Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Mona of the Manor: A Tales of the City Novel" by Armistead Maupin

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Review of "Mona of the Manor: A Tales of the City Novel" by Armistead Maupin

Armistead Maupin is an American writer known for 'Tales of the City', a series of novels set in San Francisco and focusing largely on the LGBTQ+ community. The stories are the basis for the 2019 Netflix mini-series 'Tales of the City.'

This book, 'Mona of the Manor' (published in 2024), is the 10th and last book in the series. If you're curious, this novel provides enough information about the characters to work as a standalone.

*****

The story takes place in the 1990s, and opens with Rhonda and Ernie Blaylock from North Carolina celebrating their anniversary with an overseas trip.

The Blaylocks are in England, headed for a weekend stay at Easley House - a large Cotswolds manor house that's been converted into an expensive hotel.

Easley House's American owner Mona Ramsey (aka Lady Roughton) inherited the estate from her husband, and she and her 26-year-old adopted son Wilfred - who has Australian aboriginal ancestry - take in paying guests to pay for Easley's costly upkeep.

American Rhonda Blaylock is very excited about staying at a British manor house, but her husband Ernie not so much.

Ernie is fresh off managing the re-election campaign of North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms - who opposes civil rights and gay rights - and Ernie would rather stay at a luxury hotel in London.

Ernie's attitude isn't helped any when the Blaylocks' first experience with Easley House includes a hallway filled with dirty hoes and shovels; a tattered poster of a stained glass window; and pots on the floor collecting drips from a leaky roof.

For her part, Rhonda isn't bothered by the mess. Rhonda - who probably reads historic romance novels - is charmed by Lady Roughton ('call me Mona') and Wilfred, and she's impressed by the manor's furnishings and ancestral portraits.

Outside the house, Rhonda likes the hillside gazebo; walking trails; and pretty bluebell field. Rhonda is even willing to help clean the mice out of Easley Manor's kitchen cabinets and assist with the cooking.

Early in the Blaylocks' visit the couple have a disagreement, and Rhonda ends up with bruises, a puffy face, and a black eye. Mona and Wilfred feel compelled to take measures, and that's all I'll say about that.

There's a lot more going on in Easley Manor. Pot-smoking Mona and Wilfred are both homosexual, and this is the era of the AIDS epidemic and Margarat Thatcher's conservative policies. Thus Mona and Wildred each have lost friends to the epidemic, and they inherited their dog, Vanilla Wafer, from a deceased victim.

Because of the AIDS scourge, Mona is anxious about Wilfred cruising London's gay bars and meeting spots, fearful that her son will be infected with the HIV virus.

On the personal side, Mona is involved in a casual sexual relationship with postmistress Poppy Gallagher, a talented artist who seems to be in love with Mona. Poppy wants to recreate a famous painting using Mona as the model, and hang it in the post office....something Mona's not too sure about.

To add to the bustling atmosphere at Easley Manor, the Midsummer festivities are right around the corner, and San Franciscans Michael Tolliver and Anna Madrigal are coming for a visit.

Michael is an old friend of Mona's, and Anna is Mona's parent. Anna deserted the family when Mona was a child and returned when Mona was an adult. Mona and Wilfred are looking forward to the visit, since they haven't seen Michael and Anna in years.

The most amusing character in the story is the elderly groundskeeper Lachlan Hargis, who thinks a gypsy man is camping out on Easley Manor grounds. Hargis believes he sees the Romani everywhere, and despite Mona's constant assurances, Lachlan won't be convinced the intruder is a phantom.

All this leads to some surprising occurrences, important personal discussions, and speculation about the futures of the characters.

'Mona in the Manor' is the only book I've read in the series, but I liked it well enough to watch the mini-series 'Tales of the City', which is filled with memorable characters and compelling storylines

I'd recommend the book to fans of literary fiction.

Rating: 4 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Review of "Mona of the Manor: A Tales of the City Novel" by Armistead Maupin

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