Bel Canto: A Novel by Ann Patchett, 5/5

This exquisitely written character study of a group of hostages and their guerilla captors is effortlessly beautiful and surprisingly well paced, given the confined context provided by the story’s extreme constraints with regard to location and plot. Like a poet adhering to a particular rhyme scheme, the author works within these constraints to explore the inner workings and relationships of a seemingly disparate cast, including a world-famous soprano, her most devoted admirer, rebel generals, child soldiers, assorted international businessmen, and the translator whose language skills link them all together.

Why I read it: I encountered a glowing review on Facebook, which was almost definitely, in retrospect, written by AI.