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The Luxe (Luxe, #1)
by Anna Godbersen
by Anna Godbersen
Misty's review
bookshelves: historical, juvenile-ya, read-in-2009, recommended, ya-challenge, disappointing-or-excited-for-nothin, cover-appeal, awful
Oct 27, 09
bookshelves: historical, juvenile-ya, read-in-2009, recommended, ya-challenge, disappointing-or-excited-for-nothin, cover-appeal, awful
Recommended to Misty by:
Ashley
Read in June, 2009
The Luxe is about turn of the century New York socialites falling in love and misbehaving. New York's darling debutant, Elizabeth Holland is poised to marry one of the most eligible (and debaucherous) bachelors in the city, but her perfect life is not what it seems.
The Luxe reads like Gossip Girl meets Edith Wharton. Sadly, it has all of the shallowness and poor writing of the former, with little of the intelligence and power of the latter. Godbersen does her best to make the time period interesting and appealing to today's teen girl audience, but the result is predictable, flat and strange. It really is as if the GGs had put on costumes and were playing at The Age Of Innocence: their actions and dialogue is not well-suited to the time or the story. This isn't to say that they can't be scandalous; I don't buy into a white-washed history. I know people always have skeletons in their closets, regardless of the mores of the time. More so, even, in a repressive society. Wharton demonstrated that expertly. But the actions of the characters in this book seem too careless and intentionally shocking, and as such seems silly. It's hard as well to feel for the characters. They have very few redeeming qualities, and I was torn between wanting them to have the happy ending that was (obviously-parading-as-stealthily) coming and seeing them get what they actually deserved.
The structuring was a bit weird for me as well, especially when it came to conversations between the characters. One character would say something, and then Godbersen would spend a whole nice-sized paragraph describing something (the rich scene, someone's dress, some incident from the past, whatever), and then the character who was spoken to would respond. By that point, I was completely out of the flow of conversation and had no idea what had been said in the first place and had to look back to follow the thread of dialogue. It was a strange choice on her part and her editor's. And though some description of finery and scene were necessary, they were a bit overdone and tended to overwhelm the story (or maybe mask a lack of it); if I had had to read about 'pocket doors' one more effing time, I may have had a fit of hysterics like some of the characters were prone to.
This is not to say that teen girls won't find this book just heart-flutteringly terrific. If Godbersen set out to write a soap opera dressed up as historical literature, she succeeded at that, and there is a market for it. For me though, it's a shame it didn't live up to its pretty cover.
Various bonus goodies here>
The Luxe reads like Gossip Girl meets Edith Wharton. Sadly, it has all of the shallowness and poor writing of the former, with little of the intelligence and power of the latter. Godbersen does her best to make the time period interesting and appealing to today's teen girl audience, but the result is predictable, flat and strange. It really is as if the GGs had put on costumes and were playing at The Age Of Innocence: their actions and dialogue is not well-suited to the time or the story. This isn't to say that they can't be scandalous; I don't buy into a white-washed history. I know people always have skeletons in their closets, regardless of the mores of the time. More so, even, in a repressive society. Wharton demonstrated that expertly. But the actions of the characters in this book seem too careless and intentionally shocking, and as such seems silly. It's hard as well to feel for the characters. They have very few redeeming qualities, and I was torn between wanting them to have the happy ending that was (obviously-parading-as-stealthily) coming and seeing them get what they actually deserved.
The structuring was a bit weird for me as well, especially when it came to conversations between the characters. One character would say something, and then Godbersen would spend a whole nice-sized paragraph describing something (the rich scene, someone's dress, some incident from the past, whatever), and then the character who was spoken to would respond. By that point, I was completely out of the flow of conversation and had no idea what had been said in the first place and had to look back to follow the thread of dialogue. It was a strange choice on her part and her editor's. And though some description of finery and scene were necessary, they were a bit overdone and tended to overwhelm the story (or maybe mask a lack of it); if I had had to read about 'pocket doors' one more effing time, I may have had a fit of hysterics like some of the characters were prone to.
This is not to say that teen girls won't find this book just heart-flutteringly terrific. If Godbersen set out to write a soap opera dressed up as historical literature, she succeeded at that, and there is a market for it. For me though, it's a shame it didn't live up to its pretty cover.
Various bonus goodies here>
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Reading Progress
| 06/26/2009 | page 221 |
|
51.04% | "I am not impressed. (I feel like I just said 'We are not amused' in my best royal voice.) This juse makes me want to read Age of Innocence." 2 comments |
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Jun 29, 2009 03:20pm
Very nice and interesting review. I wanted to read this, but now I am unsure. Then again, our views on what is good is very different :P
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Resa wrote: "Very nice and interesting review."(Then click yes!)
Have you read any Wharton? If not, and you don't have the real stuff to compare it to, then maybe it won't be so bad. And it's not that it was horrible or anything, just disappointing. She tried so hard to keep everything from being obvious that she made it end up being obvious. And she spent so much time on the atmosphere that character was neglected. It's very soap opera-y, so if you go in wanting a light frothy scandal read, you'll probably like it. But I went in wanting something more, and I could see where her influences lie, and she didn't measure up, so I never got what I wanted.
But I did have friends that rated it 5.
I probably would like it, but I am just not drawn to it now that you discussed it. I tend to enjoy books more if I go in knowing little about them and figuring them out.
I LOVED the first two books, but I put the third one down halfway through. I agree with you, though. It is very light and soap opera-ish. I think that is why I liked it. It's a history lesson wrapped in Gossip Girl.
I started it Misty but becuz of your very well written review, I'm going to skip it & keep reading the "Kennedy Condolances Letters" that I'm half way thru!!
I'd say tie after reflection, though there were times (albeit few and far between) when I actually like AGTB as I was reading it. I almost never stopped rolling my eyes reading The Luxe.
I think it was pretty good, many details and a nice story. What was bad was the ending of the last book it ruined everything that we were all waiting for. :/
I have to say that so far I agree with you completely. I'm only halfway through this book. I think the "idea" of the story is good, and the basic plot is great for teens, I can even get past the super descriptive parts, but the way the characters speak and act absolutely drive me crazy! It is very unfitting for the time. When I hit chapter 4 Henry says "Awful morbid Dad, we left a party for this?" No person in 1899 would speak like this....this is worded just like something our modern teens would say. Then there are all these young couple meeting alone. I'm sure it did happen, but if any of these couples were discovered, even by their servants their reputations would have been ruined and they would have been unable to ever marry. Yet here they all are having sex everywhere without a worry of their reputation being ruined. This story could have been great if it was done properly. Maybe if the author had done less research of architecture and clothing, and done more on the way people actually lived and acted, it would have been good.
I still liked the books. I just ignored the speaking and stuff. They still were afraid of their reputation but took the chance, which I believe did happen even in the 1800's. The architecture and the clothing description was one of the good things in the book, It's like I was right their watching. Just don't get soo into the details about those things about the speaking and things, because it is a YA novel. It wasn't really for history class.
You're right it's not for a history class, but why waste your time on a historical fiction novel that isn't well written, when there are so many better, wonderfully written historical fiction novels out there? Just saying. I know lots of people love these books, and I can see why. If I wanted a book of "fluff" that I didn't want to think too much about this would be perfect. I probably would have enjoyed it more when I was a teen, though even then poorly written books drove me nuts. But as a writer myself, and an English major, and a lover of the beauties of history, especially architecture and fashion....I can't get past the discrepancies. I'm not saying it's the worst book in the world, I'm just saying these were the things that drove me nuts.
It doesn't have to be for a history class to be accurate. Language and dialogue are a big part of the feel of a historical novel, and if they're not right, and the attitudes aren't right, what's to make you buy in? Every time they open their mouths you're going to be irritated and it's going to take you out of the action.
Ya I agree. This book is a book teenagers love. But that explains a lot because your a writer and have an English manor. But people without that knowledge don't really think of it. This isn't my favorite book but I'm just saying.
The audience this book is intended for doesn't give a rat's ass about the accuracy of the dialogue or actions. I'm going to read this book because I love Gossip Girl and I think this will have a unique twist to the same concept. Take it for what it's worth and try not to nit pick everything that's wrong with it. Can I just ask how you read through the whole novel while being irritated at every single word?
I read through the whole thing, because I don't like to partially read books, if I start it I prefer to finish it. One book took me 5 years to finish, but I did it.
Lisa wrote: "The audience this book is intended for doesn't give a rat's ass about the accuracy of the dialogue or actions. I'm going to read this book because I love Gossip Girl and I think this will have a un..."Lol! I didn't care haha! Wow 5 years! That happens to me sometimes!
I've just started rereading this book and I know what you mean! I first read at 15 and loved it. After reading Austen and Bronte (slightyly different era I know) and getting into history some of the phrases used in this book really irked me. I'm still enjoying the general story though.
I've just started rereading this book and I know what you mean! I first read at 15 and loved it. After reading Austen and Bronte (slightyly different era I know) and getting into history some of the phrases used in this book really irked me. I'm still enjoying the general story though.
I'm actually shocked that you liked AGTB more than this. To me, it was a nice story coupled with writing that made me cringe and a terrible ending. Have you read Bright Young Things, Anna Godbersen's other quartet? It's much more interesting than The Luxe. And speaking as a teenage girl, I would never use the word "terrific" to describe the latter. ;)
