Customer Reviews

Splendor: A Luxe Novel (The Luxe)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was very satisfied with the final installment of the Luxe saga. While some readers may be disappointed, I believe that the fate of all the characters was very appropriate. Sometimes living happily ever after and getting the girl/guy are mutually exclusive. Godbersen managed to deliver the romance and intrigue we've come to expect from this series, along with historically accurate details. The pace of the book kept me up all night to finish it, and I loved that the author managed to give us a glimpse far into the future in a way that was very natural and unobtrusive - no awkward epilogue. I loved how vivid the author's prose became at the end of the book when she was describing Diana's future. The reader really senses that there is a blossoming going on, a new and exciting adventure about to begin, without giving us too much or too little.

***Spoilers*** - Meant for people who've already read it!

I know that some readers may have been disappointed that Henry and Diana did not end up together. However, Diana had a greater destiny in store for her that New York simply couldn't contain. Her future just couldn't have included New York drawing rooms and personal fulfillment, and that's what she really deserved. Likewise, Henry would not have been content in Paris, nor could Diana have reached her full potential as an artist with Henry there. Left at the helm of the family business, Henry was too old fashioned to leave New York behind, and with his father gone he had nothing left to rebel against and run from. The characters were very young, and Diana deserves her fantastic future, filled with more adventure. I always felt that Henry wasn't the right choice for her to spend the rest of her life with. He seemed spineless at times because he was just too conventional at heart.

Yes, Penelope and Henry do end up together, which doesn't seem fair - after all her scheming Penelope keeps her money and her title as Mrs. Schoonmaker. However, the book makes it clear that neither are really happy. Their marriage and even their infidelity is a convention neither of them can stand to be without.

(Seriously, major spoiler in next paragraph - do not read if you haven't read the book!)

However, Elizabeth finds true happiness, that is, what happiness means to her. For her sister, marriage to a nice guy, kids, and parties wouldn't work, but Elizabeth is completely content. She followed her heart to Will, and after again having to trust and rely on herself with Snowden, she follows her heart again to Teddy. It seems to be that one of the themes of the book is that characters that are true to themselves succeed. Elizabeth shows great strength, and she is finally rewarded. The news that Will was murdered comes as quite a shock and re-opens wounds, but Teddy's generous presence soothes things over. She was lucky to find (yet another) guy willing to raise another man's child as his own, and we're glad to see them happy.

Speaking of truth, while Carolina loses Leland, she finally has to face the truth and in doing so corrects the wrongs she's committed against Claire. I always thought it was deplorable that Carolina never provided for her sister, but once she has nothing left to hide, she can make it up to her. She may not have her husband, but the author makes it clear that Carolina and Claire have a happy future.

I only had a few problems with the book, the main one being that I simply didn't understand how Teddy could have perceived that Elizabeth was in danger but still waited several days to act. I also have never understood how Carolina justified to herself coming into millions and not providing for her sister.

***End Spoilers***

Overall, this was an excellent end to the series, with poetic justice meted out all around. It was happy without sparing the characters, which is hard for an author to accomplish.

**Ending Spoiler enclosed**

The first three books in this series were excellent. I could not wait for the forth book to finally come out so I could read about Diana and Henry finally being together! For almost four books they fought to be together...Then in the last few chapters of the final book, Henry finally gets down on one knee and purposes and Diana says NO!.....What!...Wait!...NO!!!!.... This is NOT how I envisioned the story ending. It was a huge disappointment! How can you end such a great series with such a letdown? What a terrible ending!

Spoiler warning - I don't give away the ending of this book in my review, but there are many spoilers for the previous three books in the series. So if you haven't read them yet and don't want what happens in them to be spoiled for you, I suggest not reading this review at this time!

It is summer 1900, a few month after the events of Envy, the third book in The Luxe series. Elizabeth is adjusting to her life after a marriage of convenience to Snowden Cairns, her late father's business associate, and awaiting the birth of her child by Will Keller, her first love who was tragically killed shortly after their secret marriage, a marriage she must keep secret from the rest of New York society. Diana has left New York to search for Henry, who has gone to war, leaving behind his scheming wife Penelope. And Lina is enjoying her newfound wealth and being a part of the wealthy elite she always longed to join.

However, as always, their lives are soon further complicated by more secrets, schemes, and lies. Elizabeth begins to suspect that her husband is not being entirely honest with her, and may in fact be up to something unsavory. Diana and Henry reunite and long to build a life together, but the far-reaching influence of his wealthy and powerful father complicates matters. Penelope, furious with Henry, begins to look for attention and love elsewhere. And Lina finds herself at risk of losing everything she has gained if her dishonesty about her past is uncovered.

The final book in The Luxe series, Splendor does a good job of concluding the series and resolving most of the plotlines while still leaving some future events to the imagination of the readers. I suspect readers will be divided in opinion over the ending - personally I liked the conclusions for most of the characters, but I wish there had been a little more resolution for others. Whether you end up loving or hating the choices Anna Godbersen ended up making for her characters, ultimately I think she mostly wrote the ending the way it should be. It's certainly not the ending I imagined or hoped for when I first started reading the series, but it fits considering the events that have taken place since the first book. Readers who read and enjoyed the previous three books in the series and want to know what happens to the characters will definitely want to read this book to judge the conclusion for themselves.

I was so thrilled to read the conclusion of the Luxe series... I just had this feeling that somehow, some way, Diana and Henry would be together, Penelope and Carolina would get what they deserve, and Elizabeth, who never had very much luck, would find some kind of happiness without Will. Instead, Diana ends up completely alone, Elizabeth suddenly is in love with Teddy (what?!), Carolina ends up as herself but still fitting perfectly into society, and Henry and Penelope end up still together in somewhat of an open marriage. This was not the way I envisioned this series ending... and especially not as rushed as it was. We spent 3.5 books rooting on Diana and Henry just for Diana to end their relationship with some silly "It's not you, it's me" kind of talk and Henry returning to the denseness he showed in the first book (pre-Diana). The epilogue was vague and the whole series was sloppily wrapped up. This book was such a terrible ending to such a great series... and was good, right up until the end. Sigh. I guess we can't always get our happy ending.

I agree with others in that the end seemed rushed. I am not upset about the "no happy ending" with Diana and Henry. I am upset to the fact that it's not right. I understand from previous books that Diana is free spirited and so on. But how do you have a character go off in the end by herself when she had just gotten back from traveling all over to try and find Henry in the war? It just doesn't make sense to me. I can see how the author would have ended it that way but I truly think it should have been something more than "whispers" that would send her away without Henry.

The other ends are meh. Lina got what she deserved, be brought back down to earth. Penelope did not at all (what a shame). Elizabeth, Teddy coming in to rescue her (couple of days later??) was nice because he always did have a thing in the other books but that seemed rushed too.

Overall the book was okay but I did not enjoy this one as much as the other ones.

I enjoyed all the books in the series, and loved the first 2/3 of this book, and then it's like the author lost her mind! It doesn't bother me that the ending isn't happy- I actually enjoy a surprise ending- it's that the ending makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER in the context of the rest of the story. Diana, who is madly in love with Henry, chases him all over the world, says she'd be happy even being his mistress, but then says no to his marriage proposal? I feel like I wasted my time on an author who didn't even take the time to create a cohesive ending to this otherwise good series... (BTW, I am writing this review under my husband's account, so this is a female reviewer, if you were curious!)

Semi Spoilers!!!

I have read and re read the whole Luxe series, waiting anxiously for each and every installment and finishing them within the day. The characters & their drama pulled me in, and I couldn't wait for the conclusion. The book was very well written, with plenty more twists - which i thought couldn't be done at this point. But I'm sorry, I don't get the authors reasoning for ending the book that way. It's not even the "happily ever after" aspect, it's the fact that Diana GOES SEARCHING ALL OVER THE WORLD for Henry, just so in the end she can be like "eh, paris is more important."?? I'm sorry, if their love was what she said it was, she would have done anything to be with him. Not to mention that that just doesn't seem like her character.. the strong willed character she was built up to be wouldn't care what others had to say.

I was also disappointed with not knowing what happened to Henry, Penelope, & Carolina really. You get glipses but it wasn't enough to even draw my own conclusions, which normally i wouldn't have a problem with. The ending was rushed and didn't seem to fit well, and I have to admit i was disappointed.

SPOILER ALERT

Like many readers I was excited to read the last installment of the Luxe series. Though I must say that the book is filled with lots of excitement I found the ending to be a complete letdown. Throughout the book I was angry that Liz began to feel comfortable with her marriage. I mean really!!!!!!!!!!!?!! I was quite surprised though with the change in events with Mr. Cairns. I found it interesting how Diana, went off in search of Henry, went through trial and tribulation to only to go off at the end. I was even more disappointed in Henry. He could of set up his estate with Mr. Laurence and left with Diana whilst being the trustee of the estate abroad. The fact that he ended up with Penelope I found infuriating. I mean REALLY!! It makes hims seem like another frivolous member of New York society. I'm proud of Lina, she finally gets what she wants and shares it with her sister. Though I wish that there was another book that can delve deeper into her life after with Claire. She finally got what she deserved. Penelope got only a piece of what she deserved. I mean she remained the same person she was. The fact that she got duped by a prince did not change her position in society. I was happy that Liz finally ended up with Teddy (i think it is because it makes me think of Little Women and Jo) and that they lived happily ever after with Will's child. Though it would have been better if Will just never died. But that was books ago. *sigh* I agree with other readers. The ending was anticlimactic and rushed. I feel as if each character demanded its own separate epilogue that could really satiate my hunger. But my feelings may have just been exacerbated by the fact that the series is over.

Anna Godberson's Luxe series comes to an end with Splendor, the fourth installment. After coping with their escalating personal issues, Godberson's group of turn-of-the-century New York socialites forges ahead into a new world where old secrets return, new alliances are formed and the gilded age starts to lose its glitter.

Penelope Schoonmaker (nee Hayes) throws herself into the social web of New York and while trying to live down the scandals of her husband Henry's military adventure, starts scandals of her own. She catches the eye of the Prince of Bavaria and realizes that she could reach higher places in life.

Meanwhile, Penelope's reluctant husband, Henry, finds that his career as a U.S. soldier doesn't turn out as he hoped. His father quickly forces him to return to New York, where Henry is faced with making decisions about his future with Penelope...or Diana. Diana, after finding Henry, returns to New York and desperately looks for a way to be with him while her sister Elizabeth faces an unexpected truth about her second husband.

Everything that fans have come to expect from The Luxe series is here -young socialites fighting for reputation, power and happiness while living in splendor. While this novel started out in a good place due to the amazing ending of Envy, it just couldn't stay on the same level as the rest of the series -mostly due to the ending. Near the end it felt like the writer started throwing certain things in (out of nowhere) to keep the expected ending that she had been building up to for so long from happening.

I was really excited to see how this series would end, but the ending was just a huge let down. Part of me even hoped that there would be another book in the series to give The Luxe the "right" ending. Sadly, I won't be getting my wish. Don't get me wrong, Splendor isn't a bad book -Godberson just ruined it on the ending.

I can't even tell you how much i loved the last three Luxe books. They were well written and the charaters were wonderful. I was so exicted for this book to come out. I just could not wait for the conclusion! I am a huge sucker for happy endings and that is what i wanted a happy ending. The only ending i think is happy is Elizabeth's and she is not even my favorite! I was never a big fan of Lina but i really wanted her to be with Leland. Don't even get me started on Diana and Henry.It was very good right up until the final chapters when it all came crashing down. What a horrible ending.