicht wirklich an die Charaktere gewöhnen und sich mit ihnen anfreunden, weil dafür nicht genügend Zeit war.
Aber es war ein sehr, sehr interessanter Einblick in das Leben von Edie, in die Vorurteile und die Angst, die sie begleiten. Ich fand die Beziehung zwischen ihr und Akila jedoch sehr schön. Es wurden viele Themenbereiche abgedeckt - wie die Comic Con, Kunst, der Job als Patholog*in, die Vergangenheit von Edie und ihren Eltern etc. Vieles davon hat auf jeden Fall neugierig gemacht und vieles war auch tragisch zu lesen. Das Ende ist sehr offen, aber wunderschön geschrieben.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, and Abortion
codecat's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Mental illness and Miscarriage
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Eating disorder, Gore, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Animal death
gummifrog's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
This was the first book I wanted to annotate in a long time. The prose was so beautiful, I wanted to savor every second of it. This book explores themes of life and death, creation (in both art and life), intimacy and love of all kinds, and an artist's view of the world. I really fell in love with the characters and although the story was more of a thoughtful reverie as the narrator moved through a period of a few months in which she moved in with the family of the man she was seeing. I ended up loving her relationship with the wife most - that strange jealousy and deep understanding, the push and pull of a person who creates and a person who deconstructs. Anyway, I highly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Abortion, Blood, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Excrement, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Alcoholism, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, Car accident, and Animal death
alsri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.0
I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. So raw and unfiltered and at times uncomfortable and yet I couldn’t put it down.
A rich deep and honest look into a life I will never understand being so far removed in my own personal circumstance and yet I was still able to relate with many of Edie’s thoughts and emotions. There were times I felt pity and care for her and times I felt jealous, her artistic ability, her confidence, her ability to understand and acknowledge her emotions.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone but I wish that many people discover it them selves
A rich deep and honest look into a life I will never understand being so far removed in my own personal circumstance and yet I was still able to relate with many of Edie’s thoughts and emotions. There were times I felt pity and care for her and times I felt jealous, her artistic ability, her confidence, her ability to understand and acknowledge her emotions.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone but I wish that many people discover it them selves
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Racism
Moderate: Abortion
julianicolls's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really enjoyed the authors writing at times for this book. And it found it to be engaging. I think i would have liked it less if there was less stream of conscious going on. Definitely a lot of overt vs. covert messaging and writing. I liked the exploration of race, generational trauma, human relationships, and how interpersonal relationships affect sexual desires. I just didn’t find the overall storyline to be very compelling and gripping. Going to do some research and literary analysis and potentially update my review
ADDED: changing from 3.5 to 3.75 stars after doing some analysis and reflecting more on the characters. Would have rated higher if I liked the style of writing
ADDED: changing from 3.5 to 3.75 stars after doing some analysis and reflecting more on the characters. Would have rated higher if I liked the style of writing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Abortion, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use and Suicide
avocadotoastbee's review against another edition
funny
reflective
tense
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
3.5
Luster by Raven Leilani was not at all what I expected.
Edie, a 23-year-old black woman living and finding her way in New York, tries to fill the void left by her loneliness with sex.
The title "Luster" makes sense in this regard. However, the novel wasn't just about sex and lust. For most of the time, the novel depicts the pain and anguish of each character.
Edie: loneliness, loss of her job and apartment, living with her (much older) lover's family, daddy issues, childhood trauma
Rebecca: marital problems, dealing with her husband's younger lover, not wanting to be a mother but having a child
Eric: substance abuse, marital problems, infertility
Akila: childhood trauma, abandonment issues due to multiple adoptive families, the only black kid in the neighborhood, disordered eating
In some ways I hated all the characters and didn't find them likable, but I could also identify with small parts of each character.
While I loved how Raven Leilani described the dynamics between the characters and Edie's thought processes, I didn't like how stuffed with "internet wisdom" the book was. It felt to me like Leilani was trying to sprinkle a little self-help book vibe into the story.
Also, the power dynamic that results from the massive age difference in Edie and Eric's relationship wasn't romanticized, but it also wasn't portrayed for what it really is. Throughout the book, everyone blamed Edie, but really Edie is a victim of Eric.
At least by the end of the novel, Edie admits this.
Edie, a 23-year-old black woman living and finding her way in New York, tries to fill the void left by her loneliness with sex.
The title "Luster" makes sense in this regard. However, the novel wasn't just about sex and lust. For most of the time, the novel depicts the pain and anguish of each character.
Edie: loneliness, loss of her job and apartment, living with her (much older) lover's family, daddy issues, childhood trauma
Rebecca: marital problems, dealing with her husband's younger lover, not wanting to be a mother but having a child
Eric: substance abuse, marital problems, infertility
Akila: childhood trauma, abandonment issues due to multiple adoptive families, the only black kid in the neighborhood, disordered eating
In some ways I hated all the characters and didn't find them likable, but I could also identify with small parts of each character.
While I loved how Raven Leilani described the dynamics between the characters and Edie's thought processes, I didn't like how stuffed with "internet wisdom" the book was. It felt to me like Leilani was trying to sprinkle a little self-help book vibe into the story.
Also, the power dynamic that results from the massive age difference in Edie and Eric's relationship wasn't romanticized, but it also wasn't portrayed for what it really is. Throughout the book, everyone blamed Edie, but really Edie is a victim of Eric.
At least by the end of the novel, Edie admits this.
"He is the most obvious thing that has ever happened to me, and all around the city it is happening to other silly, half-formed women excited by men who've simply met the prerequisite of living a little more life, a terribly unspecial thing that is just what happens when you keep on getting up and brushing your teeth and going to work and ignoring the whisper that comes to you at night and tells you it would be easier to be dead."
Overall, Luster was a good debut novel that deals with important issues and the life experiences of young black women. I can't wait to see where Raven Leilani is going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Mental illness
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Police brutality, Animal death, Abandonment, Eating disorder, Infertility, Abortion, Classism, and Drug abuse
sabmanosa's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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
3.5
I enjoyed this book at the start, then found it tedious, then enjoyed it again. It feels like an extremely personal diary, and the writing is sardonic, dirty, and too honest. I didn’t much care for any of the characters except Akila.
The power and sex dynamics made me very uncomfortable, and I don’t know if the plot had a point, but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn’t learn anything from it, I just experienced the book. I’m interested in reading some of her shorter works, because I feel like I would enjoy them more with her writing style.
The power and sex dynamics made me very uncomfortable, and I don’t know if the plot had a point, but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn’t learn anything from it, I just experienced the book. I’m interested in reading some of her shorter works, because I feel like I would enjoy them more with her writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
tenderbench's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Miscarriage, and Police brutality
Minor: Addiction, Eating disorder, Grief, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Infertility
littlemaggiemae's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-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
3.5
a really interesting book i couldn’t put down, but also the kind of book where there is no real plot, things are just kind of happening. but it was good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Suicide and Abortion