What is the author's style in Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin?

On one level, the book's narrative structure is essentially linear, moving in a straightforward progression of time and event from start to finish. While there isn't really a single, individualized line of plot connecting all the chapters, there is a sense of narrative momentum that perhaps relates more to character than to story - specifically, the transformation of Mary Ann and some of the other characters from babes in the woods to more seasoned veterans of the hunt for identity and security.

On another level, the book is structured like a mystery novel, with chapters often ending with what is called a cliffhanger, a moment of high intensity and/or of dramatic choice that leaves the reader eager to learn what is going to happen next.