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A review by karlanoelle
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I think you might like this book. I appreciate that Gilbert wrote a story about a flawed woman who doesn't necessarily meet society's expectations for who a good woman is and who isn't necessarily likable to some, but isn't objectively a bad person and exhibited some redeeming qualities, especially as she aged and grew. I liked reading about Vivienne's journey to sexual empowerment and overall confidence in who she is as a person and about the strength and struggles of female friendships and companionship in all their forms. While Vivienne's undoubtedly the main character, I found the supporting cast to be charismatic and well developed as well, and dare I say, also interesting.
I'd especially recommend the audiobook. I loved how vivid Gilbert's writing is and how distinct and personable Vivienne's voice was, as well as the attention to detail and how the world building really made New York City pop off the pages. I truly felt like I was sitting at brunch or something with her and listening to her tell me the story of her life, and the voice actress was particularly exquisite in how she brought the narrative to life.
I'll say that the second half of the book feels very fragmented from the first half in that the titular play and some of the characters we've come to know become virtual non-players. I also imagine that some readers will find the first half much more exciting and interesting than the second half, especially if they were primarily driven to the theater and showgirl aspects. However, I found Vivienne to be an engaging enough character that I was already emotionally invested in her life trajectory at that point, so I didn't mind as much that the story's pace slowed down - particularly since the second half is when we get to witness some of Vivienne's character development, as she grapples with what she did and how that cuts against who she wants to be.
I'll also say that the pacing of the book is off in the sense that it didn't need to be this long. At times, I forgot that the purpose of Vivienne's letter was to answer Angela's question of the status of the relationship between her father and Vivienne. We don't even find out who Angela's father was until towards the end of the book, although I do think it's important to understand the events that led up to Vivienne's path crossing with his and how she grappled with that before their paths crossed again later on.
Overall, I can see this being a fun summer read, and I enjoyed it.
I'd especially recommend the audiobook. I loved how vivid Gilbert's writing is and how distinct and personable Vivienne's voice was, as well as the attention to detail and how the world building really made New York City pop off the pages. I truly felt like I was sitting at brunch or something with her and listening to her tell me the story of her life, and the voice actress was particularly exquisite in how she brought the narrative to life.
I'll say that the second half of the book feels very fragmented from the first half in that the titular play and some of the characters we've come to know become virtual non-players. I also imagine that some readers will find the first half much more exciting and interesting than the second half, especially if they were primarily driven to the theater and showgirl aspects. However, I found Vivienne to be an engaging enough character that I was already emotionally invested in her life trajectory at that point, so I didn't mind as much that the story's pace slowed down - particularly since the second half is when we get to witness some of Vivienne's character development, as she grapples with what she did and how that cuts against who she wants to be.
I'll also say that the pacing of the book is off in the sense that it didn't need to be this long. At times, I forgot that the purpose of Vivienne's letter was to answer Angela's question of the status of the relationship between her father and Vivienne. We don't even find out who Angela's father was until towards the end of the book, although I do think it's important to understand the events that led up to Vivienne's path crossing with his and how she grappled with that before their paths crossed again later on.
Overall, I can see this being a fun summer read, and I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Alcoholism