Bel Canto
2001 • 318 pages
Ratings9
Average rating3.6
15
Ratings9
Average rating3.6
PerfectBound e-book exclusive: "Friendship and Love," an interview with Ann Patchett.A prolonged hostage crisis in the lavish home of a South American politician turns into something quite different as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and passionate, ill-fated love blooms. Winner of the 2002 Pen/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the 2002 Orange Prize for Fiction.Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of Mr. Hosokawa, a powerful Japanese businessman. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the international guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening -- until a band of gun-wielding terrorists breaks in through the air-conditioning vents and takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different countries and continents become compatriots. Friendship, compassion, and the chance for great love lead the characters to forget the real danger that has been set in motion and cannot be stopped.
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To be fair to Bel Canto, it's probably a 4 star book; however, I came into it with 5-star expectations. Having read [b:Truth and Beauty 5083254 Secrets of Truth and Beauty Megan Frazer http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1239242179s/5083254.jpg 5149972] and seeing the combination of grace and brutal honesty with which Patchett depicted herself and [a:Lucy Grealy 57229 Lucy Grealy http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66.jpg], I had the highest expectations for her treatment of fictional characters. And, in some cases, she lives up to expectations.The highlight of the book is clearly Gen, the peon translator, turned by his captivity into essential personnel. The topic of language - who owns which language and what they can do with it - as the supreme power is fascinating and unique and the character is well suited by his theme. His foil, the slightly less multilingual Rubuen - Vice President turned into housekeeper by his captivity is nicely set up and the many conversations between the two really showcase the artificiality of status. Hosokawa's story is also well done. The trope of important business-person stunned by once in a lifetime event into realizing that there's more to life than work and deciding to live like it counts once it may be too late is a little overdone, but that distracts little from how well Patchett does it. The terrorists developing rapport with their hostages portion of the plot is by fair the most lauded and perhaps fell a little flat as a result of that. The developing of relationships didn't really feel organic and the terrorists were depicted as relatively sympathetic from the beginning.However, where the books really falls flat is its female characters. The reader is constantly informed how both Carmen and Roxanne are the most beautiful, smartest, most talented women to ever exist. Every scene staring either of them is filled with male characters perseverating on their beauty. Neither of them have any flaws at all (except maybe an endearing stubbornness.) Roxanne is so beautiful as to sway terrorist organizations. Both of them feel extremely one-dimensional as a result. Music is treated the same way – it's beautiful and uplifting and world changing. We're never really told why, but instead subjected to the same refrain in every musical scene. As someone who could take or leave music as a whole, and definitely opera in specific, it was teeth-gratingly annoying.
A haunting, beautiful, tragic book about a botched kidnapping that turns into an extended hostage situation and the relationships that develop, all wrapped in opera.
I got about 1/4 of the way in, and I just didn't care about anyone or how things would play out. Patchett's attitude seems to be, “why use 3 words when you can use 30 to convey the same thought?”
Also the descriptions of women seemed really objectifying and rooted in the male sexual gaze. It was getting gross.
Finally, the worst sin: this is like going to the theater to see Die Hard but the whole movie is every speaking character reminiscing about their childhood or relationships rather than the hostage plot being the focus. Oh. And OPERA THOUGHTS.
I read this book mostly at work, which was actually perfect considering it deals with hostages trying to make it through the minutes-hours-days with very little to occupy their time. A very subtle book that is all about quiet anticipation. I thought it was wonderful.
