I read some great reviews about this, and was anxious to read it. I read a lot, and love great writing. However, after 200 pages of this thing, I just couldn't take it anymore. What started off as intriguing and suspenseful gradually turned tedious and implausible. Ms. Patchett's characters seemed to lose more of their charm each day the hostage situation dragged.........on.Eventually, I didn't care about any of them. I just don't see how all those men could suddenly fall in love with Opera and the diva. I have a hard time believing that the people "outside" would do nothing for four months - c'mon! Mr. Hosokawa...who could like him? Roxane Coss...diva is right - totally unlikable. Gen...great potential for development until his juvenile infatuation with the little terrorist. I don't care what happened. I had to quit.