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Kathleen

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Going through the motions

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-24-24

The length of this book is telling. Maupin’s heart clearly wasn’t in this one. Having killed off Mona and Anna previously, he has to go back in time to tell this story. This is not his forte. He does best work when he can use Michael as his alter ego in the current moment. This story is as two-dimensional as all memories. It is the first time I’ve been disappointed with a Tales of the City novel.

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Disappointing

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-08-17

It reads like the author was trying to crank out one more book for this series and she filled it with recipes to meet a minimum number of pages.

It is a shame that the author didn't record this book. She read the others so well that she was a hard act to follow. This reader has done a nice job with other books I've listened to, but she just isn't right for this book. She is more southern than mountain and lacks a bit a cynical edge for the main character.

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2 people found this helpful

Wonderful book

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-20-16

Classic Armistead Maupin, Babycakes is a wonderful book. The storyline takes you on outrageous twists and turns but all of it is believable because of Maupin's richly developed characters. Nothing about them is forced or stretched to fit the story, they are already more than enough.
While Alan Cumming narrates very well for the most part, his low voice does not lend itself to doing female voices. Most come across as caricatures, undermining the written strength of the characters. (They can also really grate on your nerves.) Don't give up on the book because of the performance, you'll miss out on so much more! (And take comfort in the fact that he doesn't narrate any other books in the series.)

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2 people found this helpful

Fabulous book

Overall
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-24-07

This is a wonerful book--rich, diverse character portraits delicately interwoven. It reads almost like a collection of short stories. I have listened to most of it several times, catching nuances I missed the first time around. The narration is also well done. Don't pass this one up!

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