Book: Ragtime

 Book: Ragtime

Author: E.L. Doctorow

Pages: 336

This is my 7th read for the year

This story opens with a wealthy family at the turn of the 20th century.  Harry Houdini wrecks his car outside their house one day, and thus starts a story that involves famous known people, and unknown whose lives all intertwine over the course of the story.  The family becomes intertwined with a young girl and her baby and a man who wants to eventually avenge her death.  That story takes center stage around famous people of the time like Henry Ford, JP Morgan, and Houdini himself.

This was a strange book.  My husband bought it for me as a present because it was the most popular book in 1975 - the year I was born.  The book started slow, but as the story of the young man who is trying to avenge his fiance's death becomes the center theme, it got better.  But it never really gained depth for me.  It wasn't a page turner.  I did not develop feelings for any of the character and the ending was just meh.

Stars: 3