YA Historical Fiction Month: Anna Godbersen Interview

1. If the girls from The Luxe and the girls from Bright Young Things could spend a day together what would they do?

What all girls do everywhere—talk about boys!

2. Of all your characters which one do you relate to the most?

There is a lot of Letty in me (minus the singing ability), but a lot of Cordelia, too. Astrid is the girl I always wanted to be.

3. What is your favorite Broadway show?

I haven’t seen many, but I was incredibly moved by Cabaret when I saw it by chance a few years ago.

4. If you could travel back to any period in history, where would you go?

French Riviera, 1920s, for sure. Picasso, the Fitzgeralds, various bohemians, sunshine, striped sailors’ shirts, cartwheel hats, villas. Done.

5. Bright Young Things takes place during the Jazz Age, do you have a particular song or songs you think relate to the novel best?

You know, I listened to a lot of Louis Armstrong while I was writing, and that certainly gave me a sense of the playfulness of the times. But I think Cat Power’s “Lived in Bars,” while anachronistic, probably captures the emotional realities of these girls much better. I love that song—it is so broken and so beautiful, so yearning and defeated, it is both sparkly and sad at once.

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Thanks so much Anna!

For more information on Anna and her books visit her website here.

Also, check out my review of her newest release, Bright Young Things!

YA Historical Fiction Month: Bright Young Things Review

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release date: October 12, 2010

Source: Publisher

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Timesbestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

Review:

Bright Young Things was a breathtaking and alluring new novel by the author of The Luxe series that left me dying for the sequel!

I’ve only read one other book by Anna Godbersen, The Luxe, which I loved, but I still haven’t managed to make time for the rest of the books. I love how her books combine the stories of a variety of characters and let the reader experience the time period through various points of view. Letty, Cordelia, and Astrid were all fantastic. Reading about their adventures and experiences in 1920s New York City was so exciting and romantic. The clothes, the parties, the people… everything about NYC in the Roaring Twenties was spectacular. I haven’t read too much about that time period so it was great to see it through the eyes of three girls similar in age to me. I loved how each of the three girls has such a unique personality and their aspirations were all quite different, yet their stories wove together in more ways than one.

The plot was extremely original and full of excitements and intrigue. Each of the girls was dealing with a lot and faced a variety of ups and downs in the Big Apple. The epilogue set the scene for the story and I’m anxious to find out what happens to each of the girls in the sequel since the prologue alluded to some pretty intense endings for them!

Letty, Cordelia, and Astrid each meet a variety of other people over the course of the story and each develops a romance. (Or in Astrid’s case already has one).

I loved Bright Young Things and all of the characters in it. There are so many twists and turns in the plot that I can’t go into with spoiling anything so let me just say- read this book! Fans of The Luxe series will devour it and hopefully it will bring in a whole new wave of YA historical fiction fans.

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

The Luxe Book Review

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release date: November 20, 2007

Source: Bought

Other books in the series: Rumors, Envy, and Splendor

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.

Irresistible boys with sly smiles and dangerous intentions.

White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.

This is Manhattan, 1899...

Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. But when the girls discover their family's status is far from secure, suddenly everything is a threat to their golden future. Set in a world of luxury and deception, this thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

Review:

While reading The Luxe I felt like I had stepped into the time traveling car from Back to The Future. One minute I was watching my family walk around in tshirts and shorts, the next I was tangled in a scene of girls in long flowing dresses, and men in suits, all rich and well off. The characters were completely different than anyone alive today, but you felt as though you were right there in the story. The prolouge really got the novel going and from that page onward I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. Filled with romance, intrigue, suspense, and mystery this book is great for fans of any genre.

From the first page, I was sucked into the book. Anna Godbersen's writing style kept me hooked, by having different character's tell the story, I enjoyed reading each person's point of view. Historical fiction has always been one of my favorite genres, and this book didn't disappoint. Although, I didn't really develop a liking for any of the characters, I felt this book didn't try to drown the characters in goodness, it showed their true personalities. As soon as I finished The Luxe I was ready for the sequel. I definitely need to make a trip to Barnes and Noble soon to get the rest of the series!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars