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A review by pastelwriter
Luster by Raven Leilani
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
5.0
I really loved this book! The writing style of it was perfection to me. I definitely think everyone should pick this up as an audiobook because I think the narrator does an excellent job of bringing Edie to life.
My favorite thing about this book is how self-aware Edie is. Edie knows why she does the things she does. She understands the problems in certain decisions she chooses to make.
Edie also openly talks about the emotional labor women put into trying to make a relationship “work”—especially in the case when dating men. This whole balancing act of trying not to be too critical but also not too complacent. She fully understands that she craves male attention and affirmation despite not really needing it to be her own person. She also addresses the exhaustion of having to educate others when she’s dating and vehemently not wanting to do that.
In terms of character dynamics, though, my favorite interactions in this novel were between Edie and Rebecca, and Edie and Akila. With Rebecca, there was just so much rich tension between the two of them that I found myself looking forward to when they would be in the same space together. In terms of her relationship with Akila, I love how both of them are somewhat skittish because they don’t want to exclusively bond over the fact that they are both a young black woman and a black girl living in a predominantly white community. And yet. The two of them end up forming this sweet relationship—a kind of mentor-mentee thing that was also its own delight to read.
All in all, there’s so much more I could say about this book. It’s genuinely the type of book I wish I had read for class because it would make for such rich classroom discussion. Regardless, I see how clever this book is, and I really appreciate it.
P.S. I purposefully did not talk about Eric (is that even his name?) because I really did not care about that boring white man and his mid-life crisis.
My favorite thing about this book is how self-aware Edie is. Edie knows why she does the things she does. She understands the problems in certain decisions she chooses to make.
Edie also openly talks about the emotional labor women put into trying to make a relationship “work”—especially in the case when dating men. This whole balancing act of trying not to be too critical but also not too complacent. She fully understands that she craves male attention and affirmation despite not really needing it to be her own person. She also addresses the exhaustion of having to educate others when she’s dating and vehemently not wanting to do that.
In terms of character dynamics, though, my favorite interactions in this novel were between Edie and Rebecca, and Edie and Akila. With Rebecca, there was just so much rich tension between the two of them that I found myself looking forward to when they would be in the same space together. In terms of her relationship with Akila, I love how both of them are somewhat skittish because they don’t want to exclusively bond over the fact that they are both a young black woman and a black girl living in a predominantly white community. And yet. The two of them end up forming this sweet relationship—a kind of mentor-mentee thing that was also its own delight to read.
All in all, there’s so much more I could say about this book. It’s genuinely the type of book I wish I had read for class because it would make for such rich classroom discussion. Regardless, I see how clever this book is, and I really appreciate it.
P.S. I purposefully did not talk about Eric (is that even his name?) because I really did not care about that boring white man and his mid-life crisis.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Domestic abuse
There are a couple of instances where men publicly exposing their genitalia and masturbating are mentioned.