A review by happyeverabigail
Luster by Raven Leilani

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

4.5

I’m really glad I went into this blind because I’m confused by the blurb and marketing. This is not a titillating or spicy book, any on page intimacy is uncomfortable or sad or both. So I’m confused by the blurb calling this book sexy. Additionally, the synopsis calls this painfully funny. I didn’t find this funny at all?? But I think the tone and the writing is fitting for the story, it wouldn’t make sense to be funny and it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be either. It’s a stream of consciousness non-chronological story of a young 20s woman NOT in a throuple but yes having messy interactions with pretty much everyone in her life. I feel like I don’t fully understand this book but it made me full on cry in public at the end so I have to give it 4.5 stars. -0.5 because Eric needed some kind of appeal for the people in his life for these situations to be that charged and that wasn’t fleshed out enough for me, that was the only part that kept taking me out of the story.