Reviews

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

rac26's review against another edition

4.0

Fabulous study of an array of characters caught-up in a hostage situation.

leynaodell's review against another edition

4.0

This book is a mixed bag for me. I rounded up in my rating because I really wanted to give it a 3.5. Ann Patchett writes beautifully. I love her character descriptions and her characters. Some of the characters also said/thought some very profound things. Which made me like it. Then again, by the time it was halfway done, I had to take a break from it and read another book. It was too long. Too much. The ending was good and it made me enjoy the book... But I also didn't like it (although this might be because I wanted something different for the characters). See? Mixed bag! Maybe I would have liked this book more if I was musically inclined, or cared about opera. I wouldn't tell a friend to run out and read it, but if they had read it, I would definitely want to talk with them about it and dissect it.

amandamita's review against another edition

lighthearted sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

murphyjc's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

lauraw's review against another edition

challenging inspiring tense medium-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

3.5

The way Patchett can write so many characters and make you feel as if you intimately know each of them is truly talent. The pacing at the end of the book had my heart racing. It did take me three quarters of the way through for me to really feel engaged and drawn to picking the book back up.
My heart hurts now.

madijwhat's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

If Don Quixote and The Murmur of Bees had a baby… it would be this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Mass/school shootings

dcunitz's review against another edition

4.0

“They called through the names and told them to go to either the left or the right, and while they didn’t say which side was to be released, it was clear enough. One could almost tell from the cut of the tuxedo who would be staying.”

peabodypages's review against another edition

reflective slow-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? Yes

3.75

tomperignon's review against another edition

2.0

I got 50% through and still, nothing happened.
DNF

mnasadoo's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

5.0