blythehill's review against another edition
3.0
It was OK— entertaining, easy to read, interesting enough in its historical fiction and women’s liberation. I didn’t like Vivian, though— at first I hoped I just didn’t like her 20 year old self, but by the end I didn’t like her 40 year old self or her 90 year old self. She was vain, selfish, and self aggrandizing until the end. It also threw me off to hear her address “Angela” every 20 or so pages, and I had to remind myself of the exactly one page at the start of the novel where this is set up as epistolary. Without spoiling it, it took about 300 pages to finally find out who Angela’s father was, and the remaining ~150 were to tell specifically their story which, although touching, I found hard to believe.
I have a feeling I’ll hear about this book in a passing convo in a couple years and have completely forgotten what it’s about.
I have a feeling I’ll hear about this book in a passing convo in a couple years and have completely forgotten what it’s about.
clairemariarose's review against another edition
1.0
i am ASTOUNDED by the amount of positive praise i have seen for this book. i regret every decision that led me here. i feel defeated lol
and oh my god for the love of christ please never allow me to see or hear the word MOREOVER again. i feel like i’m in an endless loop of that tiktok of the girl reading twilight but it’s just the parts where stephanie meyers keeps using “chuckled” like wtf can you PLZ USE A SYNONYM
and oh my god for the love of christ please never allow me to see or hear the word MOREOVER again. i feel like i’m in an endless loop of that tiktok of the girl reading twilight but it’s just the parts where stephanie meyers keeps using “chuckled” like wtf can you PLZ USE A SYNONYM
gritshelme's review against another edition
5.0
Right now all I can say is, "OMG I LOVE IT!" so stay tuned for something a little more coherent once I've calmed down...
ewitsell's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lemelyjerry's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
megsminor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
friendshipbravery's review against another edition
5.0
I CRIED READING THIS BOOK: i love all the memorable characters, edna, vivian, frank, walter, celia, peg, olive, billy, andrew, the thrill of new york city. at first, i came to this novel having the feeling of “for some reason, i feel like this has the answer to all my questions. i need to know something that’s in this novel.” and now i know it—life can be bittersweet—sometimes life HAPPENS to you, and you have to deal with those things. vivian is such a real character and a real person and her relationship with frank literally made me cry at midnight. i love edna’s iciness, i love all the characters, even if they’re somewhat of jerks and i don’t know how vivian doesn’t resent edna after all these years. this book is a MASTERPIECE. it’s so raw and beautiful, and truthful and eye opening. it’s life, in a nutshell. city of girls is literally a depiction of life and the hardships and the trauma but the happiness and bliss and excitement, all wrapped up in the bow that is new york city. i love this book to pieces—10/10 reread if i need a pick me up. AND THE ENDING—gods, the ending, the offer of friendship from vivian, who’s 89, to angela, who’s 70, is heartwarming. that final note about edna’s words at the end was a REALLY good touch because vivian was never those things edna told her she was.
all in all... loved this book. CRIED for frank and vivian’s relationship. cried in sorrow and kept repeating the same words, “this is so beautiful” while sobbing. because it was, and i will never think otherwise.
all in all... loved this book. CRIED for frank and vivian’s relationship. cried in sorrow and kept repeating the same words, “this is so beautiful” while sobbing. because it was, and i will never think otherwise.
leannaaker's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite book this year. This is the story of Vivian Morris, who narrates a letter she wrote to a woman who asked her a question about an aspect of her life. The letter details Vivian's life, which includes typical and mundane things...like dumb decisions, narcissism, etc., yet they are presented through expert storytelling in such a way that they are poignant, and you can't help but fall in love with Vivian. The book is a sea of dichotomies: the expected and the unexpected, typical and unique, hysterically riotous and sad, frivolous and serious. By the way, the audiobook is FABULOUS. Just the right tone for the content.