10/10. Read it, stat. I’m going to be a bit spoiler-y so I’d suggest only reading this after finishing the novel.

I’ve not been so enamoured with a novel for a long time; Bel Canto is certainly my favorite book I’ve read this year so far.

I took a quick breather from my current Murakami binge to dip my toes into another modern novel. I read Commonwealth recently and thought it ok, enough for me to read more Patchett. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot going in, to be honest–another 7/10 perhaps. Certainly nothing to scoff at nor nothing to write home about. I don’t remember what exactly about Commonwealth I didn’t really like but I do remember liking the characters. Bel Canto maintains (or rather, starts) this as well. The novel is a romantic thriller, an interesting combination which I didn’t would work out but paid off beautifully. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m reminded of Anxious People by Backman (the Ove author) which was far far poorer (~4/10) which also tried this romance drama/thriller thing, and the whole hostage situation too. Backman bungled it though, whilst Patchett pulls it off with such flair and elegance I didn’t think was possible.

The romance is done delicately but well. I couldn’t help but slowly fall for Roxane Coss myself, silently feel a tug towards her supposed splendid Soprano. The characters are generally endearing. The romance was, on a whole, predictable, but I feel like I’ve not been surprised by any stories in the recent times so I don’t ding it for this; it’s not entirely novel, and I practically knew the end (well, excepting the epilogue which I was not expecting at all) near the start itself, but that tension is weaved beautifully into the story–Patchett writes these characters who are dimly aware of their predicament but elect to ignore it, choosing instead to live in their neat little semi-fantasy. She is aware though, and she makes sure the reader knows she is aware that the end is always looming silently, hanging above our carefree companions, these captives who play calm and collected until they act and feel like residents; residents, plopped into this piercingly strange situation without much pomp, who quickly forget their spot in the hierarchy; who quickly forget how the real world works. The end brings with it rapid realization of reality, harshly.

Bel Canto is a romance but more than that it is a book on love (and art). I really liked certain lines:

What she prayed for was nothing. She prayed that God would look on them and see the beauty of their existence and leave them alone.

“It is a gift. There. Something to give to you. If I had the necklace or a book of paintings I would give you that instead. I would give you that in addition to my love.”

There is another quote that I want to find but couldn’t, something on love again.

I will bring one quote to attention which I found strange, an extremely minor point but funky :.

…moving his rook forward and then back across the same three squares, careful to never take his fingers off the horse’s head.

I’m not familiar with any chess sets which have horses as rooks; I know of rooks as castles or elephants, but never horses–that animal is exclusive to knights I thought.

In toto, I’m incredibly jealous, to be honest. I want to be able to write like this. I think this novel is a modern classic, a phrase I don’t use loosely. This is absolutely a must read, and will surely cement Patchett as a literary icon, establishing Bel Canto as part of literary canon. Bel Canto will be on my shelves and in my heart for years to come, for sure.