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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Audiobook read by the author.
Eighteen years after “finishing” his Tales of the City Series in 1989, Maupin returned to the beloved characters and gave readers a 7th installment. NOTE: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the first six books in the series When the series ended, Michael had been diagnosed as HIV positive. In the ‘80s this was still considered a death sentence, but advances in treatment changed that, hence the title.
Michael has a landscaping business and a new husband. He’s dealing with what many middle-aged people face – the decline of our elderly parents. But he moves forward as best he can. Enjoying his work, his life and his friends. Mary Ann and Anna Madrigal make appearances as well, but the focus is really on Michael. I really like the way these characters support and love one another.
I’m not easily shocked, and have no illusions about gay sex, but there are a couple of sex scenes that made me a little uncomfortable. If you’re turned off by that, this may not be the book (or series) for you.
Maupin read the audiobook himself. He’s not a trained voice artist, but he’s so invested in these characters that I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. There’s a bonus interview with the author at the end of the audiobook. Maupin comments that he was “blushing furiously” when reading those aforementioned sex scenes.
Eighteen years after “finishing” his Tales of the City Series in 1989, Maupin returned to the beloved characters and gave readers a 7th installment. NOTE: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the first six books in the series When the series ended, Michael had been diagnosed as HIV positive. In the ‘80s this was still considered a death sentence, but advances in treatment changed that, hence the title.
Michael has a landscaping business and a new husband. He’s dealing with what many middle-aged people face – the decline of our elderly parents. But he moves forward as best he can. Enjoying his work, his life and his friends. Mary Ann and Anna Madrigal make appearances as well, but the focus is really on Michael. I really like the way these characters support and love one another.
I’m not easily shocked, and have no illusions about gay sex, but there are a couple of sex scenes that made me a little uncomfortable. If you’re turned off by that, this may not be the book (or series) for you.
Maupin read the audiobook himself. He’s not a trained voice artist, but he’s so invested in these characters that I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. There’s a bonus interview with the author at the end of the audiobook. Maupin comments that he was “blushing furiously” when reading those aforementioned sex scenes.
I kept pausing while reading this one. I'm not ready for this series to be over. I still have two books left, but I'm not ready.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Michael Tolliver, my love <3
I just love the Tales of the City books, they’re like comfort food. Michael Tolliver Lives was one of my favourites in the series. We catch up with Michael/Mouse twenty years after the events of the last book, in a post-9/11 world. This is the first book in the series to be told in a first person narrative and I enjoyed being inside Michael’s head. When we saw him last he was HIV positive in a time period where that was often a death sentence, and now he’s navigating being in his mid-50s, a survivor of the AIDS epidemic, and all that that entails.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Michael is my favourite Tales of the City character and I loved having a novel soley focusing on him. It truly felt like catching up with an old friend! The first person perspective was fun and different to the previous novels in the series. It still had the same tone, humour and vibes but can also stand on its own away from the series. Of course I loved all the cameos of familiar faces: it was really nice to see how they had grown and changed. Jake was a great new character! I really enjoyed the more in depth exploration of Michaels life - there was a lot of talk about life and death. It was heartbreaking yet funny with the perfect mixture of both. I didn’t expect it would make me cry but it did… I really flew through this book in just a few hours thanks to the amazing writing and pacing. I can’t wait to pick up the next book!
I read the "Tales of the City" series over ten years ago and loved them. I thought that this was a nice way to revisit the characters. This book was more serious and melancholy than the others, but I think that it was appropriate. Although I didn't really enjoy this one as much as the others, it was a nice way to have closure to the characters and story.
I didn't realize how much I had missed these characters until they came back.
A leisurely paced tale of the sun setting on Michael's life, where each day a new reconciliation awaits. A meditation on the families we're born into and the families we choose, and the means by which they can harmoniously coexist, even if in differing proportions.
This is the book solely about Michael Tollifver that I'd been begging for ever since book 1. I honestly don't understand why people hate it, it is probably one of my favourite ToTC books. It is a bit different from the original 6 books. There's no jumping between characters, there aren't those crazy plotlines that all weave together at the end. It wasn't "young." The characters we know and love are OLD now, seriously, and maybe a little boring. But I DIDN'T CARE. It was still so good? Like some things were so sad but in a heartwarming way, moving away from Barbary Lane, Michael reflecting on the past, the death of Mona, his friendship breakup with Mary-Anne, etc. It was all part of growing up. Michael is 50 fucking years old, he thought he was going to die twenty years ago. It's just magical having him around still kicking.
Also, Michael and Ben? Perfect. Michael truly doesn't choose a bad guy, does he? His three boyfriends throughout his life all taught him different lessons and loved him wholeheartedly and I love how he has respect for each of them. Jon's death was horrible (there is literally a whole book about Michael grieving) but it paved the way for Thack who paved the way for Ben, and it's so special that Michael realizes that he is paving the way for Ben, who will surely find love again after Michael is gone. Near the end of the book, when Michael was reflecting on how he originally wanted thirty years with Ben, but now he'd be happy with twenty was so... nice. Michael knows how special time is and is willing to love someone, even if it's just for a short amount of time. Ben is also just so sweet. The threesome scene was marvellous.
The drama with Michael's family actually interested me and I'm happy that Michael can stand his ground and choose Anna over his mother because Anna was more of a mother than his mother ever was. Michael can feel ways... he has a right to not want to go to his mother's funeral. I just really liked that whole scenario. Also still fucking hate Mary-Ann all these years later. I am usually very good at giving people the benefit of the doubt and seeing the good in them. But knowing Mary-Anne left her daughter in San Francisco, just to move to New York and be a stepmom to someone else? Oh my God, I'm pissed.
Also, I'm trying to connect this novel with the ToTC Netflix show? Like some parts fit but some parts don't. I don't know. I guess we need to think of them as two separate entities.
Also, Michael and Ben? Perfect. Michael truly doesn't choose a bad guy, does he? His three boyfriends throughout his life all taught him different lessons and loved him wholeheartedly and I love how he has respect for each of them. Jon's death was horrible (there is literally a whole book about Michael grieving) but it paved the way for Thack who paved the way for Ben, and it's so special that Michael realizes that he is paving the way for Ben, who will surely find love again after Michael is gone. Near the end of the book, when Michael was reflecting on how he originally wanted thirty years with Ben, but now he'd be happy with twenty was so... nice. Michael knows how special time is and is willing to love someone, even if it's just for a short amount of time. Ben is also just so sweet. The threesome scene was marvellous.
The drama with Michael's family actually interested me and I'm happy that Michael can stand his ground and choose Anna over his mother because Anna was more of a mother than his mother ever was. Michael can feel ways... he has a right to not want to go to his mother's funeral. I just really liked that whole scenario. Also still fucking hate Mary-Ann all these years later. I am usually very good at giving people the benefit of the doubt and seeing the good in them. But knowing Mary-Anne left her daughter in San Francisco, just to move to New York and be a stepmom to someone else? Oh my God, I'm pissed.
Also, I'm trying to connect this novel with the ToTC Netflix show? Like some parts fit but some parts don't. I don't know. I guess we need to think of them as two separate entities.