Reviews Are In

Whenever I get back into the swing of things and on the reading grind, it always takes me longer to finish the first one, after ten days I finally finished City of Girls.

I have been wanting to read this for a long time. Last summer I read my first book by Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic, and couldn’t put it down. Granted these two books are nothing like each other. City of Girls was a novel with a plot, Big Magic was moreso a self help book.

City of Girls was published last summer, so naturally it took me a year to finally get my hands on a copy. I loved every page. I feel like I am one of those people that ends up saying that about every book I read, every author, but it’s true. Especially because I am that type of person that HAS to finish a book if I started it, no matter how much I hate it. City of Girls was such a great read, especially for women in their early 20’s.

Told from the life of Vivian Morris, it is written as a letter to the mysterious Angela. Throughout the book the reader is left wondering who this Angela is, and why she wants to know Vivian’s relation to her father. Every male Vivian came in contact with, you’re left wondering if that’s Angela’s father. It isn’t until, let’s say, the last quarter of the book that you’re finally officially introduced to his character.

Written in present day, Vivian is 89 writing this letter to Angela recounting her life from 1941 until that very moment. The majority of the story takes place between the years 1941 to 1945. She was 20 years old from upstate New York, shipped to her aunt’s place in New York City-- her parents didn’t know what else to do with her.

This story is a ride through the trials and tribulations of a 20 something girl living in New York City keeping company with theater folk and showgirls. It is the perfect amount of drama and romance, with even some history sprinkled in as well. Besides, how can you write a book based during that time and not acknowledge what is unfolding across the pond in Europe.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a great summer/beach read! You may recognize Gilbert’s name from her famous memoir Eat, Pray, Love. Let me know if you have read this book and your thoughts!

I hope this post finds you well, happy reading! Stay safe out there!

xoxo, talk soon!

bailey