Bel Canto sat on my shelf for quite some time before I picked it up -- as others have written here, I was hesitant to pick up a novel whose plot revolved around opera and terrorists. But after two of my friends raved to me about how good it was, I decided to give it a try, and inhaled it in a matter of days. Though the book's plot does indeed center around terrorists taking hostage a dinner party which includes a world-renowned opera singer, Bel Canto isn't really about opera and terrorists. It's about the way human beings relate to one another in the most fundamental of ways, whether or not they speak the same language or have anything in common. 
 Ms. Patchett writes beautifully as she tells the story of foreign dignitaries who are forced to coexist with the terrorists who have taken them hostage. Though I am largely ignorant of opera, I was still able to appreciate the role which music played in the novel, that of a universal language which gave the hostages and terrorists their first commonality. Many others follow, but I'm hesitant to reveal any plot details (I also don't consider a plot summary to be a book review). It will suffice to say that the relationships among the hostages and terrorists grow more complex as the book continues, and what was once a black and white situation quickly changes to shades of gray. 
 If I were to have one quibble with the novel it would have to be the epilogue which, I felt, was somewhat forced and not entirely believable. I see that other readers have felt the same way -- I suppose it's a matter of personal preference of how tidily a reader likes his or her book to end. In any case, the epilogue in no way detracted from my enjoyment of Bel Canto overall. I only wish I hadn't left it sitting on my shelf for so long, distracted by preconceived notions. Don't make the same mistake -- if you're a fan of thoughtful and well-crafted contemporary fiction, read this book!