The Luxe

Thursday, June 28, 2012

 
 

Title: The Luxe
Series: Luxe #1
Author: Anna Godbersen
Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
Format: Paperback, 448 pages
Publication Date: October 1, 2008
Published By: HarperCollins Canada, HarperTeen









I was given a recommendation to read The Luxe by a coworker, and I have to admit I was a little hesitant. The cover depicts a chick lit book that contains no substance, at least that is what I thought the first time I saw it years ago. I agreed to give it a shot, and I have to say that I was a little surprised. I am not going to say that I loved this book, because I didn't. There were some problems that I will address later on, but first I would like to say that not only does the cover hinder the readership of this book, but limits its readership. 

When I started reading this book I was pleasantly surprised at the level of prose that I was reading. Not only does Anna Godbersen know how to write historical prose, but she knows how to do it for a Young Adult audience. I loved the beginning of the book the best, with the prologue being a sneak peak into the end of the novel. It was a quick read, but not as quick as I am used to. I have to admit that it took me a long time to get into this books, and at times I wondered if I should put it down and let it sit for a few days. But I kept going, and I finished it. 

The issues that I wanted to discuss were mostly to do with the flow of the novel. I found that although the prose was beautiful and very well written, I found at times that it got too descriptive and a little dry. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for that type of prose when I started reading The Luxe, but I wasn't a fan of it by the end. I liked that Anna chose to write from different perspectives throughout the novel, but I found that there were too many. I wanted her to stick with two or three people and stick to it, because it got distracting and a little frustrating especially when I was trying to get to the character I liked the most. 

There were many characters in this novel that I disliked immensely, I didn't have an ounce of care for them, and found myself not wanting to read their parts because of the way they came off in the novel.  I do have to say that Anna did the love story angle very well, and that is what kept me reading until the very end.  In all, I give this book a 3/5 because I liked the genre, and most of the prose, but the characters lacked a certain something that made me care about them.

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2 comments

  1. I've been wanting to read this series forever. But, unlike you, the covers are what peaked my curiosity.

    I enjoy descriptive writing to a point. Also, I like books written from the various perspectives of the characters but I agree that too many POV's can be cluttered and confusing.

    This series reminds me of a period Gossip Girl, a guilty pleasure.

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  2. i just love the cover but i don't like the story....

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