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A review by mhinnen
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
This is the second book I've read recently that was from the point of view of an old woman telling her life story spanning a similar timespan from 1940. The first was "All the Broken Places" about a woman who runs from her past (she had been a teenager as a prominent Nazi family).
Vivian, in "City of Girls" couldn't be more different. She comes from a prominent family but her rebellious nature lands her at 19 years old in 1940s NYC with her aunt who runs a theatre. Vivian finds her place among the life of showgirls, parties, and sexual exploits. She is drawn to the glitz and glamor of the chaos and the "shiny people." And then it all crashes down when she makes a particularly bad decision that causes pain and scandal. Overcome by shame, Vivian could have settled down, but as the men go to war, she has other options that lead to an unconventional life.
She tells her story in the form of a (nearly 500 page!) letter to the daughter of a man who we don't get to know until the last part of the book. I found the first part of the book most interesting as well as the lessons learned towards the end. The details and character development were exciting and unfolded at a good pace. The story loses some momentum when the years kind of get filled in before finally telling the story of her connection to Angela's father. Overall, I appreciate Vivian's growth as she embraces her authentic self, comes to terms with the source of her shame, and puts judgment about others and herself into perspective.
Vivian, in "City of Girls" couldn't be more different. She comes from a prominent family but her rebellious nature lands her at 19 years old in 1940s NYC with her aunt who runs a theatre. Vivian finds her place among the life of showgirls, parties, and sexual exploits. She is drawn to the glitz and glamor of the chaos and the "shiny people." And then it all crashes down when she makes a particularly bad decision that causes pain and scandal. Overcome by shame, Vivian could have settled down, but as the men go to war, she has other options that lead to an unconventional life.
She tells her story in the form of a (nearly 500 page!) letter to the daughter of a man who we don't get to know until the last part of the book. I found the first part of the book most interesting as well as the lessons learned towards the end. The details and character development were exciting and unfolded at a good pace. The story loses some momentum when the years kind of get filled in before finally telling the story of her connection to Angela's father. Overall, I appreciate Vivian's growth as she embraces her authentic self, comes to terms with the source of her shame, and puts judgment about others and herself into perspective.