Bel Canto by Ann Patchett – 4 Stars (Rounded Up)

[Hannah]

A group of politicians, business people and international diplomats have gathered to celebrate the birthday of a Japanese businessman in an unnamed South American country. A famous opera singer has been booked for the event which is hosted in the mansion of the country’s Vice President. Whilst the event is taking place, the mansion is stormed by terrorists who want to kidnap the President to the country, and everyone is taken hostage when it is discovered that the President is not there. Whilst the hostages are being held, we see the development of the relationships between the hostages and terrorists. I enjoyed the story but I would have preferred the book to have had more pace, and I didn’t really connect with the characters as well as I would have wanted to.