Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

12 reviews

rheagoveas's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

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

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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

lottselgar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

ann gave me the world and then ripped it out from under me. i was so hopeful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Kidnapping, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Murder, and Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual content

notjillsanders's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

The epilogue bothered me so much, but overall I found this read enjoyable.

Was not loving that Gen and Carmen relationship, like if she was older/he was younger it would have been cute but the whole time I was reading I was giving it the side eye.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Child death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

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

 

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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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping

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

Minor: War

caseythereader's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Medical content, Confinement, Alcohol, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Child death, Grief, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content

mblanke's review

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

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Torture

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: War and Injury/Injury detail

izzyknight's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.0

The premise of this book is great and there are some really excellent moments in it but it was just a bit dull. The middle section was just a whole lot of nothing which I underestimated the need for but it’s doesn’t make it the most engaging read. However, the moments where the book really shines are in the subtle character interactions that humanise this extreme situation and shine a positive light on the whole concept of human morality and instinct.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, and Child death