Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Splendor (Luxe #4)

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 10,415 ratings · 1,096 reviews

New Beginnings.
Shocking Revelations.
Unexpected Endings.

As spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new roles as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searches for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father's death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes.

Carolina Broad, society's newest darling, fans a fla...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 391 pages

Published October 27th 2009 by Harper

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Dresses To Die For!

4th out of 803 books — 1,265 voters

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

Best Book Cover 2009

14th out of 568 books — 2,967 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 15, 2011 Anne Osterlund rated it 3 of 5 stars

Everyone in Splendor is searching.

Diana in Cuba. Henry in the military. Elizabeth in the marriage she chose over abortion. Carolina who has bought her own mansion-next-door to the man she hopes will fulfill her wildest dreams. And Penelope. In the entirely foreign position of New York’s DISAPPROVAL.

The ultimate lesson in the ultimate epic of Ana Godbersen’s Luxe series is this. There is one person you can never escape from.

Yourself.

As EVERYONE has to learn. Eventually.

I think this was my favorit...more

like 13 likes · see review

Feb 02, 2011 PurpleBootz13 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-ol-fashioned-fluff, a-good-waste-of-time

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 22 likes · see review

May 06, 2010 liz rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of YA romance

Recommended to liz by: no one

Shelves: girl-books

I picked up this series of books several months ago to fill my head with nonsense after Lariann died. Reading was a good distraction from the trauma of real life.I read a lot of books the months following, but these are the only ones I have decided I want in my personal collection. The Luxe, Rumors and Envy were a joy to read.

These books follow the life path or 4 young women between 1899-1900 as young New York City Socialites: Elizabeth, Diana, Penelope, and Carolina and their trials and tribula...more I picked up this series of books several months ago to fill my head with nonsense after Lariann died. Reading was a good distraction from the trauma of real life.I read a lot of books the months following, but these are the only ones I have decided I want in my personal collection. The Luxe, Rumors and Envy were a joy to read.

These books follow the life path or 4 young women between 1899-1900 as young New York City Socialites: Elizabeth, Diana, Penelope, and Carolina and their trials and tribulations and the rise and fall of their stars.

I fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for them in their times of triumph and sad for them in their times of need. I was sad to discover, after reading Envy back in June that it was not in fact the last book and I had to wait until October to read Splendor. I pre-ordered the novel several months ago and have just been waiting and waiting for it to arrive.

I received Splendor in the mail on Tuesday afternoon and finished this book at 12:38 am this morning. As a whole, it took me less the 7 hours total to get through. It has been a while since I have been so involved in a book that I haven't been able to put it down. I am horribly tired today and can hardly keep my eyes open, but I made the choice to stay up and now I'll pay for it. Was staying up that late to read worth it? Probably not, but I enjoyed myself.

All of the Luxe books have been incredibly addicting and I found myself truly caring about Elizabeth, Diana, Henry, Teddy and the rest of the cast again. I found myself cheering out-loud at one point and nearly heart-breakingly sad at another. Most of the time I was reading this I had a cheesy grin upon my face because I was so immersed in the lives of the characters.

I loved Loved LOVED the fact that not everyone got their happy endings. Books like that really get on my nerves sometimes, but this one wrapped up nicely. This book was a good ending to the series - everyone pretty much got what they deserved.

Now I find myself wanting more. I want to learn about the lives that were changed by the choices and decisions that were made, I want to know more about Teddy and oddly enough, I want to know more about Aunt Edith. I want the back story to how Elizabeth's father knew. I want more of these characters.

This is a book that would probably transition well into movie format, and I'm sure that they would be so much better then the Twilight movies, heck, you could probably cover all 4 books in a 2 hour movie. How about someone makes Luxe instead of wasting time turning The Host in to a movie.
(less)

like 20 likes · see review

Aug 31, 2010 Maren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya

A total guilty pleasure book series - 1900 Gossip Girl, basically. I liked it, but I was kind of bummed out with the ending. I can see where the author was trying to go, with the Edith Wharton comparisons, but it was sad that Henry, specifically, didn't get to be happy.

like 16 likes · see review

Oct 22, 2010 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-historical-fiction, young-adult-romance, reviewed, new-york-city, overdone-love-triangle-trope, annoyingly-boy-crazy-heroines, set-in-1900s

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Splendor, the fourth and final Luxe book, somehow managed to be more crammed full of melodramatic, underdeveloped, cliched plot devices than all of the first three books combined. We have unexpected heart attacks, brides being left at the altar, a playboy prince, a murderous wife who kills her husband by throwing him down the stairs (well, at least she didn't try to poison him?), a "free spirit" who leaves for an unconventional life in Paris (I'm sure she'll be having fun there in 14 years), and...more Splendor, the fourth and final Luxe book, somehow managed to be more crammed full of melodramatic, underdeveloped, cliched plot devices than all of the first three books combined. We have unexpected heart attacks, brides being left at the altar, a playboy prince, a murderous wife who kills her husband by throwing him down the stairs (well, at least she didn't try to poison him?), a "free spirit" who leaves for an unconventional life in Paris (I'm sure she'll be having fun there in 14 years), and a handsome blonde man in uniform who comes back from service to save the day. The problem is that all these twists and turns are barely explained or explored before another one is thrown in, and it seems as if they are there simply to shock the reader, not to mention that many of them are completely out of character.

Lina's plot was probably the most believable, which isn't saying a whole lot. Sadly, I never really identified with her as a character, so I didn't find myself feeling happy for her when Leland proposed, nor did I feel sad or sympathetic when the marriage was cancelled. I often found myself hurriedly reading through Lina's sections, because her thoughts were so dull and repetitive. It was just "oh money, nice things, nice dresses, I'm soo pretty now, nice meals, my nice new house, look at my pretty features and my pretty lichen eyes, nice parties, I can't let anyone know I used to not be able to afford these nice things, and oh, I love Leland". That was the extent of her thoughts for several hundred pages, and I found it irritating to read.

A part of me really wants to empathize with Lina and convince myself that alot of her actions were out of desperation rather than malice, because I know its difficult to fully understand just how insurmountable and ingrained class differences were at that time. Unfortunately, her disgusting treatment of her sister until the very end, her materialism, her scorn for everyone she viewed as being below her and her lack of gratitude for Longhorn's inheritance (all that money and she couldn't even give a tiny bit to help her sister or others down on their luck?) made it impossible to like her. Even when someone who had done much to help her was being beaten bloody, which by the way seemed extremely odd, over-reactive and out of character for Leland who had never shown so much as an ounce of violence before, all she could think about was how she looked and how all the men wanted her.

Rather than saying that Penny "got what she deserved", I prefer to think that Penny got to where she was going. Penny never would have been happy being a perfect dutiful wife to anyone - Henry, the prince, or any other man, nor do I think she ever would have been loyal to one man alone. So for her to spend the rest of her life in a surface marriage, while going through other men on the side, would have happened no matter who or when she married. And staying single or going off to Paris like Di were never options for status-hungry Penny. Di's decision to go to Paris seemed fitting, and somewhat of a relief after two books of her moping around about a guy who never deserved her in the first place, but I do wish it had been elaborated on a bit more, since it really did seem to come out of the blue.

Elizabeth's plot trajectory was actually quite creepy and horrifying, but the effect would have been much better without all the cheesy talk about angels swooping in to save her, and without the silly trope of her being possessed by Will's spirit in order to murder Snowden. Why did she have to be possessed by Will's spirit, because women aren't capable of self-defence or being strong unless they are inhabited by a masculine force? I also felt frustrated that nothing more was done to the housekeeper, who obviously knew what was going on and was essentially helping Liz's husband to drug her. Teddy rushing to her aid, was not surprising, but for them to get engaged, kiss and profess their love all on the same day that she killed her husband and before they had even spoken to her mother seemed forced and a bit unnatural, as though it was thrown in to quickly tie up loose ends so that the book could just finish already.

In fact, there were many loose ends that were not tied up, but instead left hanging rather unattractively and obviously. Lina's issues with Tristan were never really resolved. He ran away after Leland beat him, but since Lina is not with Leland anymore, what is to stop Tristan from coming back to nag her? I wanted to hear more about the Holland's family improved status - Teddy and Elizabeth just sat in the coach and never even went in to speak to her mother. I would have been interested to see Mrs. Holland's reaction to hearing of Snowden's various crimes and I wanted to hear what happened to Aunt Edith. Did Aunt Edith and Mrs Holland continue to live in the shabby old house, or did they move in with Teddy and Liz? Whatever happened to Isabelle? Did she remarry or stay a widow? What happened to Grayson and did he ever get his chance to be with Isabelle now that Di is out of the picture? Far too many characters were just brushed aside without any resolutions. Splendor was decidedly not a clean or well-planned ending to the tedious Luxe series. (less)

like 21 likes · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Fatema rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Luxe is my favorite book among the four books because it had intriguing events, secret relationships, romances, and a promise of a gripping fast paced story. Rumors followed to add spice to the sisters' romantic lives but offered little to the plot. Then Envy and Splendor came to ruin the series for me. It would have been better if the last two books were merged into one and filtered from all the unnecessary events and characters.

SPOILERS AHEAD - continue reading if you read The Luxe (four b...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Maandoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This series is set in late 1899 mainly features 4 ladies (shown in the book covers above in order: Elizabeth, Penelope, Diana and Carolina) and 2 guys (Henry and Teddy). Instead of commenting on each book, I thought it would be better for me to comment on the overall progression of each girl’s story from book 1 to book 4.

At the start of the first book, the author portrayed Elizabeth as THE premiere catch out of all the ladies in Manhattan. She was described as obedient and a follower but is tra...more This series is set in late 1899 mainly features 4 ladies (shown in the book covers above in order: Elizabeth, Penelope, Diana and Carolina) and 2 guys (Henry and Teddy). Instead of commenting on each book, I thought it would be better for me to comment on the overall progression of each girl’s story from book 1 to book 4.

At the start of the first book, the author portrayed Elizabeth as THE premiere catch out of all the ladies in Manhattan. She was described as obedient and a follower but is trapped in a hopeless affair with her driver, Will. I applaud her in the first book for defying convention and faking her death and running away to be with Will, but i thought she was stupid in book 2 to have gone back to Manhattan for some flimsy reason (well, of course she had to go back or she would have lived happily ever after in just 1 book). I kind of pitied her when Will died, but i wanted to scream at her for being so “pakipot” with Teddy in book 3 (again, the author needed a story to make her life worse). In the end, i’m glad she did get her happy ever after with Teddy who i liked for being so true and loyal to Elizabeth even after the 2 marriages and her baby. I did liked the side plot about the bad uncle and her father though.

Penelope’s character was so typical evil girl who thinks she’s so hot and spends her time scheming, seducing and manipulating people left and right (esp Henry). Though i felt pity for her for being stuck in a loveless marriage (serves her right though for forcing a guy who doesn’t love you to marry you), I laughed out loud when she was duped by the visiting prince (haha!). But i think the author forgot to give her character some maturity – i felt like she stayed the same for all 4 books without character development, which was sad, she could have been a better character if the author gave some reason why she was such a bitch.

I loved Diana’s story out of the 4, mostly because I thought she was the prettiest and gutsiest and i just love secret love affairs (ala Bella-Edward, Schuyler-Jack) but i was really really disappointed at the ending of her story! On one hand, i thought it was reasonable for Diana to leave Henry (Henry did disappoint her in every single book) but did she do it because she gave up? or it was revenge for Henry? or she was tired of the games? I dont know. I thought it was lame that she wanted to discover and try new things as a reason to say no to Henry’s proposal. Did she really choose adventure over her love for Henry (after 4 miserable books)? I thought that was just way out of character for her. okay, i’m getting worked up now.. WTH was her problem??? she finally had Henry and she just let him go! after all the pain and suffering she had to overcome for him, she just said no to her proposal? Diana – who the author kept saying was very adventurous and didn’t care what people think.. ended up leaving Henry because she was afraid of how society will see her? Henry and Diana could have gone away together (more on Henry below) or she could have remained with him in Manhattan (i kinda think of the movie UP where the lady said that though Carl and she weren’t able to go on a trip together, she was happy just being with him). In the end, i thought her character was not so adventurous at all, and that she was just running away from reality, unlike Elizabeth who faced her problems head on.

Carolina’s story.. i didn’t even bother. what an ungrateful little sh*t (sorry for the foul language). she was such a bitch to Elizabeth just because she wasn’t born rich and Will didn’t love her. I thought that was so wrong, so i really hated her in books 2-3 (i just skipped her parts) for even inheriting the money. I’m so glad the guy she was supposed to marry left her. Money can’t really buy class. I’d like to think that she did not deserve all those things the author gave her, but the reason the author gave her money was for her sister, who i thought would have been a better character to write a story on.

Henry.. oh Henry, though he was such a spineless rich boy, i still loved his undying and passionate love for Diana. I did feel sad that he didn’t end up with Diana but after my tirade above, I actually didn’t mind him being stuck in a marriage with Penelope. At least they finally became honest with each other and had an understanding whereas i would think that if he had ended up with Diana, she would have eaten him alive. I also liked how he finally became mature after taking over his dad’s responsbilities. (i did however, hoped a little that the epilogue was for Henry and Diana to meet many years later and live happily ever after but no such luck).

Overall, it was an interesting series and it would be fun to have a tv series made after these books!(less)

like 1 like · see review

Feb 12, 2012 Kirsti rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ah! How to express my love of this series so you go out and buy a copy NOW and start reading? Firstly, the characters are deep, flawed and don't always get their Disneyfied ideals and dreams. Some people aren't happy, some people settle for second best and realize maybe second best isn't so bad after all, and a few do end up happy, if not in the way they expected. If you like surprise endings, then this series is for you!

I think the character I worried most over this book was Elizabeth. She seem...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 22, 2012 Kaitlyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This entire series has been amazing. I loved every chapter, every page, every word. The finale to the series didn't fail to impress me.

"New York-that city made of canyons between tall buildings, and ornate houses filled with glittering things that might trap a girl forever-was nothing more than a few dots on an infinite landscape."

All the loose strings were tied, and there were no questions to be asked. Sure, there might be outrage at the characters for them not doing what we want, but it w...more

like · see review

Nov 26, 2011 Graili rated it 4 of 5 stars

First of all I just have to The Luxe series always had a lot of promise, since the beginning. The one problem was that Anna Godbersen had far too many plots lines. I'm not going to bash these plot lines, they were all pretty good, but she should have picked one of them to be central, while the others, secondary. That being said, Splendor had an excellent conclusion to ALL of these plot lines.
The book developed everything perfectly, though it was a little predictable at spots was still definitely...more

like · see review

Aug 04, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anna Godberson's Luxe series comes to an end with Splendor, the fourth installment. After coping with their escalating personal issues, Godberson's group of turn-of-the-century New York socialites forges ahead into a new world where old secrets return, new alliances are formed and the gilded age starts to lose its glitter.

Penelope Schoonmaker (nee Hayes) throws herself into the social web of New York and while trying to live down the scandals of her husband Henry's military adventure, starts sca...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 28, 2011 Japmeet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1800s, beautiful-cover, cute, difficult-romance, loved-it, romance-scandal, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Jul 24, 2011 Roxy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

I love this series and this fourth installment is just as addictive as the rest but i was SO disappointed with the ending!

So much of the last 2 books has been building up the relationship between Henry and Diana. And the reader wants it all to work out for them. The obstacle of Penelope becomes easily removed and all should be simple for the young lovers to really be together which is what the reader has been waiting for. I undertand the motivation of the move to Paris but for Diana to go to su...more

like 4 likes · see review

May 27, 2011 Meghan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I think I have a love/hate relationship with this series. Okay, maybe love is too strong a word. Yay (sort of) for Carolina, a character I never really liked and don't really care about. Yay for Penelope who is out of character when she pushes aside appearances, exposes herself to censure very much earned by her behavior, and learns a lesson in humility.... but not really because all these people don't really seem to have consequences to any of their actions. And Diana? She abandons the only thi...more

like 5 likes · see review

Apr 06, 2011 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love the Luxe series and Splendor was a joy to read. Normally books from way back when aren't exactly on my radar, but it was really interesting to read a series about high society in New York. Splendor was incredibly good and I'm sad the series has finally come to an end.

First of all, Splendor is the first book of the series the Luxe. The Luxe is basically following the lives of four women (Elizabeth, Diana, Penelope, and Carolina) in New York City around the late 1900's. Beautiful ballgowns...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2011 Adria rated it 2 of 5 stars

I loved The Luxe, Envy and Rumors, but this book was a huge disappointment to me. So much of the plot just seemed overdone like Elizabeth's situation with her new husband. And it seemed like no one except Lina got what they deserved. Penny got exactly what she wanted, in guessing that she really didn't want to the prince. I think she really just used him as he used her as a way to try to tell Henry she didn't need him anyway. And Henry was so cheated from the happiness he should have had because...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 05, 2011 gina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. An interesting wrap up to the Luxe series. I enjoy reading books about this time period, and given my recent trip to NY the book took on a special feeling as I reminisced about some of the places they mentioned that I have actually now seen. Imagining Central Park in their time period was not that hard to do as when I saw it, it was blanketed by a heavy layer of snow and any modern marks were covered, leaving nothing but the shape of the landscape. Few cars moved (if any in that moment of the bl...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 03, 2010 Caroline (Words & Whispers) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-library, reviewed

This series had been winding down since the first book ended, and this books ends where I suppose it should have. I loved The Luxe and Rumors and Envy managed to keep me hooked, but Splendor was a little too much melodramatic plot twists and forced endings. While Penny remains as evil as ever, she ends ups with what she really wanted, and Carolina, the former lowly maid Lina, who I personally was starting to forgive and beginning to root for again, lost a lot of what she was gaining. Carolina's...more

like 6 likes · see review

Sep 21, 2010 Angela rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm kind of shocked that I'm giving this book one star, since I have been in love with the series thus far. Ann Godbersen's writing is as beautiful and captivating as ever in SPLENDOR and some very satisfying things do happen in it, but the ending was so disappointing that I felt as if I'd wasted my time getting attached to her characters. Here are the things about the way this book ended that bothered me.

1. The Snowden/Elizabeth plot line didn't feel completely developed. I wanted details about...more I'm kind of shocked that I'm giving this book one star, since I have been in love with the series thus far. Ann Godbersen's writing is as beautiful and captivating as ever in SPLENDOR and some very satisfying things do happen in it, but the ending was so disappointing that I felt as if I'd wasted my time getting attached to her characters. Here are the things about the way this book ended that bothered me.

1. The Snowden/Elizabeth plot line didn't feel completely developed. I wanted details about the Holland father's death and how, exactly things happened before with Will dying in the train station. Yes, I know it's cliché to have villains go on about themselves before they die, but in the case of Snowden, I would have appreciated such a speech, just so I could better understand where he came from. As things were, that particular plotline seemed rushed and the romance between Cutting and Elizabeth similarly seemed rushed.

2. While I liked that all of Lina's lying and bitterness finally caught up to her, I thought it very unforgiving of Ms. Godbersen to have Leland refuse to forgive her in the end. Even though Lina's bitterness and sense of entitlement made her an unlikable character, I found I somewhat understood her and didn't hate her the way I did Penelope. She seemed to have learned from her mistakes in the end and I'm kind of sad Leland didn't come back to her after a while.

3. And this is what killed it for me. The way Ms. Godbersen ended the Diana/Henry storyline. All through the third book Diana and Henry can't live without each other . . . they're unable to move on . . .they're miserable. Every time Diana thinks about Henry she feels as if someone has stabbed her in the heart and is twisting the knife. She follows him to Cuba because she loves him so, and while Henry has been a cad, and drinks a lot, and has no backbone. He's a likable cad in that he always has good intentions.

I loved how Godbersen made him change in the end so that he was responsible and came into his own. It made him even more likable that he knew what he wanted and had a backbone. Then, all of a sudden, for no apparent reason whatsoever, Godbersen gives Diana a personality transplant. At least, that's how it read to me. Now that Henry is so respectable and because Diana feels so tied down by New York society, she will go to Paris without Henry. She will break it off with him so she can pursue her own life. Because she doesn't want Henry to sacrifice his life in New York by coming to Paris with her. I suppose, us readers are supposed to see that as a loving gesture, but the long and short of it is that Henry would have rather gone to Paris not to lose Diana than stay in New York with his responsibilities. It didn't read as loving to me even one bit, because Diana made the decision for him. She wouldn't accept him making any sort of sacrifice for her because she was no longer willing to make a sacrifice for him.

Granted, I know all people are selfish, even those of us who refuse to admit it. But I found Diana's behavior at the end of the book so profoundly selfish that I screamed at my poor husband after I finished it. There goes Diana, adventurous, romantic Diana, off to Paris on a boat without Henry. She's happy and I'm supposed to be happy for her because she only has loving sentimental feelings in her heart for Henry.

But Henry is sitting at home in his mansion in New York, depressed and devistated, nursing his broken heart after proposing to a woman who said she loved him, who would gladly be his mistress, but refuses to marry him? What the #$%&! Apparently Diana can live without Henry just fine and it doesn't feel like a knife in her heart after all. Or perhaps she's just the kind of girl who only wants what she can't have and must always pursue the unpursuable without any care for how her actions affect those around her.

Worst ending ever.
(less)

like 23 likes · see review

Sep 11, 2010 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

When the young Diana Holland follows Henry Schoonmaker, the love of her life, to war, what are the chances that she’ll actually find him? Diana isn’t concerned with chances, though. The whole world has been stacked against them right from the beginning, and they’ve managed to battle through it all. What’s stopping her this time? No, chances are not important. All that matters is that she finds Henry. She must, she will make sure he knows how she feels, propriety and marital conventions be damned...more When the young Diana Holland follows Henry Schoonmaker, the love of her life, to war, what are the chances that she’ll actually find him? Diana isn’t concerned with chances, though. The whole world has been stacked against them right from the beginning, and they’ve managed to battle through it all. What’s stopping her this time? No, chances are not important. All that matters is that she finds Henry. She must, she will make sure he knows how she feels, propriety and marital conventions be damned.

Meanwhile, Diana’s sister, the newly married Elizabeth, is settling into life as the new Mrs Cairns. Newly weds are supposed to live out their days in blissed out harmony, shack up on cloud nine, and all that. So why does it feel like there is something missing between Mr and Mrs Cairns? And if we, the readers, can see it, what’s stopping the harsh and unforgiving New York City society from noticing as well?

Speaking of society, New York City’s newest society member, Carolina Broad, has just about reached her all of her goals. All she has ever wanted was money, status, and a man to call her own. With two of those three already checked off the list, there’s only one more thing left for her to chase. Will Lina land her man, or will she continue her days in bitter loneliness?

With Henry off at war, Mrs Penelope Schoonmaker is up to her old tricks. Penelope proves money can’t buy happiness, and it certainly can’t buy love. Not the love of her husband, anyway, so she tries out her charm on a new player in town. Will she get found out, or will anyone even care enough to notice that Mrs Schoonmaker is not making good on her wedding vows? But when does Penelope ever make good on anything she says?

Splendor is an exceptional ending to an exceptional series. Some get what they want, and some don’t. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles in life, so why not in fiction, too? Anna Godbersen’s characters remain true to themselves in every which way, and although the way things unfold may not occur exactly how you might want them to, they certainly happen how they’re supposed to. How could we possibly want anything more than that?

You’ll gasp, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry out in glee. Splendor does not disappoint. Reading this series has been a real pleasure and I can’t wait to see what Godbersen produces in the future.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Jul 13, 2010 Einna rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 4 likes · see review

Jul 14, 2010 Kelli (I'd So Rather Be Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a great conclusion to a fantastic series. I am totally satisfied with the resolution of Elizabeth, Lina, Claire, Teddy, and Snowden's stories. The ending of Diana and Henry's stories, as well as Penelope's to some extent, left me so, so disappointed. It's been two days since I finished Splendor and I can't shake the sense of melancholy that settled on me after finishing it, all due to the bittersweet ending for Diana. It didn't make me not like the series, but I think I would have liked...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jun 22, 2010 Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love these series! they are a wonderful storie about 4 girls and how they live in 1900 New York where there is everything tht happens today in society (rumors, scandals,etc.). the derris are very good I like how the point of view changes and the chapters begin with an excerpt from a gossip column or a handbook which is much like what the gossip girl books due and is a gossip girl book to some extent just put in the 1900s.

I wa disappointed and shocked about the ending. especially with henry's...more

like · see review

May 31, 2010 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this series. There was something about all of the characters that I really liked. They all grew up in a world where status, reputation and old money meant everything but the world is about to change and all the rules are about to be rewritten. Each of their characters is deeply flawed. They are selfish, vain people who believe their own p.r. As a matter of fact, they're the ones creating their own p.r. by selling their stories to the gossip columns. But each of the characters is trying t...more

like · see review

Feb 03, 2010 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

***Spoilers***
Stupid, stupid ending to the series. I wasn't that invested in the series and I still managed to be dumbfounded by how poorly it ended.

The only character that ends up with a remotely happy ending is Elizabeth. I actually really enjoyed her pairing with Teddy, although their story and the resolution with Cairns was a bit too... I don't know... something. Too quick? Too predictable. I'm not sure.

I can't really deny that Lina got her just desserts, and I actually liked that she was a...more

like 14 likes · see review

Jan 27, 2010 Libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *MAJOR SPOILERS*
I have been a huge fan of the luxe series and i had to wait the longest for splendor whilst i read the others days apart. I believed the novels got better and better but i have to say splendor was an utter dissapointment. I suppose I am saying that biastedly as I was a huge fan of the romance between Dianna Holland and Henry. For me their relationship was the highlight of the books and had me finishing them in hours. I understood that Henry had to marry Penelope unwillingly as it...more

like 6 likes · see review

Jan 02, 2010 stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, historical-fiction, seven-sisters-alums, young-adult, series

so. here's the thing: despite the fact that i still don't understand or really like lina and never found her appealing, i think all the strands of the series are wrapped up perfectly.

(i also love the fact that it's davis barnard that believes in diana's writing in the beginning, which ultimately leads to the perfect ending - barnard pride, people!!)

it isn't the perfect ending for everyone, at all. but it's so wharton-esque it kind of creeps me out. the last scene of henry and penelope reminds m...more

like 3 likes · see review

Dec 31, 2009 paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 4 likes · see review

Dec 29, 2009 Devon Hitchmough rated it 3 of 5 stars

*****SPOILERS******

Hey, I have to say that the first three books in this series were to die for. I mean, I read them over the course of a week- Christmas week to be exact. I mean, I went out of my way to find each book and bought the last two (rare, for me) because I couldn't wait for the library to get them to me.

But this one was good too, well- up to the last few chapters. Teddy and Diana were a couple that I very much related to, and I thought that it was downright shoddy of the author to co...more *****SPOILERS******

Hey, I have to say that the first three books in this series were to die for. I mean, I read them over the course of a week- Christmas week to be exact. I mean, I went out of my way to find each book and bought the last two (rare, for me) because I couldn't wait for the library to get them to me.

But this one was good too, well- up to the last few chapters. Teddy and Diana were a couple that I very much related to, and I thought that it was downright shoddy of the author to compromise their relationship. They were both already jumping through hoops, working for their love. And after the last few pages I felt so depressed and annoyed that I wished I had never read the books at all. They deserved that reward in the end, as did the reader.

I never liked Carolina, and I knew that she had to get what was coming to her eventually. I mean, she gets rich and lets her sister continue to live in poverty! And she never gets her come uppance for destroying Di and Henry's chance at love. But by the end, the charachter had shown herself and her emotions so strongly that I broke along with her when she lost her chance at love for ommitting the truth. I mean, she's still practically a child. This reality was harsh indeed. And as for the obejct of her attraction, (his name escapes me) If he really did love her then he would get over it eventually.

Teddy and Elizabeth were a go. It was brilliant of the author to mask Snowden's evil without any foreshadowing. It definitely threw me for a heart beating, breathy loop.

Penelope got what she asked for... She really believed herself invincible. Too crafty for anything to one up her.

One thing I hated about these books though, was that the characters were constantly struggling to get to an end, and for most it was never really met. There was a lot of buildup and even empty promises to the reader from the characters. The characters would constantly do things that were against the very grain of their being because the author decided that it would be a good idea to install some morals and lessons in the book.

However, if the books were judged as one, and the last two chapters of Splendor didn't exist, then i would give this saga 93% Thats an A.(less)

like 5 likes · see review

Nov 24, 2009 Virginia rated it 3 of 5 stars

SPOILERS

To explain my rating, I would give this book five stars right up until the last ten pages or so, which were horrendous.

"The Luxe" has been a beautifully crafted series, replete with gorgeous historical details and a sparkling world full of fascinating characters. At the center of this world, there were Diana and Henry, the core romance of the saga. After everything these two went through to be together, it is not just downright stupid that they would not end up together. It is also compl...more SPOILERS

To explain my rating, I would give this book five stars right up until the last ten pages or so, which were horrendous.

"The Luxe" has been a beautifully crafted series, replete with gorgeous historical details and a sparkling world full of fascinating characters. At the center of this world, there were Diana and Henry, the core romance of the saga. After everything these two went through to be together, it is not just downright stupid that they would not end up together. It is also completely unrealistic and deeply uncharacteristic of both.

In some sort of sactimonious, absurdly abrupt attempt at a feminist statement, Gobersten trashes the fate of these characters. If the reader is supposed to be happy that Diana is striking out on her own, it is an undeniable fact that by and large this will not be the case. A quick look at Amazon reveals a number of similarly shocked and disappointed reviews.

The ending, for Diana and Henry, is a total betrayal of two compelling and delightful characters, and flies in the face of ALL that either of them have done before (ie Diana cutting her hair, trying to enlist in the army, and then following Henry all over the world because she loves him that much). It is truly, profoundly terrible, and most surprisingly, an example of problematic, inconsistent, borderline bad writing on the part of an author I admire.

As for the other characters: Elizabeth is the only character who receives a completely satisfying ending. In fact, Elizabeth also has the most exciting and fun to read plotline in the book. While she has always been likable, in "Splendor" Elizabeth ceases to be merely good and kind and becomes downright badass.

Carolina receives 50% of a happy ending, which is, predictably, 50% satisfying. It's highly unlikely that Leland truly would not have forgiven her, and rather heartbreaking. On the other hand, Lina obviously did need an ego wake-up call regarding her treatment of her sister, and I am glad she and Claire ended up living together.

It would be easy to be enraged that Penelope does not receive some awful ending, but blaming Penelope for the downfall of others is fruitless. She simply is who she is, and this has allowed her to be a sympathetic villain. Where she ends up feels about right, but it was not necessary to force Henry into the same fate.

While I am still a fan of this author and will doubtless read and enjoy her next series, the ending of this book is an enormous mistake.(less)

like 11 likes · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Henry & Diana (SPOILERS)	2	17	Feb 05, 2013 02:14pm
Splendor (Luxe #4) Discussion	18	90	Apr 21, 2012 04:42pm

combine
Other Editions

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

424 users

Young Adult

377 users

Romance

177 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

57 users

Young Adult > Teen

53 users

Romance > Historical Romance

39 users

Drama

13 users

New York

12 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Historical Fiction

10 users

Love

9 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Anna Godbersen

Anna Godbersen was born in Berkeley, California, and educated at Barnard College. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

More about Anna Godbersen...

Books by Anna Godbersen

Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things, #1)

Beautiful Days (Bright Young Things, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Splendor

10 trivia questions
2 quizzes

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Splendor

“Gossip is just a tool to distract people who have nothing better to do from feeling jealous of those few of us still remaining with noble hearts.” — 212 people liked it

“The living are made of nothing but flaws. The dead, with each passing day in the afterlife, become more and more impeccable to those who remain earthbound.” — 40 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Splendor
avg rating	preview: Splendor Goodreads rating: 3.86 (10415 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6239873-splendor?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1295983771l/6239873.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6239873-splendor?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Splendor by Anna Godbersen[/url]

Splendor (Luxe #4)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website