Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto is a thought-provoking literary fiction novel with undertones of political thrill and romance. Set in an unspecified country in South America, a dinner party featuring world renowned opera singer, Roxane Coss, is suddenly crashed by a group of terrorists who take everyone hostage.
The book is in third-person omniscient, allowing the reader to understand the thoughts, emotions, and motivations of many of the characters. Among the most important characters are Katsumi Hosokawa (a Japanese businessman; the reason why there is a dinner party), Gen Watanabe (Mr. Hosokawa’s translator), Roxane Coss (a very famous opera singer, Hosokawa’s reason for being at the party), Carmen (one of the terrorists) and Joachim Messner (a Red Cross member who is in charge of negotiations).
I found Gen to be the most interesting and well fleshed-out character. Due to the fact that those at the party were from all over the world (France, Russia, America, Japan), Gen was pressured to translate between the hostages and the captors. Overall, Patchett’s artistic prose lends itself to his character.
Furthermore, the themes that the book touches on are simultaneously unique and profound. The novel highlights the dangers of a corrupt government system on both a society and an individual’s life. The intricacies of love and the beauty in the development of seemingly impossible relationships. Lastly, the most prominent theme; the overwhelming passion that emerges when face to face with death.
Ultimately, what made this book a five-star read was a mixture of its complex characters, the dynamics of character relationships, the engaging plot, and the unpredictability. I would recommend the book to anyone who is looking for a page-turner and in need of a good cry.
“It makes you wonder. All the brilliant things we might have done with our lives if only we suspected we knew how.” – Ann Patchett, Bel Canto
Macey Heys, Managing Editor