Comments (89)

What did you think about this title?
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Mar 02, 2024fairghum rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Didn't do it for me. First of all, I'm not an opera fan so maybe that counts for some of the positive reviews. I didn't think this book would ever end and then slam bang, the whole thing was resolved. Nowhere near the beauty of The Dutch…
Feb 05, 2024fatant rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I liked the book, though it did drag a bit. While I assumed the “resolution” of the captors, the Epilogue left me a bit unsettled.
Oct 03, 2023rclane rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
The beginning and end were immensely satisfying. There was a stretch in the middle when I had to reshape my suspension of disbelief. Overall, there the interplay was wonderful, but tragic.
Aug 25, 2023
Using the Kindle, I jumped over several chapters as if by magic, to read the conclusion; the tedious middle chapters didn't hold me. Perhaps more imagination and less attention to real activity might have transported the voice.
Jun 05, 2023bibliosara rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
An entrancing literary novel, Bel Canto is ultimately a character study into raw humanity and found community. Patchett carefully weaves the stories of characters to create a story set in an insulated yet honest world - for a world of its…
May 05, 2023
"Patchett is a master at spinning mesmerizing tales, and this is one of her best. The beguiling characters, the twists and turns, and the unexpected relationships will keep you flipping pages." - Hannah M.
Feb 24, 2023busymom51 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Based on a famous mass hostage taking incident in Lima, Peru, this fictionalized version takes place in an unnamed South American country during a birthday celebration for a visiting Japanese executive. It is told entirely from the…
Jan 12, 2023talltimt rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Having just finished reading (and very much liking) all eight of her novels, Bel Canto is not my favorite Ann Patchett (that would be The Magician’s Assistant); I would nevertheless have no argument with it’s deserving the Best Ann…
Jan 02, 2023JGFistere rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Storyline was interesting, but unrealistic, ending was anticlimatic and disappointing, I could think of several better endings myself. Writing itself was good.
Dec 16, 2022
unnamed south american country
Oct 17, 2022missywarner rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
If you could get locked up with a celebrity, who would it be? That's what happens in this book. Best birthday party gone wrong book out there.
Aug 07, 2022hao1234 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I was able read this book in one afternoon. The character development and storyline were unforgettable. Although the ending was heartbreaking, it taught me so much. Life is fleeting, unforgiving, and brutal at times, but it is also…
Jun 23, 2022
“If someone loves you for what you can do then it’s flattering, but why do you love them? If someone loves you for who you are then they have to know you, which means you have to know them”
Jan 17, 2022
Garden scene
May 11, 2021kjjranch rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
It started a little slow, but once it got going I found it hard to put down. Patchett’s character development makes you feel like these people could actually exist. It’s interesting how the hostages and terrorists changed through the…
Feb 18, 2021Bududo rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is a beautifully written book that is a reimagining of the 1996 Peruvian Maoist capture of a party in the capital at the Japanese ambassador's house. In the novel, the setting and guests are somewhat different but now the author can…
Dec 11, 2020joe_strnad rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Highly entertaining story about the personal relationships that form during a hostage situation. Poignant, funny, enthralling, and absurd. I recommend to anyone in search of a well written piece of modern fiction.
Apr 21, 2020Barbarajean rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This novel was spellbinding: a literary masterpiece, a suspense-filled thriller, and a tender romance. I highly recommend it.
Oct 26, 2019ArapahoeTina rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An absolutely gorgeous novel. The language alone makes this worth the read, but the intricate plot involving multiple cultures, music and relationships, all mixing in the forced setting of a hostage situation, is fascinating.
Oct 06, 2019
I checked this out for a writing group I'm in. Never finished it. I thought it was boring.
Sep 09, 2019janicedlb rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Incredibly, a novel grounded in languages and opera, where one of the heroes is the translator. With the slow burn of the story line, Patchett reinforces how much our life expectancy is absolutely grounded in where and when we were born.
Jul 21, 2019bobcatbearcanyon rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I recommend this book. When you finish it, you may be thinking about it for days (in a thoughtful musing sort of way) and will be in good company.
Jan 12, 2019ReaderWriterSTS rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book and well-crafted novel. Brilliant how Patchett uses how small singular events to build momentum toward the mutual discovery of the humanity beneath the circumstance. Highly recommended.
Nov 21, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book many years ago. I also enjoyed seeing the film recently at the Bytowne Cinema.
Jul 25, 2018TechLibrarian rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
What, there's a movie coming out!? I had no idea, but doubt it could do justice to this absolutely captivating book. I think what I like best about it is the writing itself--literary but clear--though the characters are also quite…