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Bel Canto Book

In Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honour of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. 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 favourite soap opera--and thus, from the beginning, things go awry. Among the hostages are not only Hosokawa and Roxanne Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian and French diplomats. A Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while on holiday. 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 centre 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. 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. --Victoria Jenkins, Amazon.comRead More

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  • Amazon

    Terrorists storm a gathering hosted by an underprivileged country to promote foreign interest and trade. When the translator plays a vital role in the subsequent relationships between different nationalities, it is the terrorist strike that most effectively promotes foreign relations.

  • Foyles

    Winner of the Orange Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. The poignant - and at times very funny - novel from the author of State of Wonder and Commonwealth. 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 translator plays a vital role in the subsequent relationships between so many different nationalities closeted together, interpreting not only the terrorists' negotiations but also the language of love between lovers who cannot understand what the other is saying. Ultimately, it is the terrorist strike that does more to promote foreign relations than anyone could have hoped to achieve with the party.

  • Play

    The poignant -- and at times very funny -- new novel from the author of 'The Magician's Assistant' shortlisted for the Orange Prize. 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 translator plays a vital role in the subsequent relationships between so many different nationalities closeted together interpreting not only the terrorists' negotiations but also the language of love between lovers who cannot understand what the other is saying. Ultimately it is the terrorist strike that does more to promote foreign relations than anyone could have hoped to achieve with the party.

  • BookDepository

    Bel Canto : Paperback : HarperCollins Publishers : 9781841155838 : : 30 Apr 2002 : Winner of The Women's Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. The poignant - and at times very funny - novel from the author of The Dutch House and Commonwealth.

  • Blackwell

    The poignant - and at times very funny - new novel from the author of 'The Magician's Assistant', shortlisted for the Orange Prize. The poignant - and at times very funny - new novel from the author of 'The Magician's Assistant', shortlisted for...

  • 1841155837
  • 9781841155838
  • Ann Patchett
  • 30 April 2002
  • Fourth Estate
  • Paperback (Book)
  • 336
  • New Ed
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