Download Bel Canto Audiobook

" I could read this book a million times. I love the character development, the uniqueness of the story and the beautiful writing. This is absolutely one of my all time favorite books "

" shifting perspective adds to pathos. stays with you long after read "

" This is a story that continues to stay with me, despite having finished it a good eighteen months ago. The slow building of the plots, with the conclusion becoming more inevitable and yet more painful with the turning of each page; the strongly built characters with their individual voices that resonate long after the book is closed; the music that echoes throughout the chapters all combine to make it a masterful creation. I find myself thinking back to specific nights in the vice president's home as if they were my own memories, wondering how and when the tide could have been turned and the outcome changed. I listened to it on CD, which lent a great deal to its reality for me. The different languages and accents came alive in a way that they might not have had I met them on the printed page. Listening to it also forced me to appreciate the beauty of the language without allowing me to feverishly read for plot. I would recommend it without reservation to any lover of literature. "

" I found the book to be entertaining. It was hard to get into and I thought the story was slow with few exciting moments. "

" Very moving. Patchett's masterful control of pacing and tone draw you into the drama and romance. She creates a dream then startles you awake. If this were a movie, it would be one of my favorite movies. "

" i really enjoyed this look at like as a captive and how you can sympathize with your captors but as her books go i loved "state of wonder "more!! "

" Waste of time. Burn this book. "

" AMAZING book :) I loved it so much. This was seriously one of the best books I had read in awhile when I read it (although it was before Twilight and the Huger Games and the 50 Shades trilogy). But it's up there too. Very well written and just such an amazing book. I HIGHLY recommend it :) "

" Good but not great. I suppose it's no surprise that a book that is largely about the tedium of being held hostage is at times itself tedious. "

" I liked this book, but it is a bit frustrating for some reason. The story is intriguing. As an Ann Patchett fan, I would rank it middling for her, but overall a good read. "

" I read this years ago and did not re-read but skimmed because my book club just read. I loved this story about the relationships we develop with those we are surrounded by both good and bad. "

" Was not expecting that marriage! "

" Excellently written, well paced, and countless passages that are deserving to be remembered. "

" The plot is intriguing. Human relationships are focused in a simple and up close way and made beautiful even in the hostage situation. Empathy is the star of this novel...and the writing is simply admirable. "

" one of the best books i have ever read "

" Wow! Every sentence shines in this book. Had no real interest in reading it at first, did so when someone loaned it to me. And now it is one of my all time favorites. A must read. "

" Our Book Club was disappointed in this book. We were all expecting great things, as it had been hyped by many reviewers, but the story was forgettable and anti-climactic. The ending was particularly dissatisfying. It was readable but I definitely felt let down at the end. "

" Interesting book, was totally surprised at the epilogue! Well developed characters, but moved slowly in the middle.....yet I suppose that was the point as time was going by and the stand off continued. Definitely worth reading. "

" After a slow,rough start, the story accelerates and then ends unexpectedly, "

" Had trouble getting into this one, but once I did it was an easy read. Personally, I felt the ending didn't quite fit with the rest of the book. "

" Slow to start, but really well written and easy to follow. The story is captivating and a very surprising ending. "

" Captivating but predictable. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters but the epilogue seemed patched together and unsatisfactory. "

" A remarkable book; well deserved prize winner. Fascinating exploration of the development of relationships between hostages and captors and amongst the captors and the hostages over a period of several months. One of the most memorable books I read in 2012. "

" This book has the characters in a situation in which many would give up, but these people find a way to survive and interact with each other. "

" After giving up this book several times, I picked this book yet again and this time I managed to read it. I have to admit that it took me 200 pages to really get into the story. It is a good book in writing and in plot with an awful climax, the epilogue was the biggest letdown! "

" One of those slow books where nothing really seems to happen, but it is so compelling that it is just impossible put it down. Patchett develops the characters so that the terrorists and the hostages become equally loved. A very enjoyable, smooth read.
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" I had been hearing about this book for several years from several circles, so I finally decided to give it a go. It was slow moving at the beginning, but picked up significantly toward the end. I definitely could not have predicted the outcome. A curious premise. "

" Beautifully written, but too slow paced. "

" Very well written but leisurely paced as we know what most likely happen from the start. Good juxtaposition of interest and boredom. Terrorists and captives go opposite directions on the scale. Contentment leads to affection. My copy had a great interview with the author in Back of the book. "

" Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a gentle journey into the landscape of hunger, where terrorists expose their hearts and hostages nurture them. "

" A little slow out of the gate but one of the most engaging books I've ever read. Ann Patchett can write. I'd put her in the same class as Ian McEwan. "

" Read this book years ago. Excellent. The reason I was interested in reading her new book.
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" Lots of accolades and not a bad story, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. Think I only managed about a third. "

" Breathtakingly beautiful. I cannot speak to whether Bel Canto accurately depicts the political realities of certain Latin American nations, but I can say with confidence that Ms. Patchett renders human emotion and relationships impeccably. "