Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Bel Canto

by Ann Patchett

Winner of The Women’s Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

The poignant – and at times very funny – novel from the author of The Dutch House and Commonwealth.

Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honour of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxane Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerised the international guests with her singing.

It is a perfect evening – until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots, intimate friends, and lovers.

Reviewed by brokentune on

1 of 5 stars

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DNF @ p.50.

I just could not get invested in the story or the characters. Then I came to a point where Alex, the opera singer, performs just after the entire party has been taken hostages.

I'm sorry, but I can't suspend my disbelief enough to buy that people who have just been taken hostage by a group of automatic-rifle-slinging terrorists would give a damn about a musical performance, never mind appreciate the finder points of opera.

Erm. Next.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 26 May, 2019: Finished reading
  • 26 May, 2019: Reviewed