The Luxe, by Anna Godberson, follows the lives of young socialites in 1899 New York City. The main character, Elizabeth Holland, is a proper, rule-abiding debutant. She pays close attention to manners and etiquette and always tries to please her family. She bears little resemblance to her rebellious, carefree sister, Diana. When the Holland's vast wealth begins to quickly diminish under the strain of numerus expensive gowns and no income source, Elizabeth is being forced to except the proposal of Henry Schoonmaker, even though she is in love with Will, their chauffeur and stable hand. Godberson shows the reader throughout the book that in life it is important to follow your heart, even when it requires rejecting many of society's norms and class systems.
For instance, while everyone expects her to marry someone of her own class, she instead moves out west to California. By doing so, she is much happier, showing that often times what's best for you is what you feel is right. Earlier in the story, Elizabeth was submissive to the repressive ideals of he mother and neighbors. She was unhappy and experienced little fun or pleasure. The author exhibits that rejecting things such as class and status can lead to
Diana, Elizabeth's sister, had always wished to be free of New York City's constricting upperclass beliefs. while in New York, she feels trapped and confined. When she leaves for South America to explore different cultures and live more freely, she has amazing experiences.
Godberson shows that in the act of doing what you feel is best, disregarding status and wealth as ones first priority can lead to a life filled with much more pleasurable experiences, or meeting people you truly enjoy the company of.
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