The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Title: The Luxe
Author: Anna Godbersen
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 433
My Rating: 5/5

In the late 19th century of the fashionable New York City, gossip of the rich and reputable families are always the latest news. Elizabeth Holland is an uprising star with beauty, grace, and manners. She is the pride of the Holland family. All girls wish they could be her and all guys wish to be with her.

Diana Holland is the opposite of her delicate and soft-spoken sister. She wants excitement and thinks her luxurious life is a bore. She is not afraid to speak her mind and is quite fearless compared to Elizabeth.

The lives of both sisters change completely when they find out their family is not as stable as they thought. Arranged marriages, forbidden love, scandalous events, and backstabbing so-called friends, The Luxe has it all delivered in a pretty written package of rich imagery.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the lavishing cover of the lovely model and the exquisite dress. But, did the story lived up to its appearance? I can confidently say yes, yes, and yes!

The difficult thing about writing a historical novel is capturing the era for the audience. I am not so familiar with what life was like back in 1899 but, The Luxe brought the past to me through its pages. The novel guided me through the eyes of the different characters who were observing the affairs occurring around them. I saw what the characters were experiencing and understood the reasons why they did what they did. I hated them, I loved them, and sometimes I didn't know what to feel about them! I liked how each and every one of them played a significant role to give the story more depth and desire for the reader to continue on.

I personally do not read many novels dealing with history but I can see why so many people love The Luxe. One can relate it to Gossip Girl but I find it a hundred times better. The author kept building up tension in the plot, making the reader curious to know what would happen next. The fact that all the characters are teenagers, most of the readers (female teens especially) would love to put themselves in the position where they could live the dramatic and high-end life. The Luxe unfolds in front of you and all you need to do to keep enjoying the show is to continue reading.

Review copy provided by Book Divas.