Bel Canto Review

Based on a true story, Bel Canto, written by Ann Patchett,is a wonderful book about the unexpected establishment of relationships on an international scale. The book takes place in South America at a party held for the president. Half way through the party all of the lights turn off and terrorists come in and take control of the area. The Terrorist initially wanted to kidnap the president, but he wasn’t there, he was busy at home watching his favorite soap opera. The terrorists don’t know what to do so they hold the people in the house hostage in an attempt to still get what they want. The government surrounds the building and tries to negotiate with the terrorists. They eventually set the women; the workers and the sick go. The process is long, and the days seem like forever. These people include Katsumi Hosokawa, his translator Gen, the vice president Ruben Iglesias, and the magnificent Roxanne Coss.

What begins as a scary unexpected situation slowly forms into a story about the development of relationships. People from all walks of life create bonds with people from different countries. 
Patchett continues to describe all of the relationships between the hostages and the terrorists. Bel Canto describes how people from all backgrounds can come together no matter where they are from or how much money they have. It is about the development of love and how people can come together without even knowing the same language. Bel Canto is a great book that is written with beauty and poetic language. It is almost like reading a poem about love and the human condition.

Ann Patchett portrays how love can be developed in any situation. How even when music is the only common language, people can communicate to develop strong bonds together when they are in the worst situation. Most of the terrorists were poor; they came from families that didn’t have much opportunity. Most of the hostages were wealthy and had jobs that supplied themselves and families with great opportunities.

Bel Canto shows readers the language of music and how human relationships can be developed in the worst of situations. Bel Canto is a novel to be cherished by all readers in its eloquence in speech and the wonders it has to offer.