Luster (by Raven Leilani)

There is a lot to love about this novel. I can't think of another novel with a Black protagonist that I have read that is so interior (somewhat reminiscent of My Year of Rest and Relaxation). At the same time, Edie's race and gender are ever-present and addressed in subtle ways that feel completely authentic. The writing is luscious and poetic.

At the same time, it sags somewhat in the middle. Nothing actually happens for a long time, and the characters behave like characters in a novel, not like real people. Towards the end I was thinking it didn't add up to much, but the ending chapter is extremely strong, and this saved it somewhat for me. Looking forward to the discussion about this in the Tournament of Books, where it's going up against another book I'm interested in, Interior Chinatown.