Lisa Shey Biography

Gilbert E. Let's say right away: this fascinating novel by American Gilbert, who had already managed to conquer the hearts of many Russian readers, has nothing to do with the legendary film by Italian Federico Fellini. And it is related to the very New York, where his plot unfolds for decades. Strictly speaking, the book is called in the original “City of Girls”, which is translated more ironically - “Girls City”.

Although, after reading the novel, I would slightly re -ize it. Something like a “city for girls”. Because it is the girls who are the main players in the plot of love, sex, heart attachments and the values ​​of each individual humanist fate. One of the foreign critics gave a brief description of Gilbert's text - “sexually and scandalous”, which is the greatest part of the truth.

And those who want to feel the taste of literary “strawberries” on their lips will not be disappointed. But that’s the whole focus of the compositions of Elizabeth Gilbert, published, recently-in the year that, starting with a confession about how the heroine enters the stormy bohemian environment of the “Big Apple”, the author somehow imperceptibly, literally by steadily, translates the text literally into another genre register.

The writer right before our eyes, Retro transforms the story in the format into thought about what every person can be interesting to any other person. At the same time, without changing either the characters of their characters, nor their movement along the line of life. The novel was written in the first person, a certain Vivian Morris, who at the age of 19 was sent from his home to New York, to the aunt of Peggy, the owner of the Lily Theater.

In fact, the whole text of the book is a great confession in the form of a letter from a certain Anggele, the native daughter of a certain Frank Grekko, a man who played an amazing role in the fate of the heroine. But at the beginning of the autobiographical narrative, we do not even know about it. We just learn about the adventures of Vivian in the pre-war New York.

At the same time, just the same formula breaks to the surface - "sexually and scandalous." As for the second thesis, I would argue with the critic, because in the descriptions of intimate adventures there is nothing that the readers of the current century do not know about the sexual escapes of the inhabitants of the metropolis and the world of Bohemia. Here is the time to recall the epigraph of the novel, moralizing for girls and not only!

So let it be at least fun. ” This was said by actress Kolett. And at first it will be so. Only an intimate fun and a rampant will follow a cruel reckoning. It seems that the narrative is about to slip into the arms of the moralizing melodrama, but the format of writing and the use of this does not allow the author.

She continues the story of the life of Vivian, who turns out to be called a “hand -to -hand” girl who knows how to sew and construct ladies' outfits. Meanwhile, the great story on the pages of the book reminds of himself with certain tragic realities and details, including the death of Walter, the older brother of Vivian. At this point, the writer turns off from the beaten path of the story about Vivvi’s intimate life, turning into the very side of the reasoning about the self-worth of each individual life.

Events are told somehow summary, relations are as if designated by a dotted line. And those who reigned in the first part of the novel on his pages gradually fade into the background. But even those who go to the leaders of the Vivian shown from the part of the attention are not so many things and words. The heroine soloes more and more often, reasoning and thoughts of fate and her relationship with a person occupy more and more space.

And this does not change the general mood when reading. I would like not only to know: what is the whole story of Vivian Morris in the city of women, but also to find out: what she herself thinks about this. As Soviet literary critics would say before: what lesson of life did Vivian Morris learn? Here I will allow myself to go into the shadow and give the word the heroine itself.

This dispute with Frank occurs almost at the end of the book. More importantly, to read it as a result: ““ But the man should be brave, ”Frank objected. I had so many men that I could not count - and do you know what it says about me about a person? Nothing, Frank. I just live like that. You yourself said, Frank: the world is not black and white, and said on the very first evening.

So put your own words to your own life. There are no universal rules that are suitable for everyone. Each has its own nature, and everyone happens to everyone that we cannot control. There was a war with you. You are not created for the war, so what? Yes, absolutely nothing, damn it. Stop tormenting yourself. ” Like this! Otherwise, indeed, not to live in any way, feeling the burden of obligations and memories on your shoulders and behind.

However, in order to come to such a sharp, but fair judgments about reality surrounding you, you need to try this very “reality” for a tooth. Vivian Morris passed such temptations and tests in the novel by Elizabeth Gilbert.The sinful faces of New York played a decisive role in the life of her heroine, but the art of life “by their desire” did not turn Vivvi into a complete selfish and hunter for men.

And in this - wisdom and, if you want, the moralizing meaning of the text read. This novel is quite worthy of the definition of the “Roman of Education”. Only in order to adequately perceive it, it is necessary not only the achievement of a certain age and a certain life experience of a personal plan can, and not always positive. And only then it is worth picking up this unusual book, where the fun of life gives rise to sadness and wisdom of awareness of the meaning of human being.

This must be lived and experienced. Sergey Ilchenko.