The Luxe

November 12, 2007
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.

December 1, 2007
Gr 8 Up-In this deliciously soapy novel, privileged teens in Manhattan conduct forbidden romances, betray their so-called friends, and generally indulge in bad behavior. The twist is that it's 1899, and they do so in corsets, silk gowns, and horse-drawn carriages rather than designer labels and sports cars. Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Holland, daughter of a prominent but secretly impoverished family, is in love with Will, the family's young, handsome carriage driver. When wealthy Henry Schoonmaker proposes, however, her mother pushes her to accept, since Elizabeth's marriage is their only chance to maintain their luxurious lifestyle. Henry, an irresponsible playboy also forced into the loveless engagement, finds himself falling for Elizabeth's rebellious younger sister. To complicate matters further, Henry has been having an affair with Penelope Hayes, Elizabeth's supposed best friend, and Penelope will do absolutely anything to get him back. It's all scandalous, steamythough never graphicfun, with just enough period detail to make the Gilded Age come alive. The dialogue and attitudes sometimes seem suspiciously modern, but readers will enjoy the story too much to object."Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
Godbersen's tale of intrigue and deception takes place amidst glamorous upper-crust New York society in 1899. Elizabeth, Diana, and Penelope enjoy the privileges of youth and wealth while Lina, a household maid, aches to share in the same. Threats of financial ruin and romantic scandal ensue. It's Gossip Girl meets [cf2]The Age of Innocence[cf1]--fluffy but titillating entertainment.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)