- Hardcover: 448 pages
- Publisher: Harperteen; First Edition edition (Oct 30 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0061345660
- ISBN-13: 978-0061345661
- Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 14.6 x 4.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 499 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #234,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
With a quote from The Age of Innocence as an epigraph and an enthusiastic blurb from the creator of Gossip Girl on its back cover, this lavishly produced debut makes no secret of its twin influences. The story opens in 1899 with the funeral of Elizabeth Holland, a well-bred beauty said to have plunged to her death in the Hudson River. The narrative then travels back several weeks, tracing the relationships and events that have led to the somber assembly. This tangled web includes not one but two sets of star-crossed lovers; an upstairs/downstairs romance; a scheming social climber; a bitter servant girl; and oodles of money, all set in a Edith Wharton via Hollywood vision of Old New York. The dialogue has its clunky moments, and the plot twist that drives the tale is telegraphed from the very start, but readers caught up in the fancy dress intrigue are unlikely to mind much: it’s all part of the dishy fun. Needless to say, the ending paves the way for at least one sequel. Ages 14-up. (Dec.)
From Kirkus Reviews
A big, sumptuous tale of catty girls, dark secrets and windswept romance unfurls in this compulsively readable novel of late-19th-century New York City socialites. Godbersen weaves a tenuous web of deceit, backstabbing and pretense that follows four teens: Elizabeth Holland, a prim and proper lady of old-money society, is betrothed to one man, though furtively loves another; Henry Schoonmaker, a debauched playboy who must marry Elizabeth or be disinherited; Diana Holland, Elizabeth’s younger sister who is in love with her fiancé; and Penelope Hayes, a member of the nouveau riche who will stop at nothing to win Henry’s affections. As Elizabeth and Henry’s wedding approaches, the spectacle unfolds in a wondrously grandiose scene, making for a fun, though not entirely unexpected dénouement. A delicious new twist along the Gossip Girl vein, readers will clamor for this sharp, smart drama of friends, lovers, lies and betrayal. (Fiction. YA)
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh, the Luxury!,
By Jamieson Villeneuve "Author at Large" (Ottawa Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Luxe (Paperback)
Oh the Luxury of it all!I recently read The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and, I have to confess, I picked the book up on a whim. I had read a review of the novel and it sounded promising. Here's the basic set up: The year is 1899 and we find ourselves in New York amongst the incredibly, wonderfully rich. We are surrounded by the fabulous people of high society. But nothing is as it seems. Behind each closed door there are secrets. Inside each heart beats desire. Good girls being bad, bad girls being bad. Beautiful women, handsome men, dangerous secrets. Welcome to Manhattan in 1899. I picked up the paperback edition and figured that, if I didn't like it, at least I only spent $10 on it. I saved the book for my recent trip to Montreal this past weekend. I was so sure that I wasn't going to like The Luxe that I brought another book, just in case. I never needed that second book. From the first page, I was drawn into a world filled with money, fabulous dresses, amazing scandals, dangerous secrets, forbidden desires and fantastic luxuries. Though I didn't expect to be able to read more than ten pages, I ended up loving, and devouring, the entire novel in one weekend. And that was only on the train ride! The Luxe is like a fabulous gulp of champagne. Part romance, part intrigue, part historical fiction, The Luxe is for anyone who loves a great book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too,
By TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Luxe (Hardcover)
One of the elite, one of the daughters of New York society, is dead.In life, the lovely and fair Elizabeth Holland is everything a young, turn-of-the-century girl of her position ought to be. But, it's not easy to be proper and mannerly all the time, and a handsome servant who lives in the stable gets to see more of her than anyone else -- much, much more. No one knows of their secret affair, except Miss Holland's personal maid, Lina. Why did Elizabeth Holland have to go and pick Lina's love interest to treat as her personal plaything? Isn't it enough that the wealthy and admired young lady is betrothed to New York's most eligible bachelor? Henry Schoonmaker doesn't even want to marry the prim and boring Miss Holland. He's having too much fun living a carefree life and having a secret affair with his fiancé's best friend, Penelope Hayes. But, that sister of Elizabeth's, she is truly spirited. Yes, maybe Diana is the Holland sister for him. Maybe he should defy his father's wishes and forget about Elizabeth...and Penelope. But, Penelope simply will not be forgotten. Henry Schoonmaker belongs to her. It should be her name linked with his in all the society papers. She'll do whatever it takes to get him back. The twists and turns readers navigate throughout this book are staggering. With so many different perspectives to balance, the story could become difficult to follow, but author Anna Godbersen deftly guides her readers through the tale. It can be unclear at times where loyalties should lie, with so many scandalous doings underway. However, this only further adds to the big picture of New York's upper crust society and the games its elitist members must play in order to stay on top. The mystery of Elizabeth Holland's impending death will keep readers riveted, and by the story's end, they will be crying out for a sequel. I join their ranks in hoping this debut novelist will comply. Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince
3.0 out of 5 stars
Quick, Fluffy Read,
By Melissa (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Luxe (Paperback)
The Luxe follows the lives of the wealthy socialites of 1899 Manhattan. I found most of the characters fell flat, and I had a hard time becoming invested in their stories. Also, the historical aspect of the novel did not add anything for me and felt almost unnecessary - it read exactly like a Gossip Girl book with long winded descriptions of the various aspects of the time period. It was overall a very quick, fluffy read with a pretty predictable ending. Fans of the Gossip Girl series would enjoy it.
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