Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things, #1)

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Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things #1)

3.69 of 5 stars 3.69 · rating details · 6,813 ratings · 1,062 reviews

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: Flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 389 pages

Published October 12th 2010 by Harper (first published October 1st 2010)

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Jan 11, 2011 ALPHAreader rated it 5 of 5 stars

On the up and up...

‘Bright Young Things’ is the first book in Anna Godbersen’s new four-book series, set in 1929 Manhattan. The series will revolve around three young women...

Cordelia Grey leaves behind the small town of Union, Ohio and her new husband for the bright lights of New York City and an inkling that her estranged father can be found in the big apple.

Letitia Haubstadt is Cordelia’s best friend, and another Union-native leaving her indifferent family and small-minded town for the bright...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own, favorites

I've been anticipating this novel, since I first heard the rumors of it's existence. Bright Young Things did not disappoint! I'm a huge fan of Godbersen's Luxe series, but Bright Young Things now tops it.

The story revolves around three young girls. Letty, Cordelia and Astrid. You will love them! One of the things that I loved most about this novel was how very well written each character was. They all had very distinct qualities. Qualities that led them down very differing paths! I would even go...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Crystal Starr Light rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, historical

That is what I want to tell you about: the girls with their short skirts and bright eyes and big-city dreams. The girls of 1929

Cordelia Grey and long-time best friend, Letty "Larkspur", flee their boring, sleepy Ohio town and head to New York City. Their reasons for leaving differ: Cordelia longs to meet the father she never knew and Letty wants to see her name in lights. Meanwhile, Astrid Donal is a sparkling socialite, but not everything in her life is perfect, particularly when it comes to he...more That is what I want to tell you about: the girls with their short skirts and bright eyes and big-city dreams. The girls of 1929

Cordelia Grey and long-time best friend, Letty "Larkspur", flee their boring, sleepy Ohio town and head to New York City. Their reasons for leaving differ: Cordelia longs to meet the father she never knew and Letty wants to see her name in lights. Meanwhile, Astrid Donal is a sparkling socialite, but not everything in her life is perfect, particularly when it comes to her boyfriend, Charlie Grey.

I enjoyed myself immensely with this book. It had soapy drama, it had a sexy Jazz Age setting, it had glittery lights of New York, and, oddly enough, it had a bit of realism to it.

I can't really say if I had a favorite character. I liked how independent Cordelia was, but she almost felt too competent (especially given where she started). Also, SUPER surprised how she slept with a boy, was forced to marry him, and then ran away after the wedding! (TOTALLY would never expect something like that!) Letty, on the other hand, was the complete opposite: I was sure the girl was going to crumple in on herself at the drop of a hat. Astrid was definitely fun, as a spoiled rich brat, but then that also didn't endear her to me. Charlie was a two-timing scuzz-bag...but the emotional scene with him and Astrid threatened to bring a tear to my eye. Paulette was so sweet and big-sisterly to Letty...except when she wasn't.

What I can truly take away from this is: the characters are real people. They have things you like about them...and they have things you don't. They have strengths, and they have weaknesses. And so while I didn't have a favorite character, I also can't say I openly hated or despised any one of them.

(Okay, except maybe for Cordelia's aunt. Seriously, I know religious people can be nutjobs, but some aren't so judgmental. And I *KNOW* that that wouldn't necessarily be time-period appropriate, but I just wanted to throw that out there.)

The story overall was entertaining. Now, I did find Cordelia's "hunt" for her father painfully easy--all she needs to do is go to his home, claim to be Fanny's daughter, and boom, that's it? But I enjoyed Cordelia getting to know her dad and brother, befriending Astrid. And Letty trying to live on her own was good too (even if she was painfully naive and somewhat dense). Astrid's story was probably most interesting though. Having a mother who married and divorced so frequently, the upset her life went through, dealing with her boyfriend issues, and her final decision with Charlie were very compelling.

I was pretty impressed with the setting. I can't say if it is 100% accurate, but it did make me journey to Wiki and do online searching (and listening to 1920's jazz music!). And my very cursory findings agree pretty nicely with how Godbersen describes her setting. Now, I don't know how a more intense study would hold up, but since I wasn't looking for a hard-core historical, I was fine.

After a prologue that introduces an unknown narrator (is it important who that is?), the prose is in third person omniscient, which means we can flip in and out of the girls' heads at any time. At first, it was rather jarring, but then I got the flow of it and actually kinda liked it. Honestly, I feel it is one of the better written stories in third person omniscient that I've ever read.

If you want to read a light YA story set in the Jazz Age, this is a perfect book. The characters feel real, the setting is atmospheric, and the stories are a nice getaway. I'll definitely be checking out the sequels.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Very mild language.
Cordelia sleeps with John; her aunt forces her to marry him afterwards. Astrid's mother has been married many times; her step-father flirts with other women while married to her mother. Cordelia's father has a girlfriend, and it is hinted they are intimate. Letty is conned into performing at a strip show; she runs off before discarding too many clothes.
Cordelia's father is a bootlegger and surrounds himself with gunmen. There are a few shootouts or discussions of shootouts (nothing too violent).(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: unmemorable, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it, not-worth-a-proper-review, just-not-good-enough-to-stick-with, a-whole-new-level-of-boring

The best thing about reading this book is that I didn't pay a cent for it.

Some people enjoy novels that follow the exploits of the beautiful people in New York or some other big city/school/whatever. I'm not one of them. I can enjoy a good fluff read as much as the next person, but I have little patience for the misadventures of pretty people with personalities I can't stand even when I'm in a good mood. When I'm feeling extremely lethargic and drained due to another round of insomnia and the wo...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jazz-age, light-historical, young-adult, zz-2011, reviewed, soapy-melodrama, keepers-ya

After tackling a graphic horror novel, I was in the mood for something easily digestible. Combine that with a recent binge at Borders' liquidation sale, & presto -- the perfect chance to start Ms Godbersen's new series.

The plot is fairly straight-forward; in fact, the tidiest summary comes courtesy the cover blurb, so read that if you're still in the dark. :P But for those who are familiar with THE LUXE series, BYT's style & overall flavor are similar. I was hoping for a cameo from some...more After tackling a graphic horror novel, I was in the mood for something easily digestible. Combine that with a recent binge at Borders' liquidation sale, & presto -- the perfect chance to start Ms Godbersen's new series.

The plot is fairly straight-forward; in fact, the tidiest summary comes courtesy the cover blurb, so read that if you're still in the dark. :P But for those who are familiar with THE LUXE series, BYT's style & overall flavor are similar. I was hoping for a cameo from some of the (now middle-aged) LUXE socialites...but no. All these characters are new. Unlike the LUXE books, there are only three main focal points, so they have longer scene continuations; Ms Godbersen has also opted against a one-by-one chapter focus, & the reader spends more time with each girl instead of cycling rapidly between p.o.v. I like Letty (the sweetheart) & Astrid (the spoiled flapper); I'm not so fond of Cordelia, but she's interesting enough to follow. (And no, there's no villainess a la Penelope Hayes. ;)) The setting initially threw me for a loop because I'm not well-versed in the jazz period, but everything settled in after the first few chapters.

For all their candy-like melodrama, I'm not afraid to admit enjoying Godbersen's novels. Of course there are overwrought moments -- runaway new brides, bootlegger parties, murders, a mother who consorts with boys her daughter's age, a girl who is unwillingly roped into a striptease...etc, etc. But Godbersen's books do something that precious few 'escapist' YA novels are willing to do -- they take risks with resolution. The author isn't afraid to have her characters do stupid things & suffer the consequences later. She's not afraid to damage those who don't deserve it, whether by accident or the selfish behavior of others. Furthermore, she's not afraid to buck the expectations that ___ & ___ simply MUST end up together!! Sometimes you really DON'T get what you want. Sometimes you DO need to settle for a second choice. Sometimes you really CAN'T have your cake & eat it too...which is a realism that many YA novels don't take into account, whether period melodrama or contemporary paranormal.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction

Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

Having read and absolutely adored Anna Godbersen's 'The Luxe' series, I was looking forward to reading her new series, set in 1920's New York. I was not disappointed at all.

'Bright Young Things' revolves around three young women. Cordelia and Letty are childhood friends from a small town and they both share a need to escape to New York for something bigger. Astrid lives a pampered life in Long Island, but has the same need for something more.

I really love Anna...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Wendy Darling marked it as to-read

Shelves: ebook-egalley, young-adult

FREE for Kindle right now as a pre-order, with bonus materials that include (hah!) flapper fashion tips. Looks like the deal is over.

Visit my blog for the link to the free download. :)

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May 22, 2012 Ariana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, I agonized over giving this 1 or 3 stars, and eventually settled on 2. The book has serious pros and cons. While I wasn't expecting much to begin with, I WAS expecting something compulsively readable, soap opera-ish, glam. Bright Young Things was that, but I was also expecting better heroines.

Expectation: spunky, tough-yet-beautiful, street-smart, forward-thinking flappers

Reality: whiny deluded DUMB AS FUCK teenagers who continually get themselves (and anyone and everyone who is so unfort...more Well, I agonized over giving this 1 or 3 stars, and eventually settled on 2. The book has serious pros and cons. While I wasn't expecting much to begin with, I WAS expecting something compulsively readable, soap opera-ish, glam. Bright Young Things was that, but I was also expecting better heroines.

Expectation: spunky, tough-yet-beautiful, street-smart, forward-thinking flappers

Reality: whiny deluded DUMB AS FUCK teenagers who continually get themselves (and anyone and everyone who is so unfortunate to come into contact with them) into a shitload of trouble. You wouldn't believe the luck these girls have in the city -- but what do they do to EVERY FREAKING OPPORTUNITY, no matter how amazing or perfectly unrealistic? Without fail, they fuck it up!!

That was my main problem with the book, anyhow. I liked Cordelia's character until she started messing around with Thom, which I just *knew* was a bad idea (that's not a spoiler, you see it coming a mile away). I hated Lettie from the beginning. She's such a baby, & on top of that suffers from special snowflake syndrome. I adored Astrid until she... well, I don't want to spoil this. If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. She was a strong, independent female character until she did THIS particular thing, and the entire time I was face-palming.

It's not that I can't appreciate flawed characters. I actually like my characters flawed. But DUMB characters? That's something I can't deal with.

So, congratulations Anna Godberson. You had a perfect opportunity to create kick-ass female characters in an era where women were definitely starting to feel empowered but SO TYPICALLY made them into brainless idiots dependent on the males. Bravooo.

....despite all that, though, like I said, it WAS compulsively readable (even though it was FAR from well-written, let's make that clear ((also, Anna, get better comebacks for characters!!))) and I did really enjoy the setting. I will probably read the next book just to see where she takes things from the explosion of cliff-hangers cum psychopathic plot twists that the ending was comprised of.

(less)

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Aug 10, 2010 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars

SOOOOOO excited to find out that Anna is releasing a new series. I LOVE reading about the past and times before me!!! Im sure this series will be just as great as The Luxe series.. hopefully with a better ending this time.

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Nov 11, 2010 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received this copy of Bright Young Things for free from goodreads. I am glad that I won this book because I probably would not have read it otherwise. I did not know that it was a "teen" book when I chose it in the contest. I chose it because I love historical fiction, and New York in the 20's is a fascinating time in history.This novel was fun to read and has interesting characters and storylines. I loved the speakeasies and parties, and the descriptions of the clothes and mansions were my fa...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: freebies, young-adult

I feel like this story could have taken place in any other decade and been exactly the same. I was really hoping for more insight into the Roaring 20's, but instead got a few mentions of flimsy, sparkling dresses and people peacefully drinking their illegal liquor. Where was the excitement and the glamor?!

The writing was also pretty dense, with paragraph long sentences. By time I'd get to the period, I forgot what the sentence was about.

Example 1: "By then she knew that the flaky, crescent-shape...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars

I kind of hate liking Anna Godbersen's books as much as I do.

I mean, they're just not... good. No depth, no substance, no character development. Nothing, really. And yet, somehow I'm drawn into all of them, and can't put them down...

Bright Young Things was written in the same style as the Luxe. Starts out with a forboding prologue, then alternating between several characters who are each screwing up their sparkling, carefree lives in different ways. One of them could be considered 'poor' but she...more

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Apr 10, 2011 A.C. Gaughen rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Feb 17, 2011 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

For most of the book, I was bound and determined to give it 3 stars. I was alright with the story but not overly impressed. The characters were fine, but I'm still partial to Diana and Henry from this author's other series The Luxe.

Then, the last 75 pages hooked me from out of nowhere. I should have known that Godberson was going to pull the rabbit out of the hat. After all, nothing should shock me now after the complete emotional rollercoaster that Luxe took me on.

Who is Thom? Is he good or bad...more

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Dec 23, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mundie-moms-review, books-i-own

Bright Young Things follows the story of three young adult girls, Cordelia, her best friend Letty and Astrid during the 1920's era. I love this era and have been very excited to read this book. What I enjoyed most was the era and the way Anna switches back and forth between each character. She doesn't announce that each chapter has a new voice which continues to follow the lives of the three girls and how they interact with each other, but she does it in a very subtle manner. Each of the charact...more Bright Young Things follows the story of three young adult girls, Cordelia, her best friend Letty and Astrid during the 1920's era. I love this era and have been very excited to read this book. What I enjoyed most was the era and the way Anna switches back and forth between each character. She doesn't announce that each chapter has a new voice which continues to follow the lives of the three girls and how they interact with each other, but she does it in a very subtle manner. Each of the character's voices is unique and shares a different side of this bustling era.

Cordelia and Letty are from OH and find themselves in NY. Cordelia came to find the father she never knew and Letty to follow her dreams of being a dancer. Astrid and Cordelia quickly hit it off, as Artrid is dating Cordelia's brother (whom Cordelia just met). Bright Young Things has a very fast moving plot that gives way to small adventures to each of the characters. Each of them is yearning for something and in finding out what that is will cause heartache and need to feel a sense of belonging. The only thing that bothered me with this trio was Cordelia and Letty's falling out when they arrive to NYC. To me, it didn't seem too realistic as they've grown up best friend, and upon getting to the city have a fight over something stupid and then don't talk to each other for a long time. I did however like how Anna makes their paths cross again in the story.

I really liked how Anna allowed us to see the 1920's era through the eyes of the three characters. It was fascinating to see Cordelia's family dynamics, Astrid's social life and Letty trying to fulfill her dreams. Like reality, not everything is how it seems. That's saying something with out giving anything anyway. I also liked Cordelia's brother Charlie, as he's protective of his family and the family business and I'll admit I'm totally heartbroken over Thom! I won't give anything away, but I am eager to find out what really happened in the sequel to Bright Young Things.

I enjoyed the friendships between Cordelia, Letty and Astrid. While reading the book I wanted a little more character depth from them, but now that I've finished reading the book, I don't think that would have fit with the story. Bright Young Things is written in a fast paced manner that allowed me to know the characters and understand why they make the choices they do. It's a fun read, with romance, fashion and brings to light the glitz of the 1920's.(less)

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Oct 16, 2010 Kelsey Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, historical, i-own, ya

First of all, thank you First Reads for the gorgeous new book!
Readers of Anna Godbersen's The Luxe series will not be disappointed. I have to say I liked this one even more. I was intrigued by her rendering of a new face of New York from an entirely different decade, and by the new cast of characters. You should know I'm not a reader of Gossip Girls or any of those books about high-society socialites. Nonetheless, I could identify with the girls in "Bright Young Things"--beneath the glittering f...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Sarah M rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

3.5 Stars
*Some Spoilers.
Bright young things was a pretty good read. It took me awhile to finish due to finding the Charley Davidson series, and I had to read those right away!

Things I liked: I loved Astrid she was my favorite of the bunch. She was funny and not boring which I found the other girls could be at times. I also did like the friendships. The storyline was pretty good and I didn't see what happened toward the end coming.I also really like Historical Fiction so this book had that in it...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Remedyleaf rated it 3 of 5 stars

Early on, I was generally disappointed. The characters and plot were no where near as interesting as The Luxe (Godbersen's first series). I felt like Godbersen was just choosing over used characters and plot lines. Characters, in their own special way, often resembled Mary Sues. Which is disappointing from a published author, much less one that has previously been on my favorite author list. As you may guess, although I loved The Luxe and it's series, Godbersen can no longer be allowed on my lis...more Early on, I was generally disappointed. The characters and plot were no where near as interesting as The Luxe (Godbersen's first series). I felt like Godbersen was just choosing over used characters and plot lines. Characters, in their own special way, often resembled Mary Sues. Which is disappointing from a published author, much less one that has previously been on my favorite author list. As you may guess, although I loved The Luxe and it's series, Godbersen can no longer be allowed on my list, just for the underperformance here.

This may come as a surprising review. I've heard only great things about this book, which made me anxiously want to read it even more. Alas, I was not impressed. Maybe I'm just a critic, but I would not recommend this series over The Luxe.

But maybe I'm comparing too much. As a book alone, it was not that bad. It just didn't sit with me well. A lot more happened then imaginable in the two week time the book is set in.

I'll talk about Astrid now.
I was disappointed that she first showed up in the second half of the book. I would have liked to have seen more of her. Then there was the whole thing with her and Charlie at the end of the book. *SPOILERS* I didn't understand that after she caught Charlie with another woman, that when he proposed to her she said yes. I mean, they loved each other in all, but my trust would have been destroyed. I guess people made mistakes that were easier to clean up back then. Or, in Godbersen's fictional world at least.
Another thing about Astrid that I didn't understand, was her mother's reputation. I didn't understand what that had to do with the book, especially her mother's affair, and then "pre" divorce. (Assuming continuation of that in the 2nd book.) Within all of that, Astrid's relationship with her step-sister Billie was confusing too. That, and what the heck Billie had to do with the story. She seemed like an unneeded character. The only relationship involving Astrid that I understood was the one she shared with Cordelia. That made perfect sense; they were young girls, matched up in a case of luck, that became fast friends.

Now for Charlie.
First off, I didn't really understand him. Why would he *SPOILERS* cheat on Astrid? Why did he hate Cordelia at first. And his personality was so back and fourth. It felt like he was bipolar. He was not a very impressive male character.

3rdly, Cordelia
Cordelia's personality was fairly pleasing. Although she took in all of her sudden wealth, was grateful for it, and acknowledged the time when she didn't have it. But her reason to come to New York? A little bit overused, if you ask me. How many plot's have featured a long lost father/mother/sister/brother, ect. I was disappointed that Godbersen couldn't come up with something more original. *SPOILERS* As for Cordelia's relationship with Thom, that was entirely unrealistic. She knew him for less than 2 weeks. They moved at a ridiculously, fictional pace to anything remotely close to real life relationships. I was so surprised by this, because in (ok, I'm comparing now) Godbersen's previous works, all her relational development has been reasonable. I can see, however, the purpose of her father's death; all for the assumption that it was Thom, leading to a falling out. I didn't understand her side of the friendship with Letty either. Cordelia is stronger, and smarter than Letty. I didn't get why she was friends with her. (Now why Letty was friends with Cordelia, is easy to see...) Lastly, I didn't understand Cordelia's last minute moment with the famous pilot that was crammed into the ending pages of the book. I can only assume that it was set up for the sequel, and if not, it was just bad planning.

So lastly, Letty
Although Cordelia's overused dream (to find her father), I thought that Letty's dream was even more ridiculously over used. Moving to New York to make it in Show Biz? Really Godbersen?
In general, I just didn't like Letty at all. She was such a Mary Sue. It was crazy. Her relationship with Grady was so understandable, however, as well as her desire for Amory's approval. I didn't like her Cigarette Girl friends, but I didn't like the way Letty treated them even more. *SPOILERS* Borrow their clothes, let your dog eat their stuff, drink their liquor, and stay for barely anything???? Considering these girls got you a job, and gave you advice, and loaned you clothes. Ugghhhhh. I can't stand that! Lastly, I didn't like how she just picked right up with Cordelia, who basically left her with nothing. (Although I was kind of on Cordelia's side.)(less)

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Jan 09, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

After writing this review, I will find the sequel.

This book centers around the lives of three young women in the Summer of 1929, yes, that's right before the big crash...

Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur leave their small town in Ohio to make it big in NYC. Cordelia dreams of finding her long-lost father, who she believes to be a famous boot leger in New York, and Letty dreams of being a star.

Then there is Astrid Donal, a rich, carefree socialite with a complicated love life and a mother who c...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Mandie Michniewicz rated it 3 of 5 stars

The writing was fairly disjointed, maybe in part of the author's irritating writing style, jumping from character to character and from first person to third person narrative, seemingly from paragraph to paragraph. There was also a plethora of unnecessary characters that brought your focus from the main characters' plights, making character development difficult. All of this together added up to a story that didn't flow very well, and the chapters seemed to stop in all the wrong places, lending...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, love, manhattan, smirky-romance

I've wanted to read this book forever, but I could never get into it. I read 200 pages of it, and then grew bored. And that's a shame, because it was so exciting the second time I picked it up. Granted, I started re-reading this during Hurricane Sandy, so anything was exciting. (I'm fine, my house is fine, Staten Island is....rebuilding.) What also drew me to this book and series was my fascination with The Great Gatsby. I read it my junior year and was completely enthralled with flappers and th...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

Author Anna Godbersen has a gift for writing books set in New York in the eras of the 1920's and 1930's. The era of flappers and country clubs , soirees and burlesque clubs - women singing jazz and opera.
Bright Young Things sets us on a journey from a little town of Union, Ohio to the big bright lights of New York City. In Union, Ohio - two girls Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur want action, adventure and to be rid of their small town life. Cordelia escaping on her wedding night with best frien...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Alexa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-2012-advisory

It is 1929, and Letty and Cordelia leave their home in Ohio. They want to come live in New York City. Letty wants to become a singer, and Cordelia wants to find her long lost father. But when the two girls get to New York City, things turn out differently from what they seem. The girls promise to stay together no matter what happens, but then they end up going separate ways. Letty then meets a new group of girls and stays with them. She meets a few people, and sings a little, but her road to fam...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fic, own

First off, I love, love, LOVE the way Anna Gadbersen writes. She has amazing details, characters you fall in love with, and doesn't shy away from killing off characters. This fact did make me stop reading the Luxe series after Rumors, because she killed off one of my favorites, causing me to cry in the doctor's office. However, I know I'll eventually try to finish that series, because I care about the other characters too.

This book is set in the Roaring Twenties, an era that there are not nearly...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Lily Bart rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Spoiled rich girls, masochists, zombies

It Sucks! It Sucks! My God how this book sucks!!!!

The Twenties are my favorite time period, and F. Scott Fitzgerald is my favorite writer. So I totally get the idea of setting a fast-paced, sexy story in New York City in the Twenties, and focusing on the schemes and dreams of three "flappers" who are each chasing a different desire.

But . . . but . . . you need to have warm, likable characters. And a believable plot. And sexy boys. And you need a setting that's realistic and fascinating and deta...more It Sucks! It Sucks! My God how this book sucks!!!!

The Twenties are my favorite time period, and F. Scott Fitzgerald is my favorite writer. So I totally get the idea of setting a fast-paced, sexy story in New York City in the Twenties, and focusing on the schemes and dreams of three "flappers" who are each chasing a different desire.

But . . . but . . . you need to have warm, likable characters. And a believable plot. And sexy boys. And you need a setting that's realistic and fascinating and detailed. But this book has none of that. Empty-headed girls, unattractive boys, a weirdly fake background that has almost no connection to the real Twenties world. Reading this book was like a long, slow death!

First of all, these three girl characters are annoying. And I mean ANNNOYING!!!! Cordelia is the best of them, she's tough and she genuinely wants to find her long-lost father, who's now a famous bootlegger. But once she finds him it takes about five minutes for her to begin lying to him and going behind his back, chasing after a boy with zero sex appeal, no energy and no character . . . but he drives a fancy car and has really nice hair. Shallow much? And this is the one girl I liked!!!

Letty wants to be a singer. She's four feet tall and has a mental age of five. When guys start whistling and clapping she is shocked -- SHOCKED -- that they care more about her body than her beautiful voice! She shows zero brain power, character, or any real interest in learning the trade of an actual musician. She's got "victim" written all over her. That's about it. Oh, and she has a dog named Good Egg. Rotten Egg is more like it!

Last of all, there's Astrid. Astrid is just . . . horrible. I mean, I get who she's supposed to be. She's Daisy in THE GREAT GATSBY. She's the golden girl, the princess in the tower. But my god this girl ia a tedious, spoiled, annoying, shallow bitch! At least Daisy could be witty, funny, and playful when she wasn't breaking hearts. Astrid just sulks and whines for two hundred pages, literally about nothing.

Now this is not a spoiler, but the book begins with a big tease about how "one girl will be married, one girl will be famous, one girl will be dead." I'm not saying whether or not the author keeps that promise, but by the last half of the book I was literally begging for someone to die. Anyone! One little spoiled brat would be sobbing and jumping into a roadster and I would be chanting, "crash . . . crash . . . crash . . . crash!" And the little singer was bombing on stage and I was literally praying for a crazed psycho to break in with a gun and shoot her in mid shimmy. But no such luck! And everytime the bootlegger's girl whipped out her six shooter and started babbling about family honor I was just praying, begging, pleading for her to shoot herself by mistake!

So now I want to explain, just in case you don't get how bad this book SUCKED, what else was missing from it. Aside from good characters, a good plot, and people you care about. Well, let's see. It's New York, in the Twenties. Jazz is hot, but . . . where are all the Negroes? Where's the Cotton Club? Where's Harlem? This is the whitest jazz age book I've ever seen! And we've got show business types all over, all talking Broadway this and vaudevill that, but . . . no Jews? Tons of bootleggers, but none from the Lower East Side? No Irish? (Okay, Cordy's father mentions the Italians, I think once.)

THE GREAT GATSBY is marred by ugly traces of racism and anti-semitism. But at least Fitzgerald was honest about feeling threatened by all the dizzying change, the vital energy of the new groups that were challenging the world he'd always known. This book isn't like that. It's lifeless. This little girl spent years learning to imitate Fitzgerald at his silliest (endless, endless descriptions of moonlight and champagne) but she has no clue where the power and lasting vitality of his books really comes from . . . the seething tension between warring races, classes, and ethnic groups.

This book is so bland and white-bread and fake, it almost had to be written by a Barnard graduate. (less)

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Dec 30, 2011 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars

New York City in the Roaring Twenties is a place where dreams are made. Best friends Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey board the train for New York with little other than battered suitcases and the brightest hopes. Both girls couldn’t stand being stifled in their tiny Midwestern town, so they take the only chance they have to escape for better places. They just know that things will be better in New York City: Letty can’t wait to be singing on stage with her name in lights, and Cordelia is impati...more New York City in the Roaring Twenties is a place where dreams are made. Best friends Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey board the train for New York with little other than battered suitcases and the brightest hopes. Both girls couldn’t stand being stifled in their tiny Midwestern town, so they take the only chance they have to escape for better places. They just know that things will be better in New York City: Letty can’t wait to be singing on stage with her name in lights, and Cordelia is impatient to fulfill her most secret wish to meet her father and gain a real family. But as these girls and their new friends navigate the glamorous speakeasies of Manhattan and the magnificence of the wealthiest parts of Long Island, they will learn some of the hardest secrets of their new lives, and that though their fortunes will change, they’re lucky to have lasting friendships.

I definitely was not the only reader spellbound by Godbersen’s magnificent Luxe series, so I couldn’t be happier to revisit New York City in a different era for Godbersen’s newest series. Godbersen sweeps readers off their feet and into a spectacular image of the Roaring Twenties, famous for its decadence, not-quite-freely flowing champagne, and flapper fashion. Preparing an irresistible setting is by far one of Godbersen’s strengths; her luxurious descriptions of everything from the lighting in a speakeasy to the beading on a girl’s dress makes historical New York City feel so vivid and real. I can’t say that I was nearly as taken with the new cast of characters in Bright Young Things; the girls are a little too flippant and naïve for me to truly sympathize with their plights yet. Nevertheless, I have definitely been charmed by Bright Young Things and cannot wait to see where Godbersen will take her characters next in Beautiful Days.

Fans of The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen will definitely not want to miss the start of her next fantastic series in Bright Young Things.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Oct 22, 2011 Ta§chima Cullen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, 5-star-shelf

You can find more reviews @BloodyBookaholic

This book is about three girls who live in 1929, in New York City. Letty is the small girl with the big city dreams (with the pipes to back them up- she sings), Cordelia is an orphan who is looking for the place where she belongs, and Astrid is the "rich" girl with issues. They all go on this kind of adventure called life that changes them and their circumstances forever. In some ways it's like The Luxe series, the girls have very different personalitie...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Shellby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, kindle, old-america, romance, young-adult

As a fan of Anna Godbersen's Luxe series I was pretty sure I would have a fun time reading her next set of books. Bright Young Things certainly was not a disappointment. In fact the only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating is because I'm just not a huge lover of the 1920's. (Small detail, but makes a difference to me.)

The series revolves around three young girls living in New York during the roaring 20's. There's lots of parties, lots of booze, and certainly a lot of men around for them to...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: free, nook-version, young-adult, 2011

I read this because it was offered for Nook as a "free friday" read. I'm glad I downloaded it because it was a good read and easy and quick. It helped me through a slow afternoon while my husband was at work. I read it pretty quickly- in a few days really.

The story was good. Not always predictable. I liked hearing the book, as it focused on 3 different girls for the most part (Cordelia, Letty & Astrid). At times, I even found myself wanting to know the girls in real life. Not because I wante...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Reynje rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-for-me, read-2011, young-adult, historical-fiction

Expectations: I thought this would be an entertaining read. A consuming piece of escapism. I like historical fiction and I was really looking forward to Godbersen’s take on the 1920s.

Vs.

Reality: Honestly, I struggled with the writing in this book. The idea was fine, I just don’t feel like it was executed as well as it could have been. I frequently found myself stumbling over awkward turns of phrase and clunky descriptions, to the point where I would stop reading to think, “Wait, what?” and have...more

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About Anna Godbersen

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

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Beautiful Days (Bright Young Things, #2)

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Quotes from Bright Young Things

“Love is all right, as things go, but lovers can be a terrible waste of a girl's time.” — 88 people liked it

“It is often advantiageous to forget. Forget your wincing humiliations, forget life's blows, and get on. For blocks in every direction, down every street in the city, people not yet old enough to have lines on their foreheads were laughing away memory, warmly ensconced in shrines of forgetfulness. Those who followed the word of God and those who preferred what the priests called "hoodoo" alike. People everywhere forgetting with drink or forgetting with religion or forgetting with the numbing quality of their many heaps of things. They looked forward and imagined rosy tomorrows, and gave up whatever horrors heckled their dreams, and listened to the pretty stories of whomever ruled their pulpit.” — 37 people liked it

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Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things #1)

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