Bought at Miami Airport on the way back from Peru. Enjoyed reading it, unfortunately I forgot to make a journal at the time. This is what amazon says:

In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. His hosts hope that Mr. Hosokawa can be persuaded to build a factory in their Third World backwater. Alas, in the opening sequence, just as the accompanist kisses the soprano, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.
Among the hostages are not only Hosokawa and Roxane Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Reuben Iglesias, the diminutive and gracious vice president, quickly gets sideways of the kidnappers, who have no interest in him whatsoever. Meanwhile, a Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while vacationing. He comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands, and the days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months.

With the omniscience of magic realism, Ann Patchett flits in and out of the hearts and psyches of hostage and terrorist alike, and in doing so reveals a profound, shared humanity. Her voice is suitably lyrical, melodic, full of warmth and compassion. Hearing opera sung live for the first time, a young priest reflects:

Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven.
Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves.

Caught from a trade with Ben-Nevis in Germany. Arrived safe and well in the UK. TBR and passed on in the tradition of bookcrossing.

Reserved for Wubbaducky in Books for postage 28th May 2006

RELEASE NOTES:

Released to Wubbaducky 1st Class 1 June 2006 as books for postage

Arrived safe and sound this morning - although the postie managed to tuck it away somewhere safe and didn't think to let me know where he'd left it. Luckily, I was expecting it, so was looking in strange places for it. The nooks and crannies my postman manages to find! If there was an Olympic event for hide and seek, he'd be Great Britain's entry! Anyway, many thanks for this, Sterile. I've really wanted to read this book for ages!

I loved this book! I wasn't exactly sure what to make of the epilogue but I'll probably like it more once I've mulled over it - it's just a bit of a surprise. Ann Patchett keeps you gripped throughout the story and really ensures you grow attached to the characters and she plays with your own hopes as skilfully as she paints the hopes of her characters. It was impossible to read this book without imagining a dozen endings for it and when the ending came, it came all too quickly! This is another of my favourite reads of the year! Thanks for sharing this book! I've played it as my reveal in an oldest (registered) TBR swap so it shall continue on its journey as soon as the game is done :)

Won by Cabdy-is-dandy in the oldest TBR swap - posting out 9th August. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Thanks Wubbaducky - looks to be a good one! Are you sure that was your oldest TBR as you don't seem to have held on to it for very long? ;-)

I have held on to this for much too long. Time to share and release it.

On the bookshelves in the hallway.

If you have found this book I hope you enjoy it. Leave a message here to say what you thought of it and then release it for others to find.

I saw a long-travelling book had been released so went hunting today. Got lost on the way but found it eventually. I've picked up loads of Patchett's books over the years and then put them down, disappointed that it wasn't a Discworld novel. Will soon find out what I've been missing. Thanks for the free book, Folks.

A perfect meld of character viewpoint and authorial voice. If you're interested in the art of the novelist it's worth reading for that alone. Also the prose is rich and smooth but not ostentatious. And also, Patchett knows how to control a story. Very romantic. By the end I was hoping the children would be released.

With the leaflets at the back.