Bel Canto

BEL CANTO
by Ann Patchett

 Awards: PEN/Faulkner Winner 2002, Women's Prize Winter 2002

 Nominations: Dublin Finalist 2003, National Book Critics Circle Finalist 2001

 Date Read: March 6, 2019

I am so very happy that I was introduced to this brilliant novel. Bel Canto is the story where in “…an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. Alas, in the opening sequence, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.

Among the hostages are Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Swiss Red Cross negotiator Messner comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands. Days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months. Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange.”

Although the circumstances surrounding their imprisonment are rather dire, and a few acts of violence aside, I found it rather difficult to take the terrorists seriously since their humanity in all its positives and negatives is fully on display from the beginning. I enjoyed how each person was respected for their individuality and how they related to each other, making the best of an unfortunate situation. Love, desperation, deprivation, and appreciation of beauty are all driving forces in this novel.

Perhaps one of the best novels I’ve read in quite some time.

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