There are novels driven by plot or by prose; this one stands upon a single character. Her ineptitude at life, her grasping for affection anywhere she can find it (namely at work, which early on in the story gets her fired), her refusal to take herself seriously as an artist, believing her current situation in a roach-infested Bushwick apartment and interest-mounting student debt to be an honest indication of her worth (or lack thereof).
She meets a man, a married man. Their lives, improbably, intertwine. We see that not only is he lusting after her but also after her skin color.
Luster is a debut novel out recently from Raven Leilani. Maybe I was hooked because the book in ways resembles the world I knew while living as a freelance writer in Brooklyn for years (ie, there are various references to the G train). But it undoubtably has wide appeal. I highly recommend picking it up if you’re looking for an emotional read.