Bel Canto

By: Ann Patchett

Narrated by: Anna Fields

Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award • Winner of the Orange Prize • National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist • New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21st Century

""Bel Canto is its own universe. A marvel of a book."" —Washington Post Book World

New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett’s spellbinding novel about love and opera, and the unifying ways people learn to communicate across cultural barriers in times of crisis

Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the international guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening—until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots, intimate friends, and lovers.

Patchett's lyrical prose and lucid imagination make Bel Canto a captivating story of strength and frailty, love and imprisonment, and an inspiring tale of transcendent romance.

Don't miss our free Ann Patchett interview. Patchett is an Audible CelebrityListener - find out what she's listening to here.©2001 Ann Patchett (P)2001 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

• 2002 Orange Prize for Fiction
• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Winner, Paperback, 2003
• PEN/Faulkner Award Winner, 2002

"Patchett can be counted on to deliver novels rich in imaginative bravado and psychological nuance. This fluid and assured narrative...demonstrates her growing maturity and mastery of form." (Publishers Weekly)
"Mixing art and politics can have unexpected results, but rarely are they so poignant....[Anna Fields'] performance is the essence of Bel Canto, easy, pure of tone, with an agile, precise vocal technique." (AudioFile)

Surprisingly engrossing

I looked at this book about 20 times before finally deciding to download it. Although it received lots of other great reviews, I worried it would either be depressing or hard to get into. It was neither, and was extremely enjoyable -- I'd definitely give this one a thumbs up. One of those books that makes you examine what it means to live in the present moment and enjoy the beauty of every day.

Brava! Encore!

Magnificent, Magnifico, Magnifique-- I'm not one to use superlatives yet wish I was fluent in Japanese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Swedish...because this...canto...I almost hate to trivialize it by calling it anything other spans multiple cultures and sensibilities with a grace and and authenticity I rarely find in any book, any author. The author sets the conditions for the story early on, she tells you what will happen...yet it is impossible not to read, to become enraptured with the interlocking stories and characters as they reveal themselves to their most unlikely counterparts (artists, diplomats, terrorists...). The author's pitch is perfect all the way through, she manages a flawless denouement, Brava, Brava, Brava!

The narrator is perfectly matched to the book, I believed her in every character, gender, accent she personified - wonderful job on her part.

I hate to keep spewing these superlatives, but I think it's the kind of book that, if people read the summary of the plotline, they might shy away from -- so I hate to divulge...anything, just urge others to listen, it is my personal "read of the year."

Beautiful and moving

I find myself thinking about the Bel Canto characters as I fall asleep and when I wake up....and then I have to remind myself that they are not real people. I prefer non fiction to fiction, but this novel grabbed me in a way that was utterly unexpected and moving.

After listening to (and loving) Truth and Beauty, I decided to give Ms. Patchett's fiction a try. What can I say? Her writing feels like a personal gift to be treasured forever.

Great listen

I was enthralled by this book. I stayed up late and got up early to listen and felt like crying for all the characters when I was finished. The reader was excellent.

Good Read, Poor Epilogue

It was a good story with inevitable ending but the epilogue followed only one situation and 3 characters. It would have been better to hear about post adjustments of some of the other characters.

The Narration is So Good

I think it is a five star novel overall and a five star story but maybe it is not and it is the narration that has clouded my critical faculties. The narrator, Anna Fields, is just the right combination of matter of fact delivery, excellent and not over-the-top accents (Spanish, French and Russian) and excellent portrayal of the characters without acting up a storm. This is how I like to hear a book.

My heart!

I loved this book and the telling couldn’t have been more poignant. I’m grieving it’s ending.

Slow burn

I was bored for much of the first half of this book, maybe I was distracted or stressed. But it snuck up on me. I truly could not predict the ending, and that is rare for me. Lovely writing.

Beautiful

A gorgeous book, with rich characters. Excellent narration of a difficult cast. I highly recommend it!

fantastic find

I bought this book on a whim but really did not think I would like it much. for me it took a little bit to get started but then the book was very engaging. I love all the intricate details of the characters.