Reader By The Water

BEL CANTO Annotated Edition

I first read this novel in 2016. As a Patchett completist, it remains my favorite of her books. So the thought of revisiting a beloved story ten years later, this time in an edition annotated by the author herself, felt like it could be wonderful or painful.

No surprise, this is Patchett. The Annotated Edition is delightful.

Her wry humor shines through in the notes. In one passage, she writes, “I love this. My numerous mistakes annoy me but then I find this.” She points out mistakes, suggests better wording, and reflects on the choices she made as a writer. Honestly, it’s a master class in writing.

As for the novel itself, what determines whether a book works for me is always the characters. I need someone to root for.

What struck me on this reread was how quickly and effortlessly Patchett made me care about every person in the room. And there are many people in this book. In just a few lines, she reveals a backstory, a motivation, a fear, an insecurity. Before long, I was invested in everyone, whether hostage, terrorist, negotiator, or bystander.

Even knowing how the story would end, I found myself doing what the characters do: living in the moment and appreciating it while it lasted. What begins as a hostage crisis becomes a fascinating social experiment, confined almost entirely to a single living room.

It was exceptional.

I couldn’t describe it better than Patchett herself: “This book is about love and community, violence and the absence of violence, art and the ability to see life in the moment it is lived and be grateful.”

And like Patchett, I stand by both the ending and the epilogue.

If you’re looking for a great book club pick, this is one. Fair warning: not everyone in my own Literary Lagniappe discussion loved it. Some readers found it slow, while others (myself included) were completely captivated. But the conversation it inspired was one of our best. The plot gives you plenty to discuss, but it’s the questions about art, community, and human connection that linger long after the final page.

Bonus points if you serve roast chicken and let a little opera play in the background.

Mysteries, thrillers, and police procedurals overlap more than people think. But for me, the dividing line is investigative rigor.

Thrillers will sometimes sacrifice procedure, science, or common sense to keep the plot moving. That's when I start muttering.

When the lead investigator stays on a case after sleeping with the murder victim hours before her body is discovered, I have questions.

When the sister of a murdered couple decides to investigate a suspect on her own without telling a single soul where she's going, I start getting twitchy. Text your husband. Drop a pin. Tell literally anyone.

And when one woman CUTS A MOLE off her own body and SUPERGLUES it to another woman's co**se to fake her death?

OH. MY. GAWD.

I call that the Gorilla Glue Clause.

Because for that plan to work, the coroner has to be spectacularly bad at their job.

I still enjoy thrillers. But the writing has to be good enough to make me overlook the science (or lack thereof). These days, I'm usually happier reaching for a police procedural.

QOTD: Recommend a thriller with solid investigative work and an exciting plot. Bonus points if it would spark a great book club discussion. I'm looking for a possible October Literary Lagniappe pick.

Current status: rereading notes, flagging favorite passages, and getting ready for Literary Lagniappe this Tuesday.

This month we’re discussing BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett, a novel about an international hostage crisis that somehow becomes a story about music, friendship, love, and human connection.

We’ll meet:
📚 Tuesday at 10 AM
📚 Tuesday at 6 PM

And if you’re reading from afar, we’ll continue the conversation next weekend on Substack.

Whether you’ve loved BEL CANTO for years or are reading it for the first time, we’d love to have you join us.

Have you read it? No spoilers, but tell me: did it work for you?

Details and reservations through Natchitoches Picnic Company

One of the best things about book clubs is being talked into books you would have walked right past in a bookstore.

So tell me:

What’s the best book club pick you never would have chosen for yourself?

Bonus points if you were completely convinced you weren’t going to like it.

Bonus Bonus if it was from one of my book clubs. 😉