Luster is the story of Edie, a young black woman struggling through life. She lives in a sub-par apartment, has a meaningless job, and constantly engages in casual sex, including with Eric, and older white man in a open marriage. At first glance, Edie seems like a total train wreck - a struggling artist who cares little for herself or for the feelings of those around her. She has no one, until Eric’s wife Rebecca decides to take her in. On the surface, these two woman have nothing in common - one a young black city girl, the other an older white suburban house wife. Though their circumstances are different, both struggle to deal with their deep anger and loneliness.

This book was a bit of a shock at first, both in style and in tone. I would not recommend this book for younger readers as there is a lot of mature content. Once I got used to it though, I did become invested in Edie’s life. Her inner monologue and observations were real, raw, and often hilarious. I don’t think this book is for everyone, but I could not stop reading and had to find out if Edie could make sense of her anger and finally believe in her own artistic talent.