Staff Reviews

City of Girls is steeped in New York history. It's the story of Vivian Morris, a Vassar dropout who is sent to live with her Aunt Peg in Manhattan. Peg runs a ramshackle theater company in Times Square. It reminds me of what Yiddish theater was like, only nobody's Jewish. In the days before television, the theater was one step ahead of vaudeville, catering to the working-class neighborhood. The Lily Theatre chugs along until a series of events lead it to a big breakout hit, starring one of Peg's old friends. But what goes up, must come down and a terrible scandal threatens not just Vivian's reputation, but the theater's survival. And the theater will not survive. But Vivian will have a second act. It's just delightful, so smart and funny and wise. It's definitely on brand for Gilbert - Vivian is a proudly sexual being who is able to overcome a major setback and bounce back to have a satisfying life with no regrets. And she does it her own way. I know Gilbert did a lot of research for this book, but it's all in the milieu and never gets in the way of the story. It's a great book for the moment - a celebration of New York, escapist in its way, and a lovely story about overcoming setbacks. A critic called it 'delicious' and I can't really think of a better adjective.