Harare Review of Books

240 pages

First published in 2020.

Finished reading on 20 Jan 2021

Genre: Fiction

Luster sees a young black woman figuring her way into life as an artist and into love in this darkly comic novel. She meets Eric, a digital archivist with a family in New Jersey, including an autopsist wife who has agreed to an open marriage. In this world of contemporary sexual manners and racial politics, Edie finds herself unemployed and living with Eric. She becomes hesitant friend to his wife and a de facto role model to his adopted daughter. Edie is the only black woman young Akila may know.

This book! Wow this black woman is allowed to be complex and have so much depth and she’s so [wild?] and not okay, and I love this character. One of my favourite protagonists of all time (bit of an antihero to me, and I love her!)

Come for the complex human. Stay for all the layers. (Also loved Akila; would have loved more depth to her.)

(Also, did not understand Rebecca. At all.)

Rated: 9/10. Not perfect, but a great read, and rating it for the protagonist. Nb. This book has very mixed reviews; be warned.