Bel Canto

Just today, there was a kidnapping in the news of 17 missionaries in Haiti. It made Bel Canto seem relevant.

This story of terrorists vs. hostages starts simply enough with a birthday party in South American for a Japanese titan of industry. What happens before the end really made me wonder what relationships captives and hostage-takers really develop when the ruse doesn't work, which it rarely does.

Still, you are boxed in together, in this case for over four months. Patchett's unique set of international captives made the story even more complicated—often necessitating a translator. The reassessments that captives and rebels made in rethinking their lives and priorities add a level of intricacy I hadn't expected.

The book would probably be even more entertaining to least opera-lovers. They would pick up even more nuances than I experienced.

At times, it seemed the story dragged a little, but it gave this reader a sense of what it would be like to be held captive in the same place with the same people wearing the same clothes for a prolonged period of time. Some were able to flourish. Others didn't. Most grew very complacent with the situation, adapting to the new life of limited entertainment, activity, and stimulation. Some found work to do. Other created work for others.

Overall, an intriguing read and a believable if unexpected ending.