title: Luster by: Leilani, Raven published: 2020-10-01 read: 2021-07 preview

A very recent and debut novel.  A young black woman, Edie, starting a relationship with an older white man, Eric, who says he lives in an open relationship.  Well, rule number one in life, dear women out there: don’t believe what men say when they want sex. Nor when they have it. Only listen after they had it.

But in this case it’s sort of true, with strings attached.  So she by and by becomes intimate with the family, sharing housing, her art (she’s good at drawing), raising the adopted (black) child, and such.  Unexpectedly, that part survives the short-lived sexual relationship, and, somehow, all ends well.  Or how does it end, really?

Edie is complex and compelling. Her struggles are painfully relatable, from the instability of her job to her grappling with self-worth and identity. Leilani doesn’t shy away from describing Edie’s flaws, making her a vividly real character. The dynamic between Edie and Eric’s wife Rebecca is particularly intriguing, balancing between tension, empathy, and mutual understanding. And it thus touches upon racial disparities and the fetishisation of black bodies.

‘Luster’ is a searing and unflinchingly honest exploration of modern life, race, and the chaos of being a young adult. Leilani’s prose is both raw and poetic, capturing the eclectic nature of Edie with a sharpness that cuts to the bone.

An amazing debut, really; one can only by awed by this writing style.  An afternoon’s read; a page-turner.