Book Review: Beautiful Days by Anna Godberson

Beautiful Days by Anna Godberson
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: September 2011
Length: 8 hrs 58 min
Source: Audiobook from library
For: YA Audiobook Challenge
Series: Bright Young Things, Book 2

Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid seem to have everything they wanted - plenty of money and nothing to do but play. Except Letty is more determined than ever to become a Broadway star, Cordelia is trying to find her place in the family company after her father's death, and Astrid is discovering that not everything is perfect when you're engaged to a gangster. Will the three of them find what they are looking for? And at what cost?

Things I Liked:
The narrator, Caitlin Davies, did a really great job.  I thought each of the three main ladies voices were distinct enough I could almost always tell who was talking without any kind of intro.  She also had the write inflections and tone for what I imagined for that time and place.  The story itself is fascinating, as are all of Godberson's gossipy stories.  You can't seem to look away from what appears to be the slow train wreck of their lives.  The period details seem pitch perfect (though, let's be honest, I probably wouldn't notice if something was out of place).  An interesting and exciting story from the 1920s, a time period that continues to fascinate me (and apparently everyone else, what with the Great Gatsby movie just out).

Things I Didn't Like:
I got a little tired of the characters and story after a while.  I wondered a number of times if people really would react (or overreact) the way they did.  Each of the three leading ladies would think the world came to an end every time something didn't go perfectly their way.  It got a bit tiresome.  Also, I started to think the plot a bit predictable, but not in the sense that I knew what exactly was going to happen next, just that you have to have this thing happen, so these people will argue and these people will break up and she won't get what she wants after all, etc, etc.  

Read-alikes:
Start with the first book, Bright Young Things by Anna Godberson
The Flappers series by Jillian Larkin
Check out my Listless Monday list of 1920s reads for more

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some, but not too many

mrg-factor: X
mostly it's implied

v-factor: ->
a little bit, but nothing described or gory

Overall rating: ***

What 1920s reads are you raving about?

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