Pages: 389
Publisher: Puffin (Penguin)
Release Date: 6th January 2011
Other Titles by this Author: The Luxe, Rumours, Envy, Splendour
It’s 1929 in the glittering metropolis of New York, and three friends are having the most reckless, romantic and dangerous time of their lives.
Letty Larkspur is chasing her lucky break and dreams of seeing her name in bright lights in the big city.
Cordelia Grey has left her small Midwestern town in search of her long-lost father. But no sooner does she find him than she falls head over heels for a boy he disapproves of.
Astrid Donal is hiding a score of secrets beneath her seemingly perfect flapper’s facade...
Bright Young Things is the first in another deliciously addictive new series from Anna Godbersen.
The world of the glittering Twenties that Cordelia, Astrid and Letty live in New York is where I want to be right now. I want to run away with them! Anna Godbersen has all of the little details and trademarks of that period set up to form a world of glamour and seduction that completely pulls you in. The prohibition, bootleggers, speakeasies, flappers and cigarette girls are a mixture of several different worlds and covered by three very different girls in only a few short weeks. As in The Luxe series, Bright Young Things straddles the end of an era and the beginning of a new one so there are still people around who disagree with the freedom of this period and this turmoil is subtly represented.
Strangely for me, I actually really liked all three girls. I expected to dislike at least one of them; a presumption based on The Luxe, though I did favour Cordelia and her story. I get a bit hung up on the romance aspects of any book so it shouldn’t be surprising that from the off I became involved in Cordelia and Thom’s star-crossed love affair which has a hint of Romeo and Juliet. Even though I didn't feel I got to know Thom very well and there wasn’t very much direct action with him involved, I was cheering them on all the way. And then Anna Godbersen shocked me. I’m not going to tell you why, but I was slightly horrified at the turn of events.
I was very pleased that Bright Young Things didn’t end on a cliffhanger but instead left a nice, understated set-up for the next book, Beautiful Days, which I am very looking forward to reading.
For my YA Historical Fiction Challenge
Sophie
Great review! This book is the next book I'm reading and the first for the YA Historical Fiction Challenge!
ReplyDeleteI love how you linked in aspects of Luxe and I'm so glad to know there's no cliffhanger!
Lettie xx
Awesome, I saw this a few weeks ago and wasn't sure, but now it's got Sophie's mark of approval, I will look it up! xXx
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy this one as much as you did. I found the events concerning Cordelia to be a little unbelievable to begin with. I enjoyed the book on the whole, but that did wind me up. Don't think her father would have accepted her identity that easy.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely meaning to read this one, but your comment about being 'shocked' kind of has me more intrigued than ever! I haven't read The Luxe, but this series totally appeals to me. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI am anxious to read this book mainly for the setting. I grew up listening to my father's stories about growing up in the 1920's (he is 98). Love your review and will be picking this one up soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat review - I'm intrigued by it too!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this, especially after such an intriguing review. Luckily, it's on my TBR!
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