City Of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

4.5 Stars

I fell in love with this book almost from the very first page.  The writing is vibrant and the narrating character, Vivian, is full of verve and pluck that just shines right off the page.  The story itself takes the form of a longform confessional statement made by Vivvie to the mysterious Amanda.  All we know is that Vivvie knew her parents and that Amanda has informed of her of her father's passing but now her mother too has passed and she is in contact again.  Why this has led to Vivvie writing this piece we, the reader, aren't sure and neither do we know who Amanda is but somehow that doesn't matter as it is absorbing reading.

Set in the 1940s Vivvie is a woman way before her time.  Raised in a privileged and wealthy family she is somewhat of a disappointment.  Crashing out of Vassar, failing to meet a suitable husband and just generally cluttering up her parent's home she is sent to stay with her bohemian Aunt Peg in New York City.  Somehow the whole feel of the early years of Vivvie's life felt more 1920s than 1940s but they really drew me in and me want to be right there alongside her.  Life at The Lily Playhouse is one long hedonistic whirl for Vivvie and populated with wonderful characters - the stunning showgirl Celia Ray, the dour Olive and the impeccable Edna Parker Watson.

My only real problem with the book was that after her somewhat shocking fall from grace and her banishment back home to rural stultification some of the colour is lost from the book.  Everything suddenly becomes rather rushed and rather than a languid recollection of early days it is a rapid fire recounting of the war and post war years.  Unusually I found myself wanting more pages rather than less (not a usual occurrence).

This is a wonderful novel that beckons you in to a lost world.  A world that at once feels wholly nostalgic, entirely real and yet completely fantastical.  The narrator's voice is strong and although we never hear from any of the other characters (or even Amanda's rebuttal) somehow Vivvie makes them come alive for you.  Boiled down to it's bare bones it is a story of one woman who breaks the mould of her time by embracing her sensuality and following her heart (and her sewing machine) wherever it leads her - even if that means trouble.

Warm, funny and heartbreaking in it's honesty.  This is an almost perfect read that will silently steal hours from your day and give you a great big grin on your face.

THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER.