Ann Patchett creates a beautiful world out of a horrific situation. Some have said this is about the Stockholm Syndrome, but I think it's about so much more, including the power of art, beauty and basic humanity to unit us when politics and social circumstances work to keep us apart.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I found the book to quite spiritual and compassionate. If I was disappointed in any part of the book, it would be the epilogue. From my understanding, Gen and Roxanne were passionately in love with Carmen and Mr. Hosokawa, so found it difficult to understand how they could fall in love and get married.

Our book club loved this book, probably one of our favorites.

Who are the group "leaders" in survival situations? Interesting roles evolved in this story of 4-1/2 months of captivity. Relationships emerged between captors and captives.

The "action" in the beginning of this story was actually (for me) the least interesting part of this book. It started slow for me, but about 1/3 into it, I got hooked into the individual stories and evolving relationships.

The book was interesting. i especially found the description of the love relationship between carmen and Gen well written and beautiful. I alos fopund myself liking the "kidnappers" and was affected by the way they "died"

I really did not like this book. It "stayed in the same place" for too much time and the chapters were very long.

Extremely boring. Could have been a good book but why to detailed and wordy leaving nothing to the imagination. The excess in details made the book drain on and on and on. it could have been the same story with a third of the words and been a very good read.

What a difference from another book I read of Patchett's. This one was sooo slow and didn't really have a point to it. I read about 40 pages before I stopped reading.

One of my all-time favorites!

Enjoyed this book. So often the books we choose for book club are, well, bookish. So, having music at the center of this plot was a refreshing change. The characters-- both the hostages and the terrorist-- were sympathetic, funny and varied. The plot was well paced and the ending was both realistic/tragic and surprising/romantic. Good conversation piece and fun to plan the club meeting.

Well written. Amazing story and great for discussion at book lub.

BEL CANTO sounds promising at first. Patchett writes beautifully, leading her reader to believe that her description of a large, formal birthday party held at the home of the vice president of some South American country is the beginning of an engrossing story. When terrorists interrupt the party, though, fantasy begins. It's not so bad being a hostage in Patchett's story. Over the several weeks that the terrorists keep their hostages in the vice president's home, some of them, both terrorists and hostages, even feel they were never happier. What follows, then, are monotonous, unrealistic, even ridiculous descriptions of hostages' friendly relations with terrorists. Patchett's terrorists are sympathetic. They are poor, deprived people who don't want to hurt anyone. Patchett may have been trying to describe a real psychological phenomenon, hostages who end up caring for their captors, a type of Stockholm syndrome (capture-bonding). These feelings are understood to be irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims.

Bel Canto is a story of the survivial of a house full of prestigous people from all over the world who are suddenly taken over as hostages by a group of rag-tag terrorists. How they manage to survive with their language barriers and other conditions makes for a dramatic, insightful story.

I really enjoyed most of the book. The relationships that develop are very interesting. The characters are so isolated from the outside world that the reader may forget to expect any surprises.

A beautifully written book with well developed plot and characters. So much to discuss as a book club - I would recommend this!

Interesting story based loosely on real events. Thought provoking.

Brilliant writing, wonderful character transformation during a 4 month hostage crisis. The story focuses on the relationships that develop between hostages, and hostages & captors. How we communicate is also highlighted as many of the hostages are form different countries with limited language skills. I will say our book club was split between those who really were taken with the writing and those who thought it was just TOO SLOW, losing interest easily.

I was unable to get the book from the library in time to read it, so have no input. I was on the wait list for over 2 months. I had to give it a thumbs down review in order to post this. Since it was described as a long, slow read by one of the other members, I may not have enjoyed it, & was frustrated by not being able to get it in time. I don\'t have & don\'t want a Kindle.

So interesting how relationships changed. I just wanted to keep reading/

I just don't like the way the author wrote this book. Soooo many things that she made us read that were not interesting or were not taking you any were in understanding the story. It didn't advanced in a normal way and then suddenly at the end everything hapened and the ending so unbelievable.....

Good character descriptions.
Slow starter.
Didn\'t care for the ending.
Book brought excellent discussion with our club.

I went into this book thinking I would hate it. I mean, it's about opera right? But the book is much more than that. It's an adventure, a romance, and tale of growth and possibly that comes to a crashing end. While it wasn't my favorite book of the year, I didn't hate it. It was an enjoyable read.

A very interesting premise based on historical events but altered to make for an addictive story of how relationships develop between unlikely associates when thrown in a very unique situation. Really recommend this book, will lead to some good discussion.

Our book club found much to discuss among the pages of Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. The story, told in beautiful sentences, was certainly a departure from ordinary life. As the entire novel takes place within the walls of a home, it is primarily a character study. The pace dragged in the middle, but was that the intention of the author to prove a point to readers?