Bel Canto (#35)

We're down to single digits left on my year-long reading challenge... so it's time to get going on these book posts.  I should be slowing down... but I seem to be doing just the opposite... thinking I will have two more books for you this year (or at least that were read and will "count" for this year).
 

Today's book post is Ann Patchett's Bel Canto.  I can't tell you how many times this book had been in my hands in a book store and put back down.  Years ago, I had read (and liked) a Patchett book, The Magician's Assistant, and this one even had more buzz about it... so I was fairly confident I would like it... it just never got purchased.  But alas thanks to the always sinister "Buy 3 for the Price of 2" offer at Borders it finally slipped in and got on my "to be read" pile.

Ok, the book in a nutshell.  In an unnamed South American country, there's a big birthday party at the Vice President's mansion for a Japanese businessman (Mr. Horokawa) in hopes to lure business to their poor country.  People of note from all around the globe are invited, including Horokawa's favorite opera singer, an American soprano named Roxane Coss.  With the intention of kidnapping the President, rebels crash the party... but with the President unexpectedly not in attendance, a hostage situation ensues... and not your typical hours-long or overnight variety... over four months long!

Although I should know this, the book was inspired by a real event... the 126-day Japanese embassy crisis that took place in Lima, Peru from December 1996 thru April 1997.  I feel less guilty not "getting" the title of the book, which to the best of my memory is not mentioned in the novel.  I guessed it was opera-related and it is... "bel canto" translates to "sing beautifully" in Italian and is also an operatic vocal technique (according to Wikipedia, a light upper register, "sweet" timbre).

It is certainly an interesting scenario.  Given the length of the crisis, things relax and surprising relationships and alliances develop over time amongst the large cast of characters, many who do not speak/understand each other's languages.  Fortunately enough,  Horokawa's assistant and translator (Gen Watanabe) is on hand and conveniently (almost far too conveniently) fluent in more than a handful of languages.

Ultimately, I felt something was just missing... what exactly... I was not sure.  It was entertaining, enjoyable, well-written.  Ironically enough, it didn't hit me until, ironically enough, I read a Q&A with Patchett on her website.  In a question about her literary influences she says of Nabokov, Garcia-Marquez, and Munro that "I don't see any of their brilliance in my work, and I wish I did" and furthermore went on to say about Chekhov, Welty, and Updike  "I only wish they would hurry up and influence me some more." 

So my "light bulb moment" on that missing intangible was the detection of this lack of confidence / self-esteem.  I sensed Patchett wanted Bel Canto to be "great" ... and while it was nominated (and won) many literary awards... I think it missed that very lofty mark of greatness... certainly a struggle that I, and I am sure a lot of us, can relate to.

2007 10K Reading Challenge:  + 318 pages (Total Pages: 11423 pages) 

Comments

[jen maiser]

Although I think I rated BC highly on Good Reads, I think I would agree with your assessment here. It was an interesting story, but certainly wasn't life changing or anything more than a good read to occupy my time for a week or so.

[Joanna]

I loved this book. I did NOT want it to end. I totally got into the story and really did not see the end coming even though I knew the book was nearing it.

I guess our differences are what makes this an interesting world.

Love your blog - voted for you.