This was one of my favorite reads in a long time.
Based on author Elizabeth Gilbert’s other novel Eat, Pray, Love and her creative living guide Big Magic, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a youthful period piece.
But man, did she deliver.
I tend to find myself drawn to any piece featuring New York City in its Golden Age. Particularly when that piece is about a young woman finding her strength and freedom in a world that had previously been not-so-kind to females.
The novel is narrated by Vivian, a 95-year-old woman telling the daughter of an old friend about her life after being kicked out of college in the 1940s. She is sent off to NYC to live with an aunt, who happens to run an off-Broadway theater. The city’s theater crowd of the old days makes reality TV of today look tame.
This book struck an extremely rare balance between being both wildly fun and truly profound. As any writer (or reader) knows, that can be nearly impossible.
“After a certain age, time just drizzles down upon your head like rain in the month of March: you’re always surprised at how much of it can accumulate, and how fast.”
Just when you think the story is winding down, Vivian tells us about her post-youth life, too. And in some ways, it’s just as good—although a lot more tear-jerking.
Have you guys read this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if not, happy reading.
Colorfully Yours,
Haley
