Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Published bt Razorbill in January 2011
Published bt Razorbill in January 2011
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 Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.
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I enjoyed this book - a fab start to what promises to be an awesome series.
The book follows the story of three young women, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid in 1920s New York. What I loved most about the book is that it gives you a real sense of period, by which I mean you really got snapshot of what life was like back then. I loved all the background details and finding out about the etiquette of the time. I loved the scenes in the speakeasies with all the gangsters. It actually made me wish I had been around at the time.
The story itself I found to be a little slow (I don't mean that to sound negative) throughout. I liked it because it meant you got a chance to get to know the characters involved a bit more. I liked that the three main characters were different and I liked seeing how each of them dealt with everything thrown at them. Cordelia was really sweet albeit a bit naive. Letty was really feisty and I felt for her throughout as things were happening to her. I was so glad when the two of them found each other again as I didn't quite get why they went separate ways to start with. I also loved Astrid and getting an insight into her seemingly perfect world and how things weren't actually as rosy as they seemed. I am so excited to see what they do next. I just loved how likable they were as characters. I really hope the next book is set during the Wall Street Crash as it would be awesome to see how the characters far in the economic situations that arose during that time.
While the majority of the story was slow the last few chapters of the book were awesome, fast paced and action packed and I am definitely left wanting more of these three awesome girlies. You couldn't have ripped the book out of my hands during them as I had to know what was happening.
All in all an awesome book that gives you a real sense of period, three awesome lead characters and a cracking storyline.
The book follows the story of three young women, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid in 1920s New York. What I loved most about the book is that it gives you a real sense of period, by which I mean you really got snapshot of what life was like back then. I loved all the background details and finding out about the etiquette of the time. I loved the scenes in the speakeasies with all the gangsters. It actually made me wish I had been around at the time.
The story itself I found to be a little slow (I don't mean that to sound negative) throughout. I liked it because it meant you got a chance to get to know the characters involved a bit more. I liked that the three main characters were different and I liked seeing how each of them dealt with everything thrown at them. Cordelia was really sweet albeit a bit naive. Letty was really feisty and I felt for her throughout as things were happening to her. I was so glad when the two of them found each other again as I didn't quite get why they went separate ways to start with. I also loved Astrid and getting an insight into her seemingly perfect world and how things weren't actually as rosy as they seemed. I am so excited to see what they do next. I just loved how likable they were as characters. I really hope the next book is set during the Wall Street Crash as it would be awesome to see how the characters far in the economic situations that arose during that time.
While the majority of the story was slow the last few chapters of the book were awesome, fast paced and action packed and I am definitely left wanting more of these three awesome girlies. You couldn't have ripped the book out of my hands during them as I had to know what was happening.
All in all an awesome book that gives you a real sense of period, three awesome lead characters and a cracking storyline.
Comments
Yet another beautiful cover too!