Bel Canto in Around the World in 80 Books

Feb 18, 2022 Annie rated it really liked it

A powerful dramatic story about music, violence, language, and finding common ground during a hostage situation (partly inspired by real events, a hostage drama in Peru). The international cast of characters and the passion for music made the story more interesting than just another Stockholm Syndrome narrative.

I really enjoyed Patchett’s skillful development of characters, the shifting relationships, the focus on the translator, the perfect pacing, and Patchett’s beautiful and atmospheric writi ...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was beautifully written by author Ann Patchett. She absorbs you so entirely into the world of the hostages and terrorists that you find yourself suffering the same delusions as they do themselves. So though the end of this book should not have come to me as a surprise, it most certainly did, nonetheless. This book speaks to the goodness of the human spirit, and the ways in which we can love one another despite extraordinary circumstances. I think this book also illustrates that one s ...more

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Jun 16, 2020 Lindsey Z marked it as dnf

DNF after about 90 pages. The story is boring, the writing isn't appealing to me, and I can't bear to read any more. I just don't think Ann Patchett is the author for me! ...more

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