Lenaribka

1) Could I have liked it more if I had read it shortly after the release date. The answer is SURE. OF COURSE. NO DOUBTS.

2) Could I have liked it more if I hadn't' read
Boystown series ? Probably yes. BEFORE reading [b:Tales of the City|16255|Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1)|Armistead Maupin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1283651432s/16255.jpg|815206] I was sure that [a:Jake Biondi|7383671|Jake Biondi|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1403563584p2/7383671.jpg] has discovered a totally new genre. Only [a:Armistead Maupin|10022|Armistead Maupin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1221811837p2/10022.jpg] published his Tales around 35 years earlier than Jake Biondi his Boystown series.(San Francisco vs. Chicago, calm narration vs. wild action non stop). The structure is very similar, the writing is different, but I don't want to be the main judge in the competition "what is better" between them. I like both, Okay?

3) Could I have liked it more WITHOUT Mary Ann. The answer is - ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! Means---> No doubt. Of course. Sure.

I hate dislike this character. Yes, I'm not indifferent in this case- I dislike her with all my guts. She is not unpleasant or stupid or very mean. She is just out-most BORING and she occupies much too much plot for my liking.


4)Honestly, I expected more from this book(there are too many exciting reviews, also from the readers I trust), but I think(still or in spite of everything) that it is a very good written and pretty entertaining book. Many nice lines(I highlighted a lot!) and a lot of plot here.

5)About how to rate it...Hmmm...it is by far not the best book I've ever read, because I wasn't eager to read it in one sitting. And I'm not very eager to read the next book ASAP.

+/& I could put it down for a while and didn't have any urgent desire to spend a sleepless night reading it.

+/& It was my third or forth attempt in giving it a go(every time I stopped after around the first 10 pages). It could be a bad timing, but also a bad sign.

+/& I found the beginning too dull for my immediate liking it. (The reason is Mary Ann. BORING is a keyword). There was too much of her at the start.