Cultural Dessert

'Bel Canto' by Ann Patchett

8 December 2023

I am a newcomer to the work of the American novelist Ann Patchett but, having just finished reading her brilliant 2001 novel ‘Bel Canto’ I am looking forward to exploring her other books. ‘Bel Canto’ tells the story of a mass hostage siege in a presidential mansion in an unnamed Latin American country. Among the array of international dignitaries held hostage at gunpoint is a famous American opera diva who had been giving a recital in the house. While this sounds like the plot of a thriller, Ann Patchett manages to make this seriously frightening situation into a gentle and quirky ensemble piece exploring relationships, language, music and quality of life. The slightly surreal, dreamlike quality of her prose reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguro (particularly his novel ‘The Unconsoled’ about a famous pianist who arrives in an unnamed central European city to perform a concert). The eccentric but charming multinational cast of characters imprisoned in the house (and those imprisoning them) reminded me of the novels of Louis de Bernières. And the gentle tone and compelling characters, all confined within the walls of the house, had lots of similarities to one of my favourite novels of recent years, ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles (reviewed here in September 2021). Ann Patchett brilliantly juxtaposes a beautiful, life-affirming story about the development of an effective and loving closed community with a brutal real-world framing. It’s an amazing novel.

Labels: Books

posted by Robin Simpson @ 12:15 pm