Bel Canto: A Novel

The book is one of the best of the century! This is the second time I've read it and I got as much new from the second reading as I got from the first many years ago The story is compelling and the use of language is a master's course in English.

Beautifully written piece that drew me in. Character development of selected few was concisely done showing multiple sides os seemingly stereotypical individuals

Ann Patchett has a way with words that is like an Aria unfolding on the pages of the stories she weaves. It is an incredible experience to read her work as it delights the senses as well as the brain. Such a treat! Thank you for this gift.

Ann Patchett writes beautifully but I couldn’t latch on to this particular work. I liken it to a museum, full of beautiful art. You appreciate it and are somewhat better for having witnessed it but you were ready to leave long before the tour ended. Annnnd, what the heck was that ending? I “canto” understand it, like I am googling “why did Bel Canto” end in this manner?”

Anne Patchett is a magical writer... She can make you see the whole story, all the characters and how they feel and think and speak, and it's so effortless you forget you are reading a book. This has to be one of her best and they are ALL good!

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Rating: **** (4 stars) Genre: Litterature, fiction I truthfully had no idea what to expect when picking up Bel Canto. The title was a bit intimidating and I was afraid it was going to be some fluffy classic piece of work. However, Bel Canto is nothing like I expected. The book was first published in 2005, so it is still a relatively modern piece of work. The title comes from the opera which is a central theme in this novel. You could probably summarize the entire book as opera is life. Except that I am not a big fan of opera and I did enjoy this book. Bel Canto is a character novel. It is the characters more than the action that moves along the plot. The male characters are portrayed in such detail and with such depth that I could not help but fall in love with the book. The female characters, however, are cartoon characters only described by how they impact the males around them. Most of the wives are just random people who happen to raise their children. The main female character, the opera soprano, is just an idol for male affection. Everyone loves her yet she never becomes real. This is emphasized by how the story ended. The only female characters that are ever seen as people are the two female terrorists. Yet, they both start and end the book being categorized as boys, which seems to be the only way that this depth is acceptable. The story is a very romantic idealization, that actually makes sense from a psychological standpoint. When you spend a lot of time with a person you start to see them as actual people. They no longer are just filtered by your stereotypes. There is an entire syndrome characterizing individuals who become devoted to those who are holding them hostage. This novel is an entire fictionalized account of Stockholm syndrome in beautiful prose. As reviewed on The Book Recluse Review

In an unnamed South American country, a birthday party is being held for Japanese businessman, Mr. Hosokawa, in the hopes that he will bring business to this poor country. The only way he could be lured to this country was to see Roxane Coss, a famous opera singer revered by Hosokawa. The international party party is taking place at the home of the country's Vice-President, Ruben Iglesias. But after Roxane has finished singing, the party is interrupted by a terrorist group who plan to take the President hostage so they can get others in their group released from prison. The only problem...the President decided not to attend the party so he could watch his favorite soap opera. The terrorists now don't have the leverage they need but they can't just free the hostages, so the women are let go except for the famous opera star and the remaining hostages and terrorists spend months waiting for demands to be met. But relationships develop between captors and their prisoners, despite circumstances and the language barriers of the guests from around the world. The one thing that seems to bring them together is their love of Roxane and the beautiful music she provides until their time together must inevitably end. I have had this book on my shelf for years. I don't know what took me so long to read it. I loved Run and The Magician's Assistant, titles also by Patchett. A discussion on twitter revealed many others loved Patchett but had not read this book. It also received mixed reviews, those that loved it and those that could not finish it. I am definitely in the loved it group. Patchett is am amazing writer, very lyrical and beautiful. Opera and terrorism seem to be odd in the same book plot but Patchett made it work. This is not a fast read and is a novel to be savored. It isn't political but about relationships that develop in unusual circumstances. All become used to their situation. Roxane discovers one of the young captors has an amazing voice and wants to help him become an opera star. Gen, Mr. Hosokawa's interpreter becomes the interpreter for the group and learns many secrets and falls for a young woman in the terrorist group. Ruben wants to adopt another of the young captors, a boy who has become like a son to him. They stop thinking about what is happening in the outside world as I did. But a hostage situation can not go on forever. The ending comes suddenly and the very ending surprised me and I'm not sure whether it was believable or inevitable. Regardless, this was a beautiful story and if it is sitting on your shelf, pick it up and read it already! my rating 5/5

I knew nothing about this book before I picked it up, except that my sister had recommended it I was looking for something I could read on a long plane ride this insightful cleverly plotted deeply felt book really did the job.

良い状態で期日前に届きました。ありがとうございます。

Historia buenisima Engancha conmueve y no puedes dejarla Muy bien escrita!!!

Starts off beautifully...loses its way half way through... a pity

Super!

Dopo aver letto "Commonwealth" della stessa autrice, volevo leggere ancora un libro scritto da lei. E ne valeva la pena. Altrettanto bello se non di più.