readers_block's review against another edition
3.0
In a word- enjoyable.
Kept me completely enthralled through the whole thing. Less for the plot and more for the deeply human aspect of the whole thing.
Kept me completely enthralled through the whole thing. Less for the plot and more for the deeply human aspect of the whole thing.
vgk's review
1.0
I am a huge Maupin fan, but this book was dull and the characters stereotyped and unlikable. I stopped reading at page 100.
verityw's review
3.0
I didn't love this the way that I did the Tales of the City series, but it's still an interesting and blackly funny look at life in Hollywood from the perspective of a 31 inch tall former movie star - best known for being inside a rubber suit in a family favourite blockbuster.
frenegi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
kemmi's review against another edition
I just couldn't get into it. Stopped after the second chapter.
elineedsmoreshelves's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first novel I've read by Maupin, and wooah, do I get it. I get why people fall in love with his work. There were so many reasons why this novel should not have worked - I mean, it's characters are just about every stereotype you can think of, and it's "issues" practically smack you in the face. But somehow it transcends all those pieces that shouldn't work, and transforms into this somewhat magical, definitely emotional, and wholly unforgettable reading experience. I haven't read Maupin before, but I certainly will again.
metafiktion's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Maybe the Moon is billed as a loosely biographical story of Tamara De Treaux, who played E.T. — and who almost never gets credited for it. It is a rare book that stars a dwarf protagonist, and does it well: from the everyday microaggressions and logistical challenges of living in a world (literally) not built for you, to the overarching one of trying to be taken seriously for your skills and not just for your body. Cady is sharp and punchy and takes no shit, and she’s brilliant. It is also almost as rare that a man writes a woman’s sex life genuinely well.
The book also addresses issues of queerness and race (albeit with an all-male gay/POC cast of characters). The gay dudes are all dicks, but believably so, and the spectre of the then-recent HIV/AIDS crisis in the background is heart-wrenching. An inter-racial relationship highlights some interesting interplay of race, disability and gender dynamics — so it’s not straightforward to “pick a side” (of the privileged oppressor, of your fav, whatever) and instead you’re called to embrace them all as flawed humans.
I didn’t enjoy this book more because aside from Cady, almost all the other characters felt like two-dimensional caricatures; Renee, in particular, was hard to spend time with despite her obvious importance. The pacing also wasn’t great — had to force myself to keep reading through the first half or so. It picks up towards the end, towards a conclusion that frustrated me (in a bad way) and a post-script that enraged me (in a good way). But would overall still recommend.
The book also addresses issues of queerness and race (albeit with an all-male gay/POC cast of characters). The gay dudes are all dicks, but believably so, and the spectre of the then-recent HIV/AIDS crisis in the background is heart-wrenching. An inter-racial relationship highlights some interesting interplay of race, disability and gender dynamics — so it’s not straightforward to “pick a side” (of the privileged oppressor, of your fav, whatever) and instead you’re called to embrace them all as flawed humans.
I didn’t enjoy this book more because aside from Cady, almost all the other characters felt like two-dimensional caricatures; Renee, in particular, was hard to spend time with despite her obvious importance. The pacing also wasn’t great — had to force myself to keep reading through the first half or so. It picks up towards the end, towards a conclusion that frustrated me (in a bad way) and a post-script that enraged me (in a good way). But would overall still recommend.
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