An absolutely delicious novel of which I savoured every single page.
I had many deja vu moments in Vivian's words, one of which is below, she got it spot on, something I have mastered over last few years, and it's true.
"It was during the war, too, that I learned how to be comfortable sitting alone in a bar or restaurant. For many women, this is a strangely difficult thing to do, but eventually I mastered it. (The trick is to bring a book or newspaper, to ask for the best table nearest to the window, and to order your drink just as soon as you sit down.) Once I got the hang of it, I found that eating alone by the window in a quiet restaurant is one of life’s greatest secret pleasures."
After "A man called Ove by Fredrick Backman", this is the first time that I could not stop smiling throughout my read, and trust me you don't get to experience that quite often. So, thank you Elizabeth Gilbert for such an entertaining novel.
Vivian moris is the woman I fell in love with along with dozen other characters. Such a colorful novel, and the casual manner in which it's delivered, did the perfect trick.
Okay, let me back up a bit. Starting with Vivian's entry into New York back in 1940s, this is how she explains it to Angela,
"But this is a city that gets born anew in the fresh eyes of every young person who arrives here for the first time. So that city, that place—newly created for my eyes only—will never exist again. It is preserved forever in my memory like an orchid trapped in a paperweight. That city will always be my perfect New York."
And that is exactly how I felt when I stood in front of London Bridge or in Rockies of Colorado. You cannot explain why you fall in love with a place to someone else, it's between you and the city.
I connected with every single character in the book, and boy it was so much fun, page after page. It's not easy to make the WWII period's story fun, but she did it without being offensive or hurtful. Vivian's nonchalant mannerism backed by her simple naivety, made WWII events see in a different light.
"I’m aware that many things were not better in the 1940s. Underarm deodorants and air-conditioning were woefully inadequate, for instance, so everybody stank like crazy, especially in the summer, and also we had Hitler."
There are many favorite conversations but the one that tops the list is Mr Herbert's satires.
"Good morning, Mr. Herbert!” I would say.
"The point is debatable,” he might respond.
Or, on another day: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I will half allow it.”
Or: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I fail to see your argument.”
Or: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I find myself unequal to the occasion.”
Or, my favorite ever: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“Oh, you’re a satirist now, are you?"
This book has everything from emotions to friendship to love to society to world war events to family to showgirls to theaters etc...etc..And it's not simply about emotions or relationships or reckless lovemaking or boozing and nightclubbing; it's a well researched book, I learnt a lot about fashion, costume designing, showbiz, New York in 1940s and PTSD of a veteran.
Vivian moris is the woman I fell in love with along with dozen other characters. Such a colorful novel, and the casual manner in which it's delivered, did the perfect trick.
Okay, let me back up a bit. Starting with Vivian's entry into New York back in 1940s, this is how she explains it to Angela,
"But this is a city that gets born anew in the fresh eyes of every young person who arrives here for the first time. So that city, that place—newly created for my eyes only—will never exist again. It is preserved forever in my memory like an orchid trapped in a paperweight. That city will always be my perfect New York."
And that is exactly how I felt when I stood in front of London Bridge or in Rockies of Colorado. You cannot explain why you fall in love with a place to someone else, it's between you and the city.
I connected with every single character in the book, and boy it was so much fun, page after page. It's not easy to make the WWII period's story fun, but she did it without being offensive or hurtful. Vivian's nonchalant mannerism backed by her simple naivety, made WWII events see in a different light.
"I’m aware that many things were not better in the 1940s. Underarm deodorants and air-conditioning were woefully inadequate, for instance, so everybody stank like crazy, especially in the summer, and also we had Hitler."
There are many favorite conversations but the one that tops the list is Mr Herbert's satires.
"Good morning, Mr. Herbert!” I would say.
"The point is debatable,” he might respond.
Or, on another day: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I will half allow it.”
Or: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I fail to see your argument.”
Or: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“I find myself unequal to the occasion.”
Or, my favorite ever: “Good morning, Mr. Herbert!”
“Oh, you’re a satirist now, are you?"
This book has everything from emotions to friendship to love to society to world war events to family to showgirls to theaters etc...etc..And it's not simply about emotions or relationships or reckless lovemaking or boozing and nightclubbing; it's a well researched book, I learnt a lot about fashion, costume designing, showbiz, New York in 1940s and PTSD of a veteran.
I had many deja vu moments in Vivian's words, one of which is below, she got it spot on, something I have mastered over last few years, and it's true.
"It was during the war, too, that I learned how to be comfortable sitting alone in a bar or restaurant. For many women, this is a strangely difficult thing to do, but eventually I mastered it. (The trick is to bring a book or newspaper, to ask for the best table nearest to the window, and to order your drink just as soon as you sit down.) Once I got the hang of it, I found that eating alone by the window in a quiet restaurant is one of life’s greatest secret pleasures."
I listened to the audiobook while walking the streets and smiling like crazy, but this is a book I will buy and add to my personal library. I am so happy to have come across "City of Girls". It was a delightful read!
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