City of girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Pre script: I picked up this book from fellow book lover and voracious reader Tanvi's IG book reviews.
I love a compelling, atmospheric, well-written fiction book. Especially when the writer has found her unique voice. I have never been a fan of Liz Gilbert's non-fiction books. Have I read them? - Yes. Did I enjoy them? - Meh.
I loved her latest (from 2019) book City of Girls. Did I say it's well written and well-told? It doesn't lose its protagonist's (who is also the narrator) voice throughout. And for a change, unlike many first-person books, it's not self-deprecating or too philosophical. Vivian Morris tells her story with understated wisdom, empathy for herself and those around her and in a matter of fact way. Her tone is no-nonsense - This is what happened, this is what this person did, this is what they were like. There isn't any pity or victimizing. And I loved that about the story. I cared for those people and their lives. Despite knowing how different they were from me and mine. I will not a live a life like anyone in the book (at least in this timeline) and I still lived their life through this book. You know what I mean?
Another great thing about the book is the New York it traverses through the 1940s to date. That itself is a fascinating walk through history. The theater and art world of the 1940s it created left me wanting to be a witness to those times. When everyone at the Lily theater worked hard on their production I wanted to contribute and be a part of it. I have always loved New York I have experienced through books, movies, tv shows, documentaries. And this book made me fall in love with it all over again. I have a dream to live in New York for a while and I want to go visit and settle there for a while pronto! (somewhere my heart knows it will hate living there now but it still wants what it wants. I still remember my wide-eyed fascination when I had visited the city for the first time).
Now the last bit about Liz Gilbert and her protagonist. Every writer shares a part of themselves through what they write. Only someone who has lived a life like LG could create Vivian. Vivian is also based on a real-life person. Vivian is a typical 20 something clueless girl. The story is about her sexuality and her coming into being. Her growth as a human. Her growth isn't evident. She candidly accepts how other people shaped her life's crucial decisions and she is a better being because of it. She doesn't necessarily brave through life. A lot of things happen to her. But the most important thing that happens is she develops a perspective. She forms real friendships. She creates a family for herself. She finds meaning in her work. She truly grows. She isn't too self-conscious or proud of it. In her world-view, that's how it is. And I found it refreshing. With a barrage - of how to be and behave in today's world - around us, it's lovely to see someone take ownership of their story so honestly. Maybe it helps that a 90 something Vivian is narrating this story. As I said at the beginning of this paragraph, only LG could create this woman.
Needless to say, not everyone will like the book. But hey! It's ok. In the famous words of Frank 'the world is a strange place' and in Vivian's words 'It means nothing'.