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helen's review against another edition
4.0
Loosely based on events in Peru in 1996 when a guerrilla group entered the Japanese ambassador's residence and held people hostage for four months.
This book is set in an unspecified South American country and the hostages are from all over the world, including a famous American soprano, an opera-loving Japanese businessman, and his (very overworked!) translator.
The hostage-takers start off as a scary group with guns, but over the course of the book, via Patchett's excellent use of humour and pathos, they become individuals who are trapped by their circumstances. The author makes a bold decision to tell us their fate in chapter one. This has the effect of allowing us to slow down and sink into the unfurling story without the need to rush to the end to find out what happens.
Despite the violent beginning and ending, at its heart it's a kind story about trapped people finding a common language via music and love.
4 stars because I really disliked the epilogue.
Content notes: Death of main characters, guns, gun violence, on page sex
This book is set in an unspecified South American country and the hostages are from all over the world, including a famous American soprano, an opera-loving Japanese businessman, and his (very overworked!) translator.
The hostage-takers start off as a scary group with guns, but over the course of the book, via Patchett's excellent use of humour and pathos, they become individuals who are trapped by their circumstances. The author makes a bold decision to tell us their fate in chapter one. This has the effect of allowing us to slow down and sink into the unfurling story without the need to rush to the end to find out what happens.
Despite the violent beginning and ending, at its heart it's a kind story about trapped people finding a common language via music and love.
4 stars because I really disliked the epilogue.
Content notes:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
deebee223's review
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
matcha_pages's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gun violence
phantomgecko's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Often when I'm talking to my husband about what I'm reading, he'll ask, "What's the point of this book?" and basically if he needs to ask, the answer is just people. Bel Canto is 100% about people and how they feel. You get glimpses of much more than just the "main" characters. Backstory after backstory. Tidbits that don't affect the plot at all but add flavor to the people soup.
This character is ashamed of her cowardly husband; this character fell in love with art as a child; this character is in love with a coworker; this character is trying to use this situation for political gain.
It's a slow book. There's a plot, but often the plot doesn't matter. The characters do tho.
This character is ashamed of her cowardly husband; this character fell in love with art as a child; this character is in love with a coworker; this character is trying to use this situation for political gain.
It's a slow book. There's a plot, but often the plot doesn't matter. The characters do tho.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual content, Confinement, and Gun violence
rosalind's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
richael's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Gun violence, and Violence
vampireph4ze's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
this is the first book i've read by Ann Patchett and it makes me eager to read through everything she's written. i found this book by chance in my family's bookshelf — no one else had ever read it and the answer as to how we even got the book is still somewhat of a mystery. nonetheless, it also happened to be the only think from the bookshelf that sounded even remotely interesting, and it was worth it.
the adventure that this book takes you on is heart-wrenching and eye-opening. the way that Patchett approaches the relationships between characters and the internal (and external) conflicts that this insane situation puts them in. i want to do an entire analysis of every character, major and minor, and see how they changed throughout the book. i felt them come to life and completely occupy my mind. whenever i put the book away, the characters still followed me. i found the characters to be extremely likable, and i never grew to hate any of them. Bel Canto is by no means a perfect book — there are many racial/ethnic stereotypes, and the treatment of women is a bit questionable (but not as apparent as the stereotypes). the ending, as in the epilogue, is also somewhat disappointing - but if you think about it enough i'm sure you can justify it.
honestly, the characters and the plot were not what made me fall in love with the book. they helped, certainly, but it was the message. Patchett clearly wanted to show people how important and common human connection is, even when you are on rivaled sides and cannot speak the same language. it is about the language of music, the love that people have for it and the appreciation that leaps across any boundaries that may stand in its way. i am not a huge fan of opera at all, but i understand the feeling of falling absolutely in love with a band or a singer, to the point where it feels almost religious. these connections, these ways that humans communicate with each other when language fails them, are fascinating to me and Bel Canto does an amazing job of representing that. we all have needs, wants, and fears, and that is something all of us — no matter who we are or where we are from — can relate to.
the adventure that this book takes you on is heart-wrenching and eye-opening. the way that Patchett approaches the relationships between characters and the internal (and external) conflicts that this insane situation puts them in. i want to do an entire analysis of every character, major and minor, and see how they changed throughout the book. i felt them come to life and completely occupy my mind. whenever i put the book away, the characters still followed me. i found the characters to be extremely likable, and i never grew to hate any of them. Bel Canto is by no means a perfect book — there are many racial/ethnic stereotypes, and the treatment of women is a bit questionable (but not as apparent as the stereotypes). the ending, as in the epilogue, is also somewhat disappointing - but if you think about it enough i'm sure you can justify it.
honestly, the characters and the plot were not what made me fall in love with the book. they helped, certainly, but it was the message. Patchett clearly wanted to show people how important and common human connection is, even when you are on rivaled sides and cannot speak the same language. it is about the language of music, the love that people have for it and the appreciation that leaps across any boundaries that may stand in its way. i am not a huge fan of opera at all, but i understand the feeling of falling absolutely in love with a band or a singer, to the point where it feels almost religious. these connections, these ways that humans communicate with each other when language fails them, are fascinating to me and Bel Canto does an amazing job of representing that. we all have needs, wants, and fears, and that is something all of us — no matter who we are or where we are from — can relate to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
stremps's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I read this because a friend recommended it, and I had never read Ann Patchett before. The story is engaging and the character development is skillful. I didn’t really like how it ended and didn’t feel satisfied. That being said, I will remember parts of it, and any of the characters for a long time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
lilia's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Gun violence
jesstherese's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Gripping, delightful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence