Rating: 
Summary: more please maupin
Review: An infuriating mix. After the high-jinks and high camp of the previous five books in the series, this is a pretty sombre way to finish off. There are betrayals and recriminations, accusations and tears, and the whole thing is underpinned by a subtext of rotting friendships which easily sours the tone of the preceeding books in the series. And gee, Armistead, what did Mary-Ann ever do to you? The sweet-natured perky Cleveland girl has metamophosed into an arch bitch who'll climb over corpses to get to centre stage. I'm not sure who he's based her on (the creature from Aliens, perhaps?), but she ain't pretty!On the upside, there's Maupin's usual incredible talent shining through - the plotting is tighter than ever, the characters are as loveable as ever (see above for the exception), his dialogue is unmatched by any other writer, the politics are laser sharp, and there are certain scenes which quiver with such restrained anger and tension that the hairs on the neck stand on end. It may not be as much fun as before, but like the wonderful Anna Madrigal, Maupin has matured with grace and style - and that alone earns the book five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Mary Ann, Mary Ann....
Review: How could Armistead Maupin betray one of his most wonderful creations? How could he make his readers hate someone that we all fell in love with? Please let this book be the last.
Rating: 
Summary: Et tu, Mary Ann?
Review: I know I've said that I like the more serious books in the series better than the really lighthearted ones, but this was a bit much. What I always loved about the Tales series was the strong feeling of chosen family among the residents and friends of 28 Barbary Lane. This book betrays that feeling. It was painful to read. Mary Ann was obviously the worst example, but none of the characters seem to quite have their old warmth and interest, with the possible exception of Brian. Very disappointing end to one of my favorite series.
Rating: 
Summary: Letdown after the others
Review: I loved the other "Tales of City" books. They are funny, sweet, and addictive. This rating is not meant to discourage any readers who have begun the series, since I know you could not stop even if you wanted to. It is just a warning that there is more heartbreak than laughter ahead. It has to be expected in the transition from the care-free seventies to are more responsible decade.
Rating:
Summary: How Dorothy became the wicked witch of the West
Review: I really hated to read this book because I never expected to hate Mary Ann, I liked her, I identified with her, hoped to go to the big city one day and see all the wonders. After reading this book I read the whole series again , there is no break, it was all possible from the first page, but I never expected this, how could Maupin do this to me. I cried over some books but over this I cried in anger. Only a truly great author can do that to you, but I'm going to kick him for that where it hurts, if I ever meet him.
Rating:
Summary: Whatever happened to Mary Ann??
Review: I was introduced to this series by my sister, the same way she introduced me to any other books I loved while growing up. She started me on Tales of the City by reading it aloud to me, the winter before I graduated from college. I loved it! I then received the entire series for my birthday and my boyfriend and I read them to each other. The books were great, we loved the series and we even made a trip out to San Francisco to find as many of the Tales sights we could. We trekked out to Muir Woods to see the redwoods, went to Grace Cathedral, even found a building we thought could have been Anna's building. Then we read this and wondered what happened. Mary Ann was so sweet and innocent and naive when she arrived -- 5 books ago -- and how could she have turned into such an unfeeling person? How on earth could she completely disregard the friendships she's made with Michael and Brian? How can she abandon Shana? Ambition drives a lot of people but does it truly change the stuff of which we're made? Do we have to become other entirely people in order to get what we want? If we do, then Maupin certainly wrote Mary Ann correctly, because this is *not* the same person who began the series.
Rating:
Summary: Falling out of Love with Barbary Lane
Review: In _Tales of the City_ Maupin allowed us to fall in love with an extraordinary cast of characters. In _Sure of You_, we come to the inevitable, heartbreaking conclusion at the end of all love affairs--that many of these characters are not, and possibly were never, as worthy of our affections as we first surmised. Is this a disappointment or a revelation? Whatever it is, it's not what you'd expect from Maupin. His character development in this novel is nothing short of masterful, but for obvious reasons, the overall effect isn't quite as breathtaking as his superb _Significant Others_. _Sure of You_ isn't my favorite book in the series, but it may be the wisest.
Rating:
Summary: A let down.
Review: Okay, a lot of people will feel let down and betrayed by this final installment of the series. I was! So I went back and re-read the entire series just to get a perspective on the characters without getting sidetracke by the plot twists. In hindsight, you can see the logical conclusion to each of Maupin's characters, especially Mary Ann. This is the woman who left Cleveland and jumped into the mainstream to get ahead in life. Here she is, doing it again! What really baffles me is Mona's fate . . . but then again, Mona was always an enigma to me. Throughout the series, the writing has always been true and outrageous. You won't regret the time you spend with these folks at 28 Barbary Lane. Bravo Mr. Maupin!
Rating: 
Summary: The book that makes you hate Mary Ann Singleton
Review: Okay...I adored Mary Ann. I adored her for years. When I moved to NYC, I was given all six Tales of the City books as a present. I would read them and immediately recognize myself as sort of the little lost lamb. For five books, I loved her. Now I hate her. How could you make me hate her?!?!? But I am so glad you did...made me take another look at her and what she is supposed to be made of. However, I think the most enduring person is Anna Madrigal. Finally finding love in Greece (she predicted it in an earlier book) and Mona coming back after being gone for so long. Sigh....it's not the best of the bunch but the door is left opento pick up for a seventh installment...just to see if Mary Ann gets her comeuppance.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful journey is over
Review: Reading the 'Tales of the City'-Series was such a wonderful experience I could easily repeat it as much as I could. Maupin's style is so great and terrific, it's strange I hadn't heard of him that much, before I read it. The characters are surely some of the best ones ever created in literary history. The developement of the storyline is so surprising and unexpectable it's breath-taking. The twists and turns are so effective, because you seem to know the characters so well, and never had thought... well, you have to explore the secrets by yourself. I have never seen such a developement of characters. The same persons are totally different in the last book than in the first one. It's great. I won't rate every book differently, although they are very different. But they are so great alltogether and so well-connected it's hard to tell them apart. This is wonderful stuff!
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