Ragtime, The Haunted Hotel, The Go-Between

A few more book clubs have gone by, two very good books, one very bad books:
SPOILER ALERTS APLENTY:

Ragtime

Plot summary: Start of the 20th century in America, a glorious rambling tale through the various major figures of the age as well as two families who come together in unusual circumstances. Race, gender, class issues delved into, with some beautiful portraits of Houdini, J P Morgan, Ford and a few excellent fictional creations. Sweet sex scene also, "...great filamented spurts of jism that traced the air like bullets and then settled slowly over Evelyn in her bed like falling ticker tape."

PBC thoughts: One of the best books we've read so far. Maybe not "the Great American Novel" as the introduction suggests but captures a seminal period of history brilliantly while keeping a nice touch on a central driving plot. Perhaps the end a little bit too easy with the resolution at the end. Also watched Firefly during bookclub, a great TV show if there ever was one. Very easy read as well, short, declarative sentences, reminiscent of Tom Wolfe.

Average rating: 8.5/10

The Haunted Hotel

Plot summary: Woman and her brother kill husband in Italian hotel for insurance money. People figure it out. The woman eventually writes what she did in a play and dies.


PBC thoughts: An decent representation of the genre in the context of time. Personally I found it awful, a rambling, woeful excuse for a murder mystery, with such a blatant devise used for the communication of what actually happened, I am sure any detectives would have wept with joy. Loads of accused wracked with guilt must submit scripts with what actually happened on them. Most people did not have this level of issue.


Average rating: 6/10

The Go Between

Plot summary: Starts with "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." Beautiful tale with themes of a loss of innocence and the end of a golden age. An elderly man looks back at a summer spent a rich families house, where he passes messages between two lovers after defeating bullies with a spell at school. All ends in tears. Really poignant exploration of the sexuality and world of early 20th century England.

PBC thoughts: I don't think there was universal agreement that this was a masterpiece, I can't remember why. Powerful themes, perhaps a little bit of ambiguous character development, with the two lovers pretty much adopting a straight line towards destruction and it all affecting the protagonist perhaps a little too significantly. I don't know, it is a glorious read.

Average rating: 8/10