The Luxe, by Anna Godberson

Title: The Luxe
Author: Anna Godbersen
Genre: Historical
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 433
Copy Origin: Purchased from MightyApe
New Zealand Readers: Fishpond, MightyApe
International Readers: The Book Depository, IndieBound

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn. Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions. White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. This is Manhattan, 1899.

Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan’s social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City’s elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth’s and Diana’s golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city’s gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan’s most celebrated daughter disappear…

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

If one is to call The Luxe “mind candy”, it’s the good stuff – the high quality chocolate filled with the most sumptuous of gooey caramels and chocolates at its center, that kind that sticks to your lips after you’ve bitten through the shell. It’s not at all good for your waistline, especially when compared to the apple on the table next to it, but right now do you care? Of course not – it’s far too delicious to not savour, let alone not eat.

I have seen many other reviews compare The Luxe to Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl series, and from what I have seen of the series, I would have to agree. Scandal is the center of The Luxe – secret affairs, desire, jealousy, love vs duty, and even murder are just some of the aspects of this story – and watching each layer of the drama unfold to create one whole story. Despite the prologue featuring a mysterious death, the actual bulk of the novel is of the month – and the events inside of it – leading up to this dreary ending for one of the characters.

The characters are shallow – perfect on the outside but in many cases lacking likability, and in several cases depth – and the events and more overly dramatic in many instances. But really, isn’t that the point of mind candy and soap opera-esque things such as this? And by wrapping it up in pretty dresses and Godbersen’s wonderful prose, The Luxe becomes just that little bit extra classy, and making for an easy and enjoyable read.

3.5 stars.

11 January 2010 Rating: 3 Stars Historical  Print Post