A review by alsalts
Luster by Raven Leilani

dark emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Leilani's unusual, often broken up, writing is fascinating in that it gives us a direct insight into what her main character finds noteworthy or significant and, equally, what is just a part of another day among many. Most interesting is the fact that some of the moments which are skipped over could easily form entire novels in someone else's  hands. Here they show us Edie's turmoil, her lived experience and above all her desire to be seen and loved and remembered. Sharing a real person in an all too real world, Luster burns with sexual tension and never turns away from trauma, but it has a quiet beauty too, found in the moments between the novel's women, all lost in their own way.
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