Book Review: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

Book Review: City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

I won this book as an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway, and this is my honest review.

I had heard a lot about this book before I won it on Goodreads, so I was looking forward to reading it. A few of my bookish friends touted it as a profound book for 2021 readers.

Vivian Morris, after getting kicked out of Vassar College, flees her family's judgment and condescension by moving to live with her aunt in New York City, where she becomes part of a middling theater group as the seamstress and costumer. She discovers herself as a voracious sexual being--shocking even in 1940s New York City. She also discovers that her pursuit of sexual conquests has damning personal and professional consequences when she allows her promiscuity to lead her to make bad judgments that irreparably damage the life she has built for herself in her theater community.

But the story is deeper than Vivian's promiscuity.

And, though I was tempted to not finish the book at several points (mostly the extremely vivid descriptions of Vivian's sexual encounters--just not my flavor), I heard my friends' rave reviews in the back of my head, propelling me to continue reading. I'm glad I listened to those voices.

Vivian's story of unapologetically unconventional and alternative lifestyle choices ultimately creates an incredibly endearing story of friendships and missteps, forgiveness and new beginnings, authenticity and hiding. Vivian's sense of agency at a time that discouraged women from exercising such agency is empowering and despite my disapproval of Vivian's choices, she doesn't need or seek my approval. Nor does my disapproval cloud my ability to genuinely like her. She's spunky, full of life and love, and forges lasting and meaningful relationships with the other characters. Vivian is someone I would like to know.

The prose is compelling, beautiful, poetic, and the historical background creates an immersive story showing a different type of life experience for those making sense of life in the 1940s.

I initially rated City of Girls 3/5 stars, but after I marinated in its afterglow, it deserves 4/5 stars.