The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

GENRE: young adult novel

SUMMARY:
Imagine, if you will, New York City, 1899 . . . Society's elite: the glamour, the grandeur, the glittering parties, the most handsome beaus, the most beautiful debutantes . . . the rich girl, the humble boy, the forbidden love, the hushed whispers, the stolen glances, the whispers, the scandal, the mystery, the revenge . . . You are cordially invited to step into The Luxe, where the secrets are dark and the sins are delicious . . . R.S.V.P.

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
I have to confess, I decided to buy The Luxe and read it because of the BEAUTIFUL cover. I hardly read the summary. But partly, I was also drawn to the summary. I don’t read many period novels that take place in America, and I always thought that New York at the very end of the 19th century was a very interesting period to live in, especially if you were rich.

This novel has style. The New York elite, with all the glamour and glitter, is incredibly well presented and very enjoyable to read about. Godbersen’s writing style is very engaging, very lush, like the world of her fictional elite, and actually quite humorous at times, or at least witty. This is definitely a very fun read. It only has one drawback: the plot is pretty basic. It’s nothing I haven’t read or seen before: forbidden love between a rich girl and a poor boy, engagements made for money, jealous former lovers. But there’s much intrigue on every corner and that, and the glamour, make up for a very enjoyable read. It’s all about gossip and romance, the two things that the New York elite really knows. It’s sort of like an American soap opera, for example The Young and the Restless, but The Luxe has class and can really charm you for the time you’re reading it.

The characters are enjoyable and great to read about. There are a few stock characters that try to be multi-dimensional, but not too many. I think the period details are pretty accurate. I am not exactly an expert on 1899 New York, but I don’t think accuracy is a problem. I have to say that the ending surprised me. It was dramatic, which I like, but I didn’t expect things to end this way. I pretty much liked it, though. It creates a new plot twist that makes some things less complicated, but definitely makes some things even more complicated.

This novel is really fun to read. The plot is a bit unimpressive, but the novel is still a fun read, as I’ve said, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I know, don’t judge the book by its cover, but I can’t help but not to admire the lovely cover.

THIS MISS RATES: