Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Ending
Review: In all honesty, I probably never would have chosen Bel Canto off the shelf. I ended up reading the book through a book club I am in with some of my friends, because it was recommended to us by another book club.
It took awhile for me to get "caught up" in the book. It had a slow beginning and didn't really spark my interest until well into the middle. One thing I really enjoyed in this book was the detail in the realtionships between the characters. All of the characters interacted on different levels, and I thought the author did a nice job of making most of the characters seem real. In that respect I really liked the book. However, this was all destroyed by the ending. I am not going to ruin the ending for anyone, but for those that have read the book, I think they would agree that the ending comes out of nowhere. It left me with a very unhappy feeling. When I put this book down I was extremely disappointed and to be honest, confused as to why the author would choose to end this story in this way.
If I were to recommend this book to someone else I would tell them to read the book up until the last 10-15 pages or so, and then quit reading and make up their own ending. In this way they may get some satisfaction out of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Soap Opinions
Review: Though the President of the South American country Anne Patchett's "Bel Canto" is set in never makes an actual appearance, his shadow is cast heavilly across the surface of the novel. His disdain for the Vice President (a very likeable character) and the obvious neglect of his own duties (he is not present at the birthday galla invaded by terrorists for which he was intended to be the primary hostage) instigate indirectly the plot of the novel. Instead of being abducted himself, the President is at home watching his favorite soap opera. In fact, this same soap opera serves as a kind of character in itself. The children terrorists watch it, everybody knows about it, so they all must have something in common, all these South Americans. All these people in fact. What's left for the terrorist to deal with in the President's absence is a long slow battle with obstinate negotiators, and a mish-mash of differently cultured hostages playing along at life on a small scale. The results could have been amazing. In fact, many might find it amazing as it is. For me, however, the soap opera pall becomes all powerful. The characters behave melodramatically (no pun intended), and dialogue is romantacized and contrived. Patchett surely intended language to be a sub-subject, as the primary character is the translator Gen: the only one able to communicate freely with everyone, but unable really to express himself. "Bel Canto" falls into a similar trap. It reads like a soap opera with something serious behind the scenes. But isn't there always something serious behind the scenes? The realistic counterpoint at the end is abrupt and intended to be painful, but it isn't. None of the characters were ever real. Like soap stars dying of brain cancer... inevitably, they come back to life.
Rating: 
Summary: Lives up to the hype!
Review: You will be tempted to pass this one up. Don't. If you do, you will miss a beautiful story and even-handed writing. This novel is filled with delicate characters who have to make bold choices. I love novels and movies in which the action is very gradual, even slow-moving, but the results are monumental and life-changing. Bel Canto reminds us that heroism is often a gesture as small as an offered handkerchief, that love begins with a glance, that life changes on a dime, that living for art is not only a possibility, but sometimes necessary. It has been weeks since I finished this one, but I still think about what it would be like to be held captive in that living room, with only beautiful music to contemplate.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, tragic book
Review: Patchett's novel Bel Canto is the sort of book that inspires me to read more. The words, like the musical themes resonating throughout the work, are truly lyrical. The story of a kidnapping gone awry is fascinating and engrossing. You feel for both the kidnappers and the victims, which is no small feat. As both sides remain trapped in the presidential estate in an unnamed South American country, you can imagine them living the rest of their lives there, together. But you know this is not meant to be. And while the book does not give its readers a neat and tidy ending, Patchett is clearly no wimp, and the story ends with a return to "normalcy," as hard as that might be to accept.
Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: I heard Ann Patchett on NPR and enjoyed listening to her so much I bought three of her books. I'd already read Magician's Assistant (but had forgotten). I really enjoyed Bel Canto. It was very easy to get close to the characters so much so that I was devastated by a certain section of the book. The ending took me by surprise and there wasn't much of a bridge to it. I had to go back and reread to see if I missed anything. Alas, no. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: What was, What is, What might have been...
Review: This is a beautiful fantasy, many small camoes, heart rending poitraits of people whose lives intersect in a most unusual way. We see in each life what has formed the person, what beauty, comedy, potential he or she possesses, and what might have been if circumstances had allowed.
This is a book to be read slowly, with attention to each character.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Read
Review: My book group just finished this book and we had a wonderful discussion. We felt that the writing was some of the best we had read in years. Using music as a methaphor for passion, power and communication Ms. Patchett was able to create such a believeable world that many of the emotions of the captives and captors transfered to the reader. We like it enough to pick another of her books for our next meeting.
Rating:
Summary: Strange
Review: I thought this book was too strange for a normal guy like myself. Some of the sentences were pretty, but the language was too flowery and pretentious.
Rating: 
Summary: Not What I Expected
Review: After seeing Bel Canto on many lists, I thought I would check it out. The premise of the book sounded interesting and I thought it would be suspenseful. Instead it turned out to be a lame romance novel with a disappointing ending. I appreciate the moral of the story about slowing down and really learing what makes you happy but most of the plot seemed implausable. You know that there can't be a happy ending, but how about more than one only 3 paragraphs long! That was the biggest disappointment of the book. You finally start to feel for the characters and then you're dropped without any closure. And don't even get me started on the ridiculous "plot twist" epilogue. I would not reccommend this book to anyone who likes a complete story. While the writing is good, the story left me hanging.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Song
Review: This is my first introduction to the writing of Ann Patchett. I loved every word in the main body of this book. It is an imaginative piece of story-telling that can only come to it's unhappy end. Even as the book marches toward the only possible outcome I cried for what these people gained and lost. I truly cared for most of the characters in the book, especially the priest who has a spritual awakening at the hands of his beloved opera. I say read this book, but DO NOT read the hastily thrown-in epilouge. The book is a braver book ending just how it must end. Please be content to finish the book there. Bel Canto really deserves 5 stars, but the unecessary and dumb epilouge is a bad attempt at wrapping up the story in a pretty little bow.
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