The Luxe by Anna Godbersen Review

 Title: The Luxe

Author: Anna Godbersen

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Series: The Luxe, book one

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I own this series, but I wanted to reread it, so I borrowed it from my local library.

I read this book way back in 2005, right when it came out, my freshman year of high school. I went on to buy the entire quartet, and I still have it, somewhere in storage. I wanted some nostalgia, so I decided to reread it. The pitch for this book, I would say, would be a cross between The Gilded Age and Gossip Girl. I really enjoyed it; it was soapy, fun, and well-written. I love stories about toxic friendships, dark secrets, money and betrayal, and this book delivered. All of the characters were well-rounded and believable, and I loved the setting of 1899 New York. Rich families, all with skeletons in their closets? Yes, please! This is the kind of book that would be amazing as a Netflix limited series, I loved it!

When The Luxe opens, one of high society’s most wealthy and beautiful daughters is dead, under mysterious circumstances. From there, the book goes backward in time, all the way back to the beginning. Elizabeth and Diana Holland, Penelope Hayes, Henry Schoonmaker, Lina Broud are all main characters, connected but with their own unique motivations. The pacing was breakneck, and I was immediately drawn into the mystery of who died and how. I love books with multiple points of view, especially if they’re easy to follow. I loved the setting as well; 1899 New York was as much a character as everyone else. I flew through this book in just a few days; I remembered some parts of it, but others surprised me. And that ending! I absolutely loved it, and I can’t wait to finish the rest of the quartet!