REVIEW: Luster

Ahh the book that EVERYONE seems to have read/reviewed. I have to admit when I saw all the hype around this book, I couldn’t resist an impulse buy and I had to bump it up a few places in my TBR too 👀😂

OK, I read this a few weekends ago but it’s taken me some time to process my thoughts and feelings and decide how I really feel about this book.

All in all, I really enjoyed it. It gave me ‘Boy Parts’ vibes (if you’ve not read that then what are you waiting for?!?) and it made me realise that I really enjoy reading about problematic narrators and sexual relationships. 👀

If you don’t know, Luster is about a young woman (Edie) who starts seeing an older white man named Eric. Eric is married and has an adopted black daughter, but it seems that his wife has agreed to a sort of open relationship and knows about Eric and Edie’s ‘relationship’ (if you can call it that). Edie then starts living with Eric and his family and the dynamic is just STRANGE.

There are a lot of racy scenes in this book, but overall I found myself feeling really sorry for Edie and the circumstances she found herself in. It’s like she thought so little of herself that she allowed Eric and other people around her to just use her as and when they pleased. I found myself wanting to just shake her and tell her she deserved SO much better. Yet, I suppose the circumstances she found herself in where a result of the questionable decisions she made.

Did I enjoy this book? YES!! Can I tell you why? No 😂 I think it’s just one of them books that when you read it, you’ll understand what I mean. I wasn’t overcome with emotion and the story moves at a slow and steady pace, but the writing and descriptions are phenomenal and Raven Leilani is a true delight to read. I can’t wait to see what she brings out next 👀

Luster

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Publisher: Picador
Published: 2021
No. Pages: 240
Genre: Fiction
Trigger Warnings: Sex, abuse, polygamy, racism, inappropriate workplace behaviour
Links: Goodreads, Amazon, Blackwells 

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