100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Thanks for supporting our 100% NZ-owned independent bookstore ❤️ Overnight NZ-wide Delivery 🚀

City of Girls

The Sunday Times Bestseller
4.04 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 322,203 ratings, 29,468 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert is set in 1940s New York City and follows Vivian Morris, a young woman who moves to Manhattan and becomes entangled in the vibrant world of theatre. Through vivid storytelling, the book explores themes of love, identity, and self-discovery as Vivian reflects on her exuberant past and the decisions that shaped her life. It's a rich tapestry of glamour, relationships, and personal growth amidst the backdrop of a theatrical setting.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2199
Backorder
STOCK ARRIVING MID SEPTEMBER Order now to secure your copy from our next shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy stories set in the glamour of 1940s New York, rich in vibrant characters and exploring themes of love, freedom, and self-discovery. With its engaging narrative and witty prose, it promises a compelling exploration of a young woman's journey to find her place in the world amidst the lively backdrop of the city's theatre scene.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER
A BOOK CLUB PICK FROM THE QUEEN CONSORT'S READING ROOM

‘Stunning’ - Lisa Taddeo, author of THREE WOMEN
‘Warm and wise’ - Stephanie Merritt, Observer
‘Glamorous, sexy, compelling’ - Dolly Alderton, Sunday Times
‘I fell in love with Vivian from page one’ - Daisy Buchanan
‘An education in love, and an iridescent delight’ - Rowan Pelling, Spectator

New York, 1940. Young, glamorous and inseparable, Vivian and Celia are chasing trouble from one end of the city to the other. But there is risk in all this play – that’s what makes it so fun, and so dangerous. Sometimes, the world may feel like it’s ending, but for Vivian and Celia, life is just beginning.

City of Girls is about daring to break conventions and follow your desires: a celebration of glamour, resilience, growing up, and the joys of female friendship – and about the freedom that comes from finding a place you truly belong.

‘There is so much to love in City of Girls - Independent
‘Wherever Liz Gilbert goes, we’ll follow’ - Oprah magazine, Best book releases
‘Sensational’ - Cosmopolitan
‘As bubbly as a champagne cocktail but with a real kick in the tail’ - Sunday Express
‘Explores female desire in a radically refreshing way’ - independent.co.uk
‘Brilliant on female friendship, desire and the influence a good mentor can bring to enrich a young woman's life’ - Grazia Summer Reads

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Elizabeth Gilbert's City of Girls is praised as a glamorous and compelling novel set in 1940s New York, focusing on vibrant showgirls and brimming with rich historical detail. Reviewers note its addictive storytelling, with strong female characters and a celebration of female sexual agency. Many commend its wit, emotional honesty, and exploration of themes like friendship and empowerment, marking it as a joyous, refreshing read perfect for the summer.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781408867068

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 April 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 360g

Pages: 512

About the Author

Elizabeth Gilbert is the number one bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 46 languages, and several other international bestselling books of fiction and non-fiction. Her story collection Pilgrims was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway award; The Last American Man was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her follow-up memoir to Eat Pray Love, Committed, became an instant number one New York Times bestseller. She has published two novels, Stern Men and The Signature of All Things, which was longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. She lives in New Jersey. www.elizabethgilbert.com / @GilbertLiz

Also by Elizabeth Gilbert

View all
  • On Sale
    16% off
    All the Way to the River
    In her first non-fiction book in a decade, the no. 1 bestselling writer who taught millions of readers to live authentically (Eat Pray Love) and creatively (Big Magic) shows how to break free. In 2000, Elizabeth Gilbert met Rayya. They became friends, then best friends, then inseparable. When tragedy entered their lives, the truth was finally laid bare: the two...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3899
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Big Magic
    In Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert delves into the enigmatic realm of creativity, offering readers a compelling exploration of the forces that inspire creative living. Without resorting to grandiose theories, Gilbert's down-to-earth approach demystifies the creative process. She breaks it down into manageable, enjoyable, and actionable components that anyone can embrace. This book isn't just for artists or writers, but for...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Committed
    ________________ 'Like Eat, Pray, Love, her follow-up ... feels irresistibly confessional ... I found myself guzzling Committed, reading it in mighty chunks, far into the night. Whenever I put it down, it was pinched by my mother or sister' - Sunday Times ‘An unblinkered consideration of what marriage really means' - Woman & Home 'Gilbert delves deep into the history...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Eat Pray Love
    _________________ OVER 15 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE _________________ Eat Pray Love has been passed from woman to woman like the secret of life - Sunday Times A defining work of memoir - Sunday Telegraph Engaging, intelligent, and highly entertaining - Time _________________ It's 3 a.m. and Elizabeth Gilbert is sobbing on the bathroom floor. She's in her thirties, she has...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • City of Girls
    ______________ A SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER A BOOK CLUB PICK FROM THE QUEEN CONSORT'S READING ROOM ______________ ‘Stunning’ - Lisa Taddeo, author of THREE WOMEN ‘Warm and wise' - Stephanie Merritt, Observer ‘Glamorous, sexy, compelling’ - Dolly Alderton, Sunday Times ‘I fell in love with Vivian from page one’ - Daisy Buchanan ‘An education in love, and an iridescent...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Stern Men
    Stern Men' was described by USA Today as 'a wonderful first novel about life, love and lobster fishing', and it is indeed high entertainment. It is also hailed as 'howlingly funny' by San Francisco Chronicle, 'an impressive achievement' by Observer, and as 'a mix of Annie Proulx and John Irving ... memorable and enjoyable' by The Times. On two remote...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Signature of All Things
    LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONSHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE From the moment Alma Whittaker steps into the world, everything about life intrigues her. Instilled with an unquenchable sense of wonder by her father, a botanical explorer and the richest man in the New World, Alma is raised in a house of luxury and curiosity. It is...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • All the Way to the River
    AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 AN OPRAH WINFREY AND FEARNE COTTON BOOK CLUB PICK 'No one who reads this book will ever forget it' - Meg Mason 'An absolute masterclass and truth-bomb … I think many people will be shaken awake by this book' - Emma Gannon In her first non-fiction book in a decade, the no. 1...
    Hardback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • All the Way to the River
    Pre-order
    All the Way to the River
    No one who reads this book will ever forget it — Meg Mason An absolute masterclass and truth-bomb … I think many people will be shaken awake by this book — Emma Gannon In her first non-fiction book in a decade, the no. 1 bestselling writer who taught millions of readers to live authentically (Eat Pray Love) and creatively (Big...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Pre-order
    Out 1 Sep 2026
  • All the Way to the River: Oprah's Book Club
    INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK "A delicious mashup of narrative that's by turns harrowing and healing." –People "Entertaining, insightful, wrenching … punch-to-the-gut powerful." –The Washington Post "A blockbuster: brutally honest, lurid, transcendent, and compelling…Gilbert is undoubtedly a force." —Boston Globe In her first nonfiction book in a decade, the #1 bestselling writer who taught millions...
    Hardback
    $8000
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Big Magic
    The instant #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller "A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life... I dare you not to be inspired to be brave, to be free, and to be curious.” —PopSugar From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love and City of Girls: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of. Readers...
    Paperback
    $5000
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Last American Man
    'It is almost impossible not to fall under the spell of Eustace Conway ... his accomplishments, his joy and vigour, seem almost miraculous' - New York Times Review of Books 'Gilbert takes a bright-eyed bead on Eustace, hitting him square with a witty modernist appraisal of folkloric American masculinity' - The Times 'Conversational, enthusiastic, funny and sharp, the energy of...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Score
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession... Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Score now for the perfect friends with benefits romance! He knows how to score, on and off the ice... Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn't have...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE — Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE — Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE — Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS — Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale — Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Golden Son
    ENDER'S GAME meets THE HUNGER GAMES in this, the second in an extraordinary trilogy from an incredible new voice.'I'm still playing games. This is just the deadliest yet.' Darrow is a rebel forged by tragedy. For years he and his fellow Reds worked the mines, toiling to make the surface of Mars inhabitable. They were, they believed, mankind's last hope....
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Voracious
    From USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation comes the gripping, steamy dark romance series that everyone is talking about!'Filled with TENSION, HEARTBREAK and ELECTRIC CHEMISTRY. This one will tear your heart right out of your chest before tossing it back in and sewing you up' No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver'Leigh Rivers is THE QUEEN OF...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Mistake
    Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Mistake now for the perfect second chance romance! He's a player in more ways than one . . . College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants....
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.