Babycakes (Tales of the City Series, V. 4) by Armistead Maupin
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Book Reviews of Babycakes (Tales of the City Series, V. 4)
Book Review: A darker time begins
Summary: 4 Stars
A lot of readers consider this the beginning of the darker "Tales" books, but that's only half-true. "Babycakes" does go into darker territory, reflecting the changes happening in San Francisco, but the following book in the "Tales" series, "Significant Others" is lighter and has some classic moments. Maupin has said he could not ignore what was happening in the gay community at the time, and who can blame him? To have written another "Tales" story set in 1983 and not mention the AIDS crisis would have been silly. Yes, we liked our SF stories light, but the books never shied away from cultural commentary.
That said, I will be honest and say "Babycakes" is my least favorite of the "Tales" series. It's not because of the mention of AIDS (plus, Maupin's writing in this book is even stronger then before), it's partly because of the grayness. This book seems to be set in perpetual rainfall, drizzle, overcast skies. This also reflects on the characters (Mary Ann and Brian even have gray industrial carpet) and their actions.
But my biggest problem of all with the novel is the character of Simon. Maupin has always written cleverly and often, we have no idea where a story will end up (as seen in this same book when Michael discovers Mona in the UK), but with Simon, the reader knows exactly where the story's going. There's no fun mystery, and indeed, only a last minute (but highly, HIGHLY implausible) revelation by Simon gives this a tiny moment of the unexpected. Simon also never comes alive as a character as do other new characters introduced in the book (like Wilfred and Teddy) and may as well walk around with "plot device" on his shirt.
On the plus side, it's great to see Mona again. If you're not happy with this book, just remember it's not the end of the Barbary Lane gang so just see it as a book of character growth and development and wish them well for their next adventure.
Book Review: Maupin's Magical San Francisco
Summary: 5 Stars
Mrs. Madrigal and her team of tenants continue to reveal the wacky and zany "only in San Francisco" adventures on Barbery Lane. If New York was the haven for the Mid-West "oddballs" ... San Francisco was the paradise for every "oddball" in the world. Psychedelic without apology, rebellious with a cause, exerpimental without limit, Tales of the City's Babycakes are yet another chapter in the social commentary of the most beautiful and most "dancing to the beat of their own drum" city in the world.Book Review: Very disappointing
Summary: 1 Stars
After reading and loving the first 3 "Tales of the City" books, I couldn't wait to read this book. What a terrible shame - I started to hate characters that I'd fallen in love with, and had considered them my extended fictional family. I just hope this isn't made into a movie too, or even more fans will be disappointed.Book Review: Beautiful, quirky, diverse, magical Baghdad by the Bay
Summary: 5 Stars
The late, great SF Chronicle columnist Herb Caen coined the term Baghdad by the Bay for the city that captured his heart, San Francisco. And Armisted Maupin peopled his Tales of the City series (first serialized in the Chronicle in 1976) with a huge assortment of eccentric, quirky, diverse characters that capture your heart and keep you reading, reading, reading even when you know you should have turned off the light hours ago. Babycakes, in which ambitious Mary Ann (the wide-eyed innocent from the Midwest through whose eyes we earlier came to see an ingenue's view of live and love in the City) has a baby, was the first work of fiction to recognize the scourge of AIDS in SF.Drop dead funny, bittersweet, and enchanting, Babycakes dangles intricate and outrageously interwoven plot threads in front of the readers, and it all just makes you want more, more, more.
Book Review: Another good read from Maupin
Summary: 4 Stars
Yet another series of adventures for the delightful characters that populate Maupin's books, this time with a bittersweet twist: the reality of AIDS. Because Maupin's Tales of the City books are generally so lighthearted, zany and playful, when the story opens with Michael mourning his lover, it hits pretty hard. Despite the slight bittersweetness, this installment of the series features all of Maupin's signature flourishes and his wonderful sense of humor.
If your looking for light, breezy stories and likable characters you couldn't find anywhere but San Francisco, then buy this series of books and get started reading. You'll quickly get addicted. For those of you San Franciscans past and present who've never read Maupin, he's worth a look. If nothing else his books will make you remember why San Francisco was once such an interesting and fun place to live and what's sorely missing from it today!