Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Bel Canto
Book Review: Beautiful Wiritng Horrible Execution of "Plot"
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a very hard book to review because as others have said .. The writing is so beautiful and lyrical and just sweeps you along. For that I give 3 stars. It was truly a pleasure to bask in.
The story ... A hostage taking ... is so very poorly done that it is actually silly! There is no tension. There is no feeling of doom or danger. There is no feeling of suffering. Nobody gets cabin fever and goes crazy and tries to escape and gets shot. Not even after months of monotony. The Russians are content to play cards for 4 months. I have no idea what the dozens of other people did day after day.
The general plays chess with one of the hostages. The opera singer gets lemon scented shampoo flown in, especially for her and opera music brought in for her and other special treatment.
I really lost it when Gen fell for Carmen.
It's like they are having a picnic basically and they all, hostage and terrorist become brothers. And then it's wrapped up in a slap dash ending. The terrorists don't even make a plan of escape after 4 months. ?
There are so many holes it is ridiculous. It could have been so much better. What a sham that this book won awards.
Book Review: Beautiful Writing, Captivating Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this book. I didn't think I would though. I had to read it for a group book read and the topic, hostages, did not appeal to me. But this book is not about hostages at all. It's about who or what you would be if you were taken out of your present role and set free to revision yourself. The writing is beautiful, and Patchett's insights are spot on. I didn't want it to end.Book Review: Beautiful and magical
Summary: 5 Stars
In a small South American country, a Japanese industrialist is given a lavish birthday party in hopes of luring his company to build a factory there. His gift, and the only reason he has agreed to come: a live performance by the world's most beloved operatic soprano. As the performance ends, a group of terrorists, three adults and 15 young people, take over the compound, looking for the country's President, who had promised to be there but backed out at the last minute to watch his favorite soap opera. Furious at being denied their prize, the terrorists release the sick and all the women (except the soprano) and a long standoff ensues. As weeks go by, unexpected connections form among those in the house, especially among the prisoners and between prisoners and captors. The story edges towards its inevitable conclusion, although the characters', and the reader's, hopes remain till the end, and there is a surprise or two left to savor.
I loved this book! I fell in love with some of the characters myself, from both sides, and this is one of the very few books I've read recently which I desperately didn't want to end, partly because of what "the end" might mean, but also because I got caught up in the "life" of this sequestered group, even as they did themselves. Almost a fairy tale, but so full of humanity. Beautiful.
Book Review: Bel Canto
Summary: 5 Stars
The book has been out over 5 years, but I just around to reading it.
So glad I did. Very imaginative, very well written. I didn't want
it to end.
Book Review: Bel Canto
Summary: 2 Stars
Tedious and plodding to read at first. Some of the prose is lovely, but if the reader is not a sophisticated music lover it is hard to identify with the characters' passion for it. Got better toward the end, but not enough to recommend book to others unless you are an opera lover.