When I heard the news that 
 Bel Canto is being adapted for the big screen 
 , and knowing it was high time to read an Ann Patchett novel already, I decided to make this my before-bed read. Little did I know I was going to be tired in the mornings from devouring it over three nights. Patchett weaves a high-stakes story, inspired by real events, about a diverse group of people at a high-society party who are held captive for months as the captors negotiate for the release of their imprisoned comrades. I was swept away from the beginning. Patchett is a marvelous storyteller, deftly moving from surface-level events to emotional back story in a way that feels seamless. I can't wait to read more of her work.