In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. His hosts hope that Mr. Hosokawa can be persuaded to build a factory in their Third World backwater. Alas, in the opening sequence, just as the accompanist kisses the soprano, 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 not only Hosokawa and Roxane Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Reuben Iglesias, the diminutive and gracious vice president, quickly gets sideways of the kidnappers, who have no interest in him whatsoever. Meanwhile, a Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while vacationing. He comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands, and the days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months.
With the omniscience of magic realism, Ann Patchett flits in and out of the hearts and psyches of hostage and terrorist alike, and in doing so reveals a profound, shared humanity. Her voice is suitably lyrical, melodic, full of warmth and compassion. Hearing opera sung live for the first time, a young priest reflects:
Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven.
Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves. Ultimately, of course, something has to give, even in a novel so imbued with the rich imaginative potential of magic realism. But in a fractious world, Bel Canto remains a gentle reminder of the transcendence of beauty and love.
After reading the novel "State of Wonder" by this author, I was told that if I loved that novel then Bel Canto would "blow me away".
To start I will say it didn't blow me away in the manner expected and I would say that if you like Bel Canto then you will love State of Wonder - so the opposite way around for me.
This author is now on my favourite authors list (in my head anyway). I like her writing style and the understated way she tells quite unique stories.
I enjoyed this book throughout but was getting worried as it was coming to the end as to how she was going to finish the story in a satisfactory way. I wasn't blown away by the ending but after thinking about it for some time I don't see how else she could have concluded the siege and maintain some realism to the book.
I have given it 4 out of 5 and was very nearly giving it 3. I felt the Epilogue was wholly unnecessary and I did not like nor believe that part of the book. It detracted from my enjoyment slightly and my satisfaction with the ending. I would say that the author should have finished on page 313 of my copy and left the rest to the readers imagination. The image I would have been left with in that case was a lot more powerful that after reading the epilogue. Sorry for the cryptic review but I would hate to insert a spoiler for anyone.
Now off to find another book by this author, so glad I stumbled across her.
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