Melissa handed me this book one day and said she thought I would enjoy it. She was right! It was enjoyable, different, and sweet. Yet it didn't "call" to me when I wasn't in it. It wended its way slowly and subtly through time as a group of foreign nationals were held hostage in a Latin capital.
The characters were intriguing and beautifully described. The development of the relationships under these extraordinary circumstances was interesting. People said what was in their hearts. People bonded with people they would have never spoken to in other circumstances. The author did a delightful job of making me wonder what I would do if my world were radically altered. It seems like a whole new set of mores came into being and old ones went out the door. It also illustrated the transformative power of beauty...in this case, an opera singer's beautiful singing.
My favorite part is around page 220 where a Russian declares his love for the American opera singer through a Japanese translator. There is so much heart and truth in this scene, that it's almost embarrassing and painful to read! I read it aloud to Leonard one night, and he agreed it was a fascinating scene. It also reveals some wonderful insights about the nature of unselfish love and the purpose of declaring it. And the story of the Russian's book of art and its influence on him is a reinforcement of the message about the power of beauty in one's life. Very sweet, very different, very refreshing. Maybe that's why I'm called back to the DC art galleries again and again and again!
The ending of the story is somewhat disturbing and surprising, but when I thought about it, it felt true.
Lovely story. Often disturbing. Deep and complex characters, and rich descriptions.
