Bel Canto in Retro Chapter Chicks

Aug 08, 2015 Celia rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-list, reading-the-wrld, reading-the-world-read, not-translate, 100-must-read, 52-2016, gilmore, music

I read this book in 2016 and really liked it. Why - because of its references to music.

Only today did I realize that it takes place in Peru and counts as a 'visit' on my World Reading Journey.

That makes 97 countries visited.

From supersummary.com:

The title of American author Ann Patchett’s award-winning novel, Bel Canto (2001) is based on an opera term which means "beautiful singing." The novel takes place during an event modeled on the Lima Crisis, a real-life 1996 hostage situation at the Peruv ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jan 07, 2011 Tasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites-2012

What a story, I loved it. It all takes place in one house but as the days continue, wonderful things happen. Patchett writes so beautifully and she did a fantastic job in creating these very different characters and the interesting dynamics that unfold during their 3+ months together. It was just wonderful. If you are looking for action, as the story line might lead you to believe, it's not that kind of a book. The action is in the writing style and the character development. Ending (view spoile ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2016 Theresa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: highly-recommended-by-me, z-pop-sugar-2016-reading-challenge

I absolutely loved this book, so much that I slowed down finishing it to a crawl in order to savor it. I have a first edition which means it has been on my bookshelves for 15 years; why I never got around to reading it is a total mystery. Believe me, I am kicking myself!

This is a beautiful, lyrical romantic fantasy of a book, loosely based on the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis in Lima, Peru during the late 1990's. Terrorists break into the house of the VP of an unidentified South American count I absolutely loved this book, so much that I slowed down finishing it to a crawl in order to savor it. I have a first edition which means it has been on my bookshelves for 15 years; why I never got around to reading it is a total mystery. Believe me, I am kicking myself!

This is a beautiful, lyrical romantic fantasy of a book, loosely based on the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis in Lima, Peru during the late 1990's. Terrorists break into the house of the VP of an unidentified South American country just at the end of a formal evening of dinner and entertainment of a large international group. The goal of the terrorists is to kidnap the president who declined at the last minute because he did not want to miss his favorite soap opera. Rather than leave and regroup, the terrorists take all hostage. What results is months of stand off and negotiation between the terrorists and the government, and the development of real relationships between and among hostages and terrorists.

Amongst those taken is a world renowned American opera singer, several Japanese business men and the personal translator for one of them, various other international business men, diplomats, and government officials. As the months of negotiations pass, the hostages and terrorists build a sort of community within the mansion, develop feelings for and relationships with each other, all living in the moment, not consciously thinking about the future or an ending. Indeed, some dream of this strange detente being their new forever life. Inevitably, as with any prolonged similar situation, the end is largely a tragedy, and the survivors are changed forever.

There is so much I loved about this book, perhaps most especially how music, the effect of music and references to opera in particular are threaded not only throughout the book, but are used within the plot serves both as the link between characters and as the civilizing influence on the impromptu community created.

I also loved the flashes of humor, such as a president who declines attending an important state dinner so as to not miss his favorite soap, even though he could record it.

Since my copy of the book has a deep rich royal blue cover (not same one pictured here), it fits Pop Sugar 2016 Reading Challenge category of a book with a blue cover, and is the sole reason I finally, belatedly, read this luscious story. ...more

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Jul 29, 2014 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it did not like it

ZERO STARS

"Latin terrorists storm an international gathering hosted by an underprivileged country to promote foreign interest and trade, only to find that their intended target, the President, has stayed home to watch his favourite soap opera on TV. Among the hostages are a world class opera singer and her biggest fan, a Japanese tycoon who has been persuaded to attend the party on the understanding that she will perform half a dozen arias after dinner. The tycoon's engaging and sympathetic tran ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2009 Phair rated it did not like it

Shelves: book-club, fiction-general

Ugh. Had hard time getting into and slogging through this for f2f discussion. Some good use of language & description but overall left me cold and even somewhat irritated. The epilogue just made me go "huh?" Opinion of the group was 50/50 loved it/hated it. ...more

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May 28, 2019 Joanne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

In December of 1996, in Lima, Peru, members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement raided a birthday party being held for the Japanese Ambassador to Peru. Hundreds of high level diplomats and business executives were taken hostage. The crisis lasted until April 1997. This is a fictional book, based loosely on these events.

I read this in conjunction with a GR Challenge Group whose monthly theme was "Beautiful". How could anything this horrific be classified as beautiful? Let me count the ways: ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 03, 2008 Book Concierge rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, concierge, strong-women, music, book-club, culture

This is a novel that expands on the real-life takeover of the embassy in Peru. Here it is the Vice President's home that is overrun, during a birthday celebration for Mr Hosokawa, starring soprano Roxanne Coss. The author takes us on a journey that explores how the hostages and terrorists forge unions/clicques/truces ... how they carve out territory and settle into routine ... how they ignore reality and live on dreams.

Our book club rated this as one of the best books we have read. Patchett writ ...more

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