Reviews tagging 'War'

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

5 reviews

c_dmckinney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Grief, Police brutality, Death, Gun violence, War, Classism, Gaslighting, and Violence

Minor: Misogyny, Police brutality, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Classism, and Violence

deebee223's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping

Moderate: Police brutality, Infidelity, Death, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: War

mblanke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, War, Terminal illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Torture

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I went into this book not knowing anything about it or the author. I loved this book and the way it was written. I got very sucked in to the narrative and the characters,

which made the ending all the more heartbreaking

.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Death, Kidnapping, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, and Grief

Minor: War, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Hostage situation

readingrainbill's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 I'll be honest and say that Bel Canto isn't normally a book I read. While I read a wide variety of genres, this still wouldn't be one that I gravitated towards. But the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge had a prompt that required me to read a Women's Prize for Fiction winner and this was the one I chose.

What drew me to it was the fact that it was turned into a movie starring Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe. What I didn't know  was how much I was going to like it.

This whole book takes place during a hostage situation as it drags out longer than anyone expected and we see these characters who, in any other circumstance, would never have said more than hello to each other. What impressed me was that the terrorists weren't just evil incarnate, they were people too. 

The characters' stories were beautifully interwoven by Ann Patchett and she made me care so much that when the ending came I was almost in denial. It couldn't be over, there had to be more. 

I think this is a book that everyone should read no matter your genre preferences. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Murder

Minor: War and Injury/Injury detail