‘City of Girls’ by Elizabeth Gilbert

I’d never read anything by Elizabeth Gilbert before as her most famous book, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, doesn’t fit in with my usual genres. However, this one – published in April 2020 – is a lovely piece of historical fiction with a fabulous heroine at its heart.

I was drawn to this book as it promised a fun and light read in the world of New York's theatrical world.  I thought it would be an ideal escapist book for these tricky times. 

The first part of the book absolutely delivers this.  The narrator, Vivian Morris, is upbeat and cheerful in telling the story of her arrival in New York in 1940.  Freshly expelled from her university course for minimal effort, she goes to stay with her Aunt Peg, an eccentric family member who runs a dilapidated theatre.  Vivian soon makes friends with the showgirls and starts living the high life in a city full of men and alcohol, far away from the war raging in Europe.  I loved this bit of the story - the theatre people and Vivian's joie de vivre make for compulsive and upbeat reading.

The tone shifts a bit in the second part of the book as Vivian ages and there is more of a war theme.  I'll admit to not enjoying this bit as much, although it's beautifully written and quite touching.

Overall, this is an evocative and compelling novel with a really unique heroine at its heart.  I'd recommend it wholeheartedly although it didn't quite deliver the consistent high I was looking for.  However, that's just my personal preference for fabulous glitz rather than the sad impact of war.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Photo by Katherine Barcsay from Burst

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