Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Luxúria by Raven Leilani

119 reviews

alexareads27's review against another edition

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

4.0

I surprisingly really enjoyed this book and was surprised with the direction it took in the second half. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage and Suicide

Minor: Abortion

joanaprneves's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense 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

3.75

This is a compulsive read. Which I honestly am starting to question. Is that a good thing? The book is very well written to the point where I felt it was almost too well written. I associate this book with Taddeo’s Animal where the writer’s virtuosic writing is too present and thus performative. Sometimes the descriptive somersaults are spot on, and a lot of the times they seem to be there for effect. Same with the plot and the characters. Of course the wife works at the morgue and many scenes will develop there; of course the husband is an archivist, talking on the phone about weird specimens, of course there is

a pregnancy and its inevitable miscarriage.
All this while there is very little character development and no real incursion into the characters and their behaviour. The middle-aged characters have the most movie-cliche middle-age crisis, whereas the young twenty-something is critiqued for the instant-validation typical of her generation. Of course

the character’s weird behaviour is explained as a journey into becoming an artist. I felt that this was an excuse that prevented a real excursion into trauma, aspirations, sexual desire and  the hardships of working terrible jobs.
Just like in Animal, this seems like a very well produced hit song lacking the depth of an indie first album.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Addiction, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Infertility

Minor: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

webtheweeb's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Racism

booksaremyabode's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, and Racism

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Racial slurs, Blood, and Pregnancy

redroseses's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Suicide, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Drug use

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 against another edition

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

nellvin's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.0

Every thought and decision by this protagonist is a surprise. Edie is frustrating but sympathetic, and it is so refreshing being inside the mind of a painter. I also thought Eric, Rebecca and Akila were emotionally well-rounded beings. Not a flat character to be found. This book is sad and strange but the prose is just stunning. Amazing sentences, pitch-perfect observations, hilarious and so-human situations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Violence

Moderate: Suicide, Abortion, and Sexual content

Minor: Rape

madelynfrank's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.0

Writing was gorgeous. Grimy. Other reviews said “sexy” and it’s def M. But sexy doesn’t quite describe. Some really soft and heartbreaking moments. I felt satisfied with the choice of ending. Also check TWs if there’s stuff you look out for, felt like I was checking a lot of boxes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Car accident, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Racism, Body horror, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Classism, Cursing, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Addiction, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, and Violence

armontheroad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

LUSTER was 240 pages of pure brilliance. I don’t think it’s possible for me to compile my thoughts on this book. This novel reminded me a lot of QUEENIE but in a US setting. If you’re interested in stories about young Black women making bad choices and just trying to get through life, I would highly recommend these two. LUSTER is a commentary on trauma. I do not suggest it lightly!! It being queer was also a pleasant surprise.

CWs/TWs: Sexual content, eating disorder behavior, calorie counting, racism, car accident, depression, abortion, ableist language, self-harm, childhood sexual assault, blood, police brutality, domestic abuse, fatphobia, sexual harassment, medical content, body gore, suicide, PTSD, racial slurs, body dysmorphia, TERF language, animal death, animal cruelty, miscarriage, blood, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Body horror, Suicide, Misogyny, Sexual content, Abortion, Self harm, Animal death, and Miscarriage