The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett

The Magician's Assistant, Ann Patchett.  New York:  Harcourt, Inc., 1997.  e-book, 252 pps.

http://annpatchett.com/
@Ann_Patchett on twitter [outdated]
@ParnassusBooks1 on twitter [book store she is co-owner of and in use currently].

The magician is dead.  Parsifel is dead.  His grieving widow, who was also his assistant, left behind the rabbit named Rabbit, and a bunch of money.  Some of it was in the form of a structured trust to three women that Sabine had never heard of.  But Parsifel's family was dead.  He was from Connecticut, he had told her, and they had died in a horrific car accident.  An old postcard spoke the truth.  The magician had staged his own disappearing act.  He was not from Connecticut.  And his family was very much alive.  The rest of the book tells the story of what Sabine discovers about Parsifel and his family after his death. 

sapphoq reviews says:  This is the second Ann Patchett book that I've read and I plan to read the rest of them now.  The Magician's Assistant gave me a sense of being there.  I was in the audience at The Magic Hat and at the Johnnie Carson show.  I was at the cemetery outside of Los Angeles.  I was watching the snow twirl and fall outside the window of the little house in Nebraska.  The conversations were realistic, the characters were complex, and Rabbit was a darling.  Highly recommended to intelligent readers who enjoy a sense of place and who enjoy unconventional love stories. 

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Bel Canto, Ann Patchett.  New York: Harper-Collins, 2001. e-book, 265 pps.

Bel Canto is an excellent book.  I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did.  From the first moment, I was captivated by the almost lyrical language and the characters in the grand room of the vice president in a South American country.  There is a Japanese man whose birthday it is, his translator, an opera singer, a pianist, and the rest of the folks in the room gathered together.  Most of them are strangers to each other, drawn together by fate.  Suddenly, a bunch of militia who are barely out of childhood and their three generals burst in.

The militia are from impoverished jungle settlements.  They speak Quechua and a patois of Quechua and Spanish.  They take over the party.  Unfortunately for them, the object of their kidnapping-- the President-- neglected to attend the party.  He had chosen instead to stay home that night and watch his favorite soap opera.

The hostages represent a mixture of languages.  The translator is the only one who can communicate with all of the other hostages and with the militia.  There is a prolonged standoff.  During that time, the hostages and the militia develop into an awkward, uneasy community.  Friendships are made and romance develops out of the enforced intimacy.

sapphoq reviews says:  I thoroughly enjoyed Bel Canto.  Ann Patchett did a fine job with the storyline and with the characters, emotional tones, and dialogues throughout this prize-winning novel.  The setting and writing style puts Bel Canto above what is usually found in chick lit.  Highly recommended for anyone who wishes to read something not based in American culture.  Although I suspect that women would enjoy this book more than most men would, I cannot help but think that men who skip this offering are missing out.