City of Girls: A Novel

How refreshing to have a woman become who she really is, to know what works for her, and to embrace it whole heartedly, and to be honest with others about that.This is really unheard of, or nearly so.It’s a fascinating story about one woman’s long life of discovering her truest self, and then having the courage to live her life in accordance with that knowledge of what’s important to her.The many deep relationships, the family of choice we call it in my world, is satisfying and enlightening. May we all be so lucky as to have a life filled with such people. I know it’s a hugely important part of my life to have always had such a loving and fun and interesting group of people whom I love and who love me back. It may be the only area of my life where I have truly and thoroughly succeeded, and it’s profoundly meaningful to me.I can’t say that every reader will enjoy a book like this, written about such deep questions about how best to live one’s own best life. But I know I found it useful, entertaining, moving and eye opening. Quite a feat for one book!

This was simply wonderful. Elizabeth Gilbert returns to form with City of Girls, the story of Vivian Morris, who is telling the story of her life in answer to the question, "What were you to my father?"Freshly kicked out of Vassar in 1940, she heads to New York to live with her aunt, who owns a theatre. This is not an upmarket establishment, but a crumbling showhouse in a working-class area, trying desperately to attract locals without much money to spare.Vivvie, who has a knack for sewing, quickly gets caught up in the productions and in life behind the scenes. But "too much fun" and the war inevitably take their toll, and Vivvie eventually faces a reckoning.The second half of the book is very differently paced - less fun, but more poignant. I did think that the final bit, the bit that answered the question posed in the opening chapter, was slightly light in detail compared to the rich telling that had gone before, but this is only a minor complaint.

I loved every page of this book! The writing is superb. The story is multilayered, with excellent character development. I didn’t want this book to end. When it did, I felt as if I was saying goodbye to really good friends, who had shared their lives with me!

My book club and I read this. All five of us cried. It was a phenomenal read I recommend to all of my friends.

Overall: A fun, lively, and sexy tale about women growing up in New York during a golden time. Recommend to fans of fiction, love stories, chick-lit, and anyone who likes New York city 3.5/5 or 6.5/10Summary: City of Girls is a coming of age story about a beautiful young girl who moves to New York and lives with showgirls in her late teens. The story is told as she is an older woman telling her life story to the daughter of one of her great loves and she is looking back on her life and she recognizes her flaws as well as her successes. When she arrives in New York, she is young, naive a very good sewer and quickly realizes she loves and is great at sex.The Good: This book is very fun and should be enjoyed with a glass of wine or champagne. It is easy to get lost in this one as the time period and plot are fun and entertaining and there are great descriptions throughout. The main character is likable (mostly) and the supporting characters add some different perspectives and personality to the book. The biggest theme in this book was passion and it was at the forefront throughout the story.The Bad: I had a hard time getting past the narration to Angela. I found it overly familiar and just too hard to believe; felt this way about some of the events in the novel as well. I also did not enjoy the second half of the book as much as the first, found the relationship with Angela's father very difficult to believe. And the ending was rushed. Still, overall this is a fun and entertaining read.

It’s 1940, and Vivian’s wealthy parents have sent her off to live with her eccentric Aunt Peggy in New York City after she flunked out of Vassar. Aunt Peggy owns the Lily Playhouse, a once grand, three-story building in Manhattan, where nightly stage productions are put on. The second and third floors of the structure are the living quarters for Aunt Peggy, her business manager Olive, and a menagerie of showgirls, singers and dancers, and other free spirits.Up until her parents sent her away, nineteen-year-old Vivian had led a pretty sheltered and pampered life. The only thing she knew how to do was sew. This talent was quickly put to use, designing and creating the costumes for the performers. Vivian thrived on the chaos and freedom of her new life, which included lots of alcohol, cigarettes, and men. Lots of men. This book chronicles the next seventy or so years of her life.Vivian narrates this story, which consists of her writing a letter (a book-length letter) to a woman named Angela. She’s responding to a note from Angela asking about the relationship between Angela’s dad (now deceased) and Vivian. Vivian agrees to answer the question, but only if Angela will hear her entire life’s story. And it’s quite a story. FYI, the reader doesn’t know which man in Vivian’s life was Angela’s dad is until the book is 90% done.All the characters were interesting, particularly the women. Besides Vivian and Peggy, there was a famous English actress named Edna Parker Watson who steals the show; a show girl named Celia who taught Vivian how to party; and a young woman named Marjorie who ends up playing a significant part in Vivian’s life. They were all strong and independent women. I liked Vivian, but I didn’t understand why the drunken sex with multiple men was so appealing. Some nights it turned out to be rough sex. Bruises and hangovers the next morning, then ready for a “good time” again the next night. But that was just part of Vivian’s story. I found the last chapters to be quite touching, and the ending good.This is a story about strong, independent women who lived their lives on their own terms. It’s not a book I’ll soon forget. Four Stars.