Autumn Reads...

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett- 3 stars ***

This was another book that took me by surprise as it wasn't at all what I expected. It tells the story of a birthday party thrown for Japanese CEO (Mr Hosokawa), that goes horribly wrong when terrorists break in and keep them all hostage. The whole book is basically a tale of the everyday life that the hostages encounter, and the relationships that form between them.

It had some lovely moments in it, and the language despite the majority being purely informational, occasionally broke into very pretty prose. An example is, 'there was a vast expanse of carpet embroidered to look like a meadow of flowers, or that ceilings came tipped in gold, or that there could be pale marble women who stood on either side of a fireplace and balanced the mantelpiece on their heads...There were deep white bathtubs with an endless supply of hot water pouring out of the curled silver spigots.There were stacks of soft white towels and pillows and blankets trimmed in satin and so much space inside that you could wander off and noone would know where you had gone.'

I do think that the story was a little slow to begin with, as it set up a lot of characters, many of whom I don't feel were entirely necessary within the plot. It also in my opinion was a bit far fetched, as the terrorists never attempt to hurt any of the hostages, and there are no escape attempts. It is hinted that they are within the house for up to a month, and I just cannot imagine this ever taking place in the real world. For the purposes of an enjoyable read though, I think the writer can be justified in the story she has crafted.

Perhaps the main focus towards the end is the relationships between two couples who appear complete opposites at the beginning. I think this was an endearing subplot, and one that added a bit more depth to the book. 'He wondered sometimes if it was love or just a lack of rest that had twisted such a longing in his heart. He stumbled. He drifted off in wing-backed chairs and in the minutes he slept he dreamed of Carmen.'

Overall I would recommend this novel to people who enjoy a nice read, but one that is not necessarily realistic, as I think this book would become an annoyance.