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Black History Month Spotlight on a Great Up-and-Coming Author: Luster by Raven Leilani

10 Feb

As someone who has had a lot of temporary jobs in the past, I was immediately drawn to the main character at the center of Luster. At the heart of the story is a character named Edie. She is a 23-year-old African American woman working at a publishing company in NYC, wishing and hoping that her dream job will work out for her. This is a story that we’ve seemingly heard before. Woman in her early twenties trying to figure out her life in the big city. What’s the big deal, right? Been there, done that, move on, next book.

The reason this book is important and also a must-read is because it dares to go where other books can’t or won’t go. Raven Leilani, the debut author of Luster, takes us into Edie’s head and describes her very real-life experiences in such detail that I couldn’t help but relate to her. She ends up dating a white married man who works in the city but lives in New Jersey with his wife and their adopted African American daughter. The catch is that this guy’s wife is okay with Edie dating her husband because they have an open marriage. Through a series of weird and coincidental events, Edie ends up living in New Jersey with her new lover and her lover’s wife and child. 

Leilani’s writing is what kept me immersed in this book from the get-go.  She has a way of keeping you captivated and also second-guessing about what Edie is going to do next. Edie in this book is her own worst enemy, but I could relate so much to the way that she can see what the safer choice is for her to make, and then immediately runs in the other direction just to see what happens. Anyone who has ever been in their early twenties (or even later in life) and feels like their life is spinning them in circles on a daily basis, then this book is for you.

Written by:
Nicole Marconi
Library Assistant, Children’s Department

Celebrate Black History Month with us; share your favorite Black Authors or books about African American History in the comments!

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To Read on a Dark Winter’s Night: Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

27 Jan

As winter approaches and the nights grow longer, many of us will be searching for a gripping reading distraction from the coming cold winter nights. I suggest Sarah Moss’ Ghost Wall: a short but impactful novel offering a spine-tingling tale to finish in one go, perhaps late at night next to your fireplace (or a virtual fire on your TV or computer). 

Ghost Wall follows sheltered seventeen-year-old Silvie and her parents as they join an archaeology course for a two week re-enactment of Stone Age life in Northumberland, UK. During the two weeks of the trip the participants forage for roots and berries, use only Stone Age tools and clothing, and navigate the inhospitable bogs and moors of the remote landscape. The suspense builds as the re-enactment grows more frenzied and the dynamic unravels between the archaeology academics and Silvie’s working class family, and in particular her unfulfilled father. Throughout we face the unsettling parallels between the harsh reality of ancient life and the perils of the modern day.

Within the short two week and 130 page time frame, Ghost Wall manages to tackle modern and historic gender roles, class and trauma, and warns against romanticizing the past and building walls. Moss’ writing is transportive, and the natural world is strongly felt in both its beauty and danger. We also strongly feel Silvie’s inner turmoil and fear, and this evocation is sure to take your breath away as the novel draws to a conclusion. I recommend Ghost Wall as a thought-provoking, suspenseful, and dark but satisfying read.

Written by:
Madison Black
Library Assistant, Children’s Department

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