Rating: 
Summary: Real depth and insight into the human condition
Review: Hostage situations are typically, by their very nature, short and intense. So how do you write an entire book about a hostage situation without making it lose some of that same intensity? Well, there are two major rules: you have to make it believable, and you have to draw it out over a period of time longer than what's typically expected. Ann Patchett manages to accomplish both these things in her unique and remarkable novel. When a birthday party for a wealthy Japanese businessman is thrown in his honor in a small, South American country, the situation raises some eyebrows. Why this country? Why is this man even attending? And why is it being held at the vice-president's house, when the presidential palace would have been so much more appropriate? But the answers to these questions don't really seem to matter. The bait has been set - Roxane Coss, arguably the world's most talented opera singer is going to be at the party, and she draws together and interesting and very different group of people. Those same people have no idea that they're about to get to know each other intimately, brought together under difficult and terrifying circumstances. When terrorists break into the party and take everyone hostage, the situation seems dire, and well - it is. But this story isn't so much about hostages and terrorists as it is about the redeeming and overwhelming power of music, and the strength of the human soul. The barriers come down between terrorists and hostages, and the differences between them become blurred. Patchett's characterization is expertly done in such a way as to draw the reader into the story, and make him / her feel for each one of the characters. There are no clear cut "bad guys" and "good guys" here. Instead, this is a story filled with real people, with real problems, feelings, and a depth of emotion readers will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. If you're looking for a deeply emotional novel with real insight into the human condition, look no further than BEL CANTO.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating, Suspenseful, Moving
Review: Bel Canto certainly seems inspired by real life events, but the story blossoms from Patchett's imagination and her understanding of human beings as unique individuals with very different passions. Dont miss this, especially if you are already a fan of Patchett. If you havent read her before, you should!
Rating:
Summary: A Riveting Novel! Don't Miss it!
Review: This novel has such an unusual plot: A female American opera singer is at a dinner party in an unnamed Spanish-speaking country, when guerrillas burst in and take the guests hostage. The hostages include many important people from several different countries, all speaking different languages. A translator is accompanying a Japanese CEO, so his talents become very useful. The entire book takes place within the Vice President's home, where the dinner party was held. The guerrillas stay on, while negotiations are held, and the reader begins to know and become fond of many of the guests and some of the soldiers. The personalities of the different characters as they react to such an unusual situation is very interesting. Relationships form, romances begin, secret longings are revealed, and surprising events occur as these very different people continue to be held hostage. This book, with such a strange plot and setting, begins quietly and becomes so beautiful and lyrical. I certainly did not want it to end. Also recommended: Life of Pi by Martel, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez
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Summary: Guns and Opera
Review: When Ann Patchett came to the college where I work on staff to give a reading to our students, I attended. The room was packed and bursting to the seams. Her book had been assigned as part of a summer reading program for incoming freshman, discussed in groups, now discussed with the author herself, and all concluding with her reading. It was a delight. Many authors who write well do not read well, but Patchett does both - and very well. Bel Canto is a simple enough story (and those are always the best) contained in a house, specifically at a dinner for dignitaries gathered to celebrate the birthday of a prominent Japanese businessman. His gift - an opera singer. Roxanne sings for him, and her voice captures the hearts of all who are present. This, however, does not just include the dignitaries. When the lights go out, the terrorists arrive. This is not the scene of violence one might expect. The story unfolds on a stage of seeming opposites, the terrorists in their misguided ideals and poverty, the dignitaries in their wealth and isolation. Hostages and terrorists unite and interweave in beautiful song, literally and figuratively. A terrorist falls in love with a hostage. A hostage teaches an illiterate terrorist how to read. A terrorist reveals his own musical talent, and then, his own flagging self esteem, hidden behind his ever present weapon. Such a drama cannot end well, tragedy must break in on this unlikely community of souls, but this clash of reality is appropriate. Patchett is a writer deserving of her many awards. Her storytelling ability is keen, and her writing talent is often breathtaking. She has an eye for the kind of detail that makes a story become life. Her expression is fresh and her own. Her readings, if available (I understand she now does very few), are also a literary treat.
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Summary: lyrical, moving piece of literature
Review: One of my favorite books of 2002. Heartbreaking, lyrical and moving.
Rating: 
Summary: Some rich descriptive passges but poor structure
Review: I found this book very disappointing in the end. Some of the writing was very evocative and quite beautiful, but just when you were feeling like you were enjoying being immersed in the words, something jarred you out of this feeling. As a novel I felt it was quite unbalanced and ran out of steam. One desperate fan in my book group defended it by saying this was deliberately done to evoke the hostage drama running out of steam. Please! And the ending was appallingly crass and tacked on. Utter tripe was my overall feeling!
Rating:
Summary: Sweet in story, weak in characters.
Review: What the fiction has achieved is that it combine the music and the terrorism to make a impressive story. As a fan of classic music, opera for sure, I found it amazing. However the story is too sweet and hence a bit weak, especially the characters. A man with the ability of speaking 10 languages? A seeing-is-learning chess wonder? A would-be-tenor in the jungle? These charaters are too artificial to convince me.
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Summary: Quick, Simple Read
Review: This book is very elegantly and eloquently written. As beautiful as the words are used in this book, I somehow failed to develop an emotional attachment to the characters. I read this book in 4 days, and was unfortunately tired of reading it and was not disappointed when it was done. I was not enthralled by this book. I must say though, I truly appreciate the author's fluid use of words and let the words flow through me as I read it, but honestly, after reading all of the reviews on the book jacket of this book, I was disappointed that as an avid reader of quality literature, I did not find this book to be as good as the many reviews.
Rating:
Summary: A Compelling Read
Review: Ann Patchett has an amazing way with words - she sculpts characters that are more than 3 dimensional. This is a love story, but is it romantic love, love of life, love of art? All three, I think. I didn't get swept up into this book quite as much as the Magician's Assistant, but I still recommend it. It is a very unique story, with totally lovable characters. I missed them when I was done reading the book! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, enthralling read
Review: Bel Canto is a beautiful fable, a story of the powers of art and love over the powers of evil and hatred. This book is far from realistic, but that doesn't detract from its beauty. Roxane Coss is a gifted chanteuse who travels to a nameless South American country to sing at a Japanese businessman's birthday party. No one had imagined that terrorists would take over the event. But the terrorists' target -- the unidentified country's president -- isn't there. Some prisoners are freed, but various people remain, including the singer and the businessman. There are various disarming twists in the novel. This is a unique story of terror, political wars, love and art. The novel's language enthralled me from beginning to end. Despite its unrealistic plot, Bel Canto is a beautiful and magical read that endures.
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