Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - City of Girls

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

17 reviews

joanna_banana's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had checked this out of the library several weeks before I started it. Then I got COVID! It was the perfect book to listen to while resting. I didn’t really like Vivian, though I thoroughly enjoyed the narration and was pleased to see that Blair Brown won an Audie for this. The pacing overall seemed a little off - deeply detailed in NYC for the first half or so and then kinda mixed pacing for the rest, you’d get into dialogue and heart wrenching details, and then zoom back out to narration to Angela. I enjoyed the last part, but again, it was odd to have something like 60 years of life covered so quickly. She also got into these monologues on topics like her sex life when she is older and I thought that was too much or could have been woven into the conversations better. And some characters just drop off! Becomes all about Vivian. Overall, I was entertained and the novel offers some thoughtful perspective on the expectations of young women in the 1940s and how that changed or did not change through the decades. I felt like Vivian was fairly self-aware by then end, but also still quite proud and vain in an annoyingly forced way. So, I guess it was just inconsistent for me.

Content Warnings

ariannalane's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

nattie_moff's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A really cozy read and a nice break from some of the heavier books I’ve been consuming lately.

The premise of the book feels shakey. I wish it was more of a stand alone tale rather than a woman writing her life’s autobiography to answer such a simple question. Let’s be honest, no one would *actually* read that 480 page letter. With that being said, I loved the ragtag group of societal misfits and the old time glitz and glamour feel. Olive is such an underrated character and Peg is the aunt we all wish we had. I love that it turned into a feminist, girl power feel of a story. It was refreshing to read about a woman who proudly didn’t fit into society’s mold. Vivian didn’t have a traditional love story but built such a beautiful and happy life with a group of girlfriends. In the end, her living situation and sex life was the ultimate dream, if you ask me.

Also, this would make such a good TV/ streamer series ❤️

Content Warnings

brookey8888's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this! I honestly had no clue what this was about when I picked it up, I just heard good things about it. Also that people compare it to Evelyn Hugo(which yes. It’s the same sort of plot.

I just loved seeing Vivian come into her own and her found family. Vivian was honestly so iconic and funny. The commentary on women and sexuality was also done well in my opinion. Honestly the plot doesn’t happen I feel like till 200 pages, but I didn’t mind because I was so invested in the characters.

Content Warnings

lindsey_bear's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow! I enjoyed every word of this one—Gilbert so eloquently wove historical fiction themes of feminism, WWII, NYC showgirl culture in a way that made it feel relevant to you. This book is for any woman who wants to read a strikingly honest and believable, but also adventurous coming-of-age story. A huge theme was female friendship, and this was emphasised in the end as Vivian reflects on the many friendships we get engulfed in throughout the novel. It genuinely feels like you’re learning Vivian’s lessons with her, in real time. I cannot recommend this one enough, and am so glad I took the chance on a book that normally isn’t my preferred genre.

Content Warnings

madelinedalton's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

In many ways, this felt like a disappointing knockoff of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. In many other ways, it’s quite different. As a New Yorker and musical theatre performer myself, I really enjoyed the book’s setting and atmosphere. However, I found Vivian’s reason to write a 470 page novel to answer Angela’s question to be a bit flimsy and self-indulgent. Vivian was pretty one dimensional and unlikable until the last ~100 pages of the book. I understand that that was sort of the point—that she had to outgrow this shallow existence—but I also found characters who the author consistently claimed were complex to be rather flat, so I think it was a writing flaw.

Content Warnings

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Content Warnings

leonormsousa's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

REPRESENTATION

lesbian SCs, LI w/ PTSD, PoC SC

QUOTE

“Anyway, at some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.”

GENERAL OPINION

I devoured and loved this book!
It's super addicting, which I wasn't expecting from historical fiction.
Love the topic of women's liberation as well as the ones that are "left behind" during war.
It does non-likeable-main-character perfectly.
A bit slow at first but definitely picks up after the first one-third.
Felt like the romance at the end was unnecessary and would have preferred it if it wasn't a part of the book. However, considering that is there, wouldn't have done it a different way.

READ IF YOU ENJOY

non likeable and flawed main characters
self-aware narrator
New York as a setting
glamour, theatre and fashion
women in a liberation and self-discovery journey

Content Warnings

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed this very much and moved through it quickly. Ms. Gilbert has quite a knack for fiction, which surprised me a little because not everyone can do both fiction and non-fiction so well. A fun tale of the young and stupid days of our 20s, and the selfishness that keeps us alive. Also very interesting look at the impact of war.

Content Warnings

poolofbees's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The best way I can describe this book is as a disappointment.

It’s premise is a strong one, about a girl finding herself amidst the drama scene of New York City, but it unfortunately falls flat, especially towards the later half of the book when it genuinely feels like the author gave up. The pacing of it is confusing as well. The first half, which essentially takes place within the course of less than a year, is slower, describing specific moments and days with detail. The second half skips ahead years at a time and describes those periods broadly, almost disinterested. For a book that is supposed to read like a memoir, we sure do miss a lot of Vivian’s life.

My second gripe with the book is the sex scenes. They’re so painfully bad. I mean, you read fanfiction better than this. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I nearly passed out reading the first one. It nearly put me off the book entirely. Without spoiling, I’ll say that I understand the first one was meant to be uncomfortable, but the later ones, the ones that are meant to be positive experiences for the protagonist, don’t read much better.

Lastly, I think the author focuses too much on all the wrong relationships. The entire book is meant to lead up to explaining Vivian’s relationship to this mysterious man, but their time together is ultimately shoved into the latter half of the book. Their relationship feels flat and not nearly as fulfilling as the others in the book. I kept asking myself, “why do I care about this guy again?” Allow me to insert my little lesbian opinion, but I personally think more time should have been spent on Celia, who we spend precious time slowly getting to know before she disappears at the midway point. I’ll also add that

the threesome scene with Celia and Vivian felt almost fetishizing, like a girl who is merely toying with the idea of queerness for a man’s entertainment or for the rush of the taboo rather than a real exploration of her sexuality and identity. It’s a scene that deserved more tact and effort than the author gave it, especially when she mentions multiple times throughout how attractive Vivian thinks Celia is, only to then have Vivian never discuss these feelings again.

In short, although City of Girls has some high points, these are ultimately overshadowed by poor storytelling. And in a book that’s about storytelling, this feels unacceptable.

Content Warnings

More...