Anna Godberson - "Splendor"

     I think "Didn't see THAT coming..." is a more appropriate title for this too-hot-to-handle novel.  Once again Ms. Godberson delivers yet another dose of 350+ pages filled with glamorous girls, scandalous secrets, and gobs of expendable cash.  This book is another snapshot of pretty young girls living life at the pinnacle of high society with too much money, too much time, too many dirty little secrets, and entirely too many opportunities to twist a plot.  Kinda' makes me wish I was an upper echelon debutante then and there and with that much money.

     This is that last of the four-book series and the author does a great job of wrapping up each of the story lines.  She doesn't necessarily end the various plots in ways that one would expect either.  That was very refreshing, especially since it falls under the "young adult" genre.  The writing style remains the same throughout the series, and this book is no exception.  Each chapter begins with a few sentences that give you a veiled preview of the chapter to come, and each chapter is usually about a different thread in the plot line tapestry which keeps the pages turning.  You never know what is coming in this series.  One of the things I really liked about the novel is that the characters all pretty much "got what was coming to them," meaning that all "had to face the music," or "reap what they sowed."  Ok, enough with the cliches!  They all had to live with the consequences of their actions.  I LOVE IT!  It's a novel idea (pun totally intended) in the teen fiction genre.  Yes, it's a fairy tale, and a lovely one at that, but it isn't so out of touch with reality that the totally unrealistic occurs. 
Splendor: A Luxe Novel (The Luxe)

     The book is a great way to expand your vocabulary, especially in relation to textiles, colors, and French decor.  The style allows for easy reading, but it's not brainless reading.  I almost tangibly felt the grandeur of some of the fancy parties the diva-like debutants attended in the plush mansions and hotels of that era (and socio-economic status) as well as the floods of emotions that these characters experience throughout the book.  I love the sensation of closing my book and letting the realization hit me that, "Wow, I was here the whole time, not actually tippling expensive champagne or dancing with Henry, Teddy, or the Prince of Bavaria in my magnificent gown!"  I'd say the author does an outstanding job when that's your experience...

     I think the series as a whole was entertaining, especially this last edition.  I discovered that Anna Godberson has begun work on a new series "Bright Young Things" which seems similar in nature, but is set in the roaring 20's as opposed to the turn of the century.  I don't foresee myself delving into the next series soon (if ever).  I just have too many other literary delights on my plate, awaiting my consumption before I start the next "teen queen" series.  (I don't mean that in any way derogatorily, it's just my opinion on the matter.) 


Until we meet again: eat, read, and be merry!