The Night Listener, A Review

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Armistead_Maupin.htm

I've just finished reading Armistead Maupin's The Night Listener and found myself disturbed by the open, common view of a homosexual man and relationship in the background of a story that continued to keep me reading and keep me interested from page 1 to the very last page. The twists and turns of the plot or plots made me re-read several pages once the book was finished and I had the leisure to go back and say, "Oh, so that's where that happened! Nicely placed!"

I have been a fan of Tales of the City and was truly looking forward to reading this book. I am not a prude, but there were areas Maupin took me I was unprepared for. Then, as the analysis of the relationship between the main character and his partner began, I found myself looking at other people I know and going, "I can see that in them." It suddenly didn't matter the gender of the couples or the hetero-homo-sexual basis of the couple. This is good fiction and good reading.

It is a good 342 pages in hardback.

Maupin weaves words expertly and gives the reader images both poignant and wonderful. He causes his readers to think, which isn't a bad thing at all.

As with all of Maupin's works, I won't dive into another Maupin novel for a while. I will mull and chew this one over subconsciously and fill my mind with some fluff for a while.

If you want a good book for the summer, I highly suggest The Night Listener. It even brings a tear to the eye as well as chuckles from the belly.