City of Girls

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert

Who Picked the Book: Rachel

One-sentence summary:  A young woman makes mistakes, grows up, and finds a life for herself in New York City before, during, and after WWII in unconventional, but deeply satisfying ways.

B.A.D. Girls Book Rating: 8

Our favorite thing about it: We loved the story and the unique characters - and the poignant way the story was told.

Our least favorite thing about it: Having to read some of the harsh things that happened to the main character.

Main Topics of Discussion: Friendship, Family, Shame, Fashion, Love

Our favorite quote: "At some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is."

Notes: We all liked this book very much. We enjoyed reading it and discussing it. We didn't have much to pick apart, but we did discuss a few things that had us thinking:  1) how realistic it was for Vivian's parents to send her to NYC in the first place (with an aunt they didn't approve of), 2) why Peg's reaction to Vivian running away from Frank was so strong, 3) how many things had to converge at one time for Vivian to make her "big mistake." Ultimately, we really enjoyed discussing the plot and the very well fleshed-out characters, who were so unique we could really picture them. We thought Gilbert had a deft hand at writing - this was a meaningful and fun story to read. 

Memorable Meeting Moments: We celebrated Lindsay's birthday and we received our Colorado photo books. 

What We Ate: Rachel took us to Hopdoddy Burger Bar for burgers, fries, and shakes. Then, we returned to her house for tea and brownies and the rest of our meeting.