Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Did we read the same novel?

This novel is a great disappointment. It is mostly pretense and stereotype. This is no Ragtime. Doctorow's characters are flat and tasteless as are many of the pedestrian musings they are prone to. The March is not a tapestry of rich and vibrant characterizations nor is plot driven. There are no surprises, no great revelations, not even much of a story. It is more cotton candy than even mind candy. It is at best a callow Gone With the Wind. Doctorow has not written a story; rather he has just filled pages. Find something better. What novel did the other reviewers read?