Tiger Baby read and liked Donna Levin's review of Bel Canto:

"I finally got around to reading this book, which has been recommended to me for many years by well-regarded friends. I kept postponing it because the premise seemed so off-putting: a gathering of elite international guests are taken hostage in an un...more I finally got around to reading this book, which has been recommended to me for many years by well-regarded friends. I kept postponing it because the premise seemed so off-putting: a gathering of elite international guests are taken hostage in an unnamed banana republic (a small South or Central American country, not the store). Yet once I resolved to get past the grim set-up I was swept away by the author's subtle, inventive and ambitious tale of the Stockholm Syndrome run amok as guerrilas and prisoners work out a way of living together over a period of months while trapped in the vice president's mansion. The book is remarkably (and happily, in my view)apolitical; the story is all about human nature and how it transcends language and culture. The common ground that does bring this unlikely group together is music, and although I prefer the middle-brow Broadway musical form to the more refined opera that touches these souls, still I could feel the passion behind the passion. The book starts surprisingly slowly, considering how many assault weapons are involved, and there are side trips into various characters' pasts that will bore some. But I'm very glad I finally got it off the shelf; I'm a better person for having read it, if not ready to run for office.(less) "

Tiger Baby read and liked Michele's review of Bel Canto:

"Stay With This One. It's Worth It.

Bel Canto is one of those novels that is good on so many levels, it's taken me days after finishing it to put my thoughts about the story and the characters into words. This work is as lyrical and dramat...more Stay With This One. It's Worth It.

Bel Canto is one of those novels that is good on so many levels, it's taken me days after finishing it to put my thoughts about the story and the characters into words. This work is as lyrical and dramatic as any opera, and the word "brilliant" isn't excessive to describe the talent of author, Ann Patchett. I wondered how she came up with such a remarkable and unique story, but then learned she'd been influenced by actual events involving a hostage situation in Peru. Patchett goes far beyond the headlines and enters the minds of the players on both sides. It's a fascinating story and a rewarding and entertaining character study.

The first 100+ pages were slow going as the stage is set; however, the ennui I experienced while reading helped me relate to the monotony of daily life experienced by the guests of a party, who'd been taken hostage in a failed attempt to kidnap the President of a South American country. The country, unnamed in the story, is a developing, Spanish-speaking nation. The party, hosted by the Vice President, is a birthday party for a Japanese businessman. It is filled with an International guest list, including the famous and enormously talented opera soprano, Roxanne Coss. Virtually everyone in the room, both hostage and captor, falls in love with her during the four-month siege. The story picks up speed when two distinct love stories begin, one between Roxanne and one of her admirers, and another, which focuses on the second-most sought-after talent possessed by a multi-lingual interpreter, a Japanese named Gen. Each, along with several intriguing subplots, led to the building of a unique story and ultimately satisfying climax.

The ending comes quickly and shook me to my core. It was not unexpected and yet it still made me cry. And then there's a surprise, which after a lot of thought, made perfect sense. Brava Ms. Patchett. My highest recommendation. (less) "

Tiger Baby read and liked Rachel's review of Bel Canto:

"This is one of my favorite books OF ALL TIME. I have a few. Among them are "The Hours," "The Poisonwood Bible" and "Cloud Atlas." This book was the best book I had ever read for years until I found "Cloud Atlas"...more This is one of my favorite books OF ALL TIME. I have a few. Among them are "The Hours," "The Poisonwood Bible" and "Cloud Atlas." This book was the best book I had ever read for years until I found "Cloud Atlas" and, even then, it remains near the top of the list.

This book is sort of based on a true-life event--the taking over of the Japanese embassy in Peru by revolutionaries. I have no idea if the similarities end there, though the outcome, I believe, is the same. Everything else is Ann Patchett's most brilliant creation. I've read "Run" and "The Magician's Assistant," both great books. But "Bel Canto" is Patchett's masterpiece to date.

The characters alone: a translator, an opera singer, an opera-loving Japanese businessman, a teenaged revolutionary, a disillusioned cop and a disillusioned terrorist. All in an embassy over the course of a few timeless days or weeks. It's two love stories set amidst violence, politics and cultural barriers. It is unbelievably good.

Read it. Just read it. You won't regret it. (Even the ending, which seemed weird to me, but may also be sophisticated beyond my understanding, is worth it.)(less) "