I feel guilty just looking at it…
February 24, 2008
I feel guilty just looking at this. Don’t you? And yet… if The Luxe followed me home in all of its terrible, satiny pinkness, I’m fairly certain Meg Rosoff wouldn’t stand a chance at the moment. So parents, listen up! This is what happens when you deny your teen the right to read trash now and then, instead feeding her a steady diet of the “Great Works of English Literature.”
If you’ve read this temptress of a book, now’s the moment to:
a) tell me why I should cave and read The Luxe when I have so many proper books in my TBR pile
b) splash some cold water on my face and explain why it’s SO not worth my time or $
My inner-struggle is all thanks to Leah McLaren’s article in today’s Globe and Mail. Then I revisited Naomi Wolf’s NY Times piece on YA Fiction and the response over at Read Roger. I can’t sort it out. I just want the pink satin dress.
Entry Filed under: Teen/YA. .
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1. Jennifer Hubert | February 24, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Shelf Elf, I loved it. It’s a delicious piece of pink taffy that goes down easy and you won’t remember tomorrow, but you’ll certainly enjoy it while chewing;) I too, want the dress. Here’s my take:
http://www.readingrants.org/2007/11/29/the-luxe-by-anna-godbersen/
Enjoy!
2. shelfelf | February 24, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Thanks Jennifer! I love how you’ve got this one in your “Historical Fiction for Hipsters” category. That seems just right. I also like how you point the girly girls towards the titles that (supposedly) inspired this book. I hope that a few teens might by inspired to give Wharton a shot after reading Godbersen’s book.
3. Sarah Miller | February 24, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I will if you will….
4. shelfelf | February 24, 2008 at 7:35 pm
OK.
5. Melissa | February 24, 2008 at 9:25 pm
I haven’t read it (though I have to admit, the dress does catch my eye!), but Here’s another opinion…
6. Sarah | February 25, 2008 at 12:28 am
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be thoroughly frustrated with the writing, and with all the characters – but you can’t put it down, because even if you think you know how it’s going to turn out, you still have to find out!
7. thereadingzone | February 26, 2008 at 3:15 am
I have to agree with the Sarah above me. While parts of the book frustrated me, I could not put it down. I absolutely loved it and can not wait for the follow-up.
Oh, and I NEED that dress.
It is a quick read, and a fluff piece at that. I recommend it.
-sarah
8. Sarah | February 27, 2008 at 12:15 am
This reminds me of high school geometry class – out of 26 students, 4 were named Sara(h).
9. shelfelf | February 27, 2008 at 12:40 am
Thanks to all of you (Sarahs and the rest) for your opinions. Fluff here I come!
10. Em | March 3, 2008 at 5:13 am
It was too predictable. I just couldn’t get into it. That said, I’ll probably read the sequel. Hopefully that one will be a little less predictable.