Bel Canto - Ann Patchett

Having read Ann Patchett's latest release The Dutch House earlier in the year and loving it, I was excited to find another of her works tucked away in a local charity shop. Bel Canto, Patchett's fourth novel, was published in 2001 and received high acclaim, winning the Orange Prize for fiction amongst other awards. I hadn't read any reviews and knew very little about the book prior to reading it, so it was certainly surprising and unexpected when I got stuck in. 

The novel is set somewhere in South America, at the lavish birthday party of Japanese businessman Mr. Hosokawa, which is being held, bizarrely, at the vice president's grand home. It has transpired that the president himself was supposed to attend the party, but decided at the last minute to stay at home to watch his soap operas. Meanwhile, the world-famous soprano and Mr. Hosokawa's favourite operatic singer (and personal idol), Roxanne Coss, is attending the party to perform for the guests (and entice the business of Hosokawa) - accompanied by her pianist.

Patchett throws readers straight in to this rather random event, and you quickly get used to her quirky characters - including Hosokawa's personal translator, Gen, who becomes a favourite. With the party in full swing and the performance of Coss dazzling the guests, the vice president's home is stormed by a terrorist group who intend to kidnap the president, who, inconveniently for them, is not in attendance but rather safe at home with his soap operas. Beginning to flail and desperate to retain power despite this important failing in their plan, the terrorists take the entire party and staff (over 100 of them!) hostage. Interestingly, despite them all carrying guns and waving them about threateningly, no violence is used by the terrorists. 

Over the next couple of months (yes, months!), whilst the guests are under house arrest and the watchful eyes of the terrorists (some who turn out to be rather younger and more inexperienced than it initially seemed), unlikely friendships and relationships are forged. We are privy to only the events within the house and the characters inside it, with the exception of an International Aid worker who brings supplies and negotiates with the terrorists on behalf of the government. Patchett mainly focuses on character development and relationships between characters, and it is largely a study of human nature and how unlikely people come together in a crisis. If you're after a plot-driven novel, this probably isn't the one for you. 

Many people have criticised this book as it draws on the Japanese embassy hostage crisis (also called the Lima Crisis) of 1996–1997, without telling the true story of Peru and the events which took place there, or doing justice to the true victims' story. I'm not sure that I necessarily agree with these negative reviews as I understand that Patchett has used her artistic license to adapt the events of Lima, using them as inspiration - however I can understand people feeling that it is a little misjudged to credit the crisis as her basis for a story whilst lacing it with operatic interludes and sex scenes. 

For me, this novel was enjoyable and refreshing but not a personal favourite. I don't think it will be one which I necessarily recommend enthusiastically to friends, colleagues, and frankly anyone who will listen (which I tend to do with books I love!), but rather just be a book I liked. If I'm being totally honest, I much preferred The Dutch House - but I do tend to prefer novels with more plot.