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Please Note: I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.
Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish—to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age—her tyrannical father has made that much clear.
And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true—but his help may cost her everything.
In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically-told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.
Review:
I am a huge fan of Marie Lu, having read at least half a dozen of her novels. Usually her books deal with young people navigating a dystopian society. The Kingdom of Back is a very different sort of story. Set in eighteenth century Europe, we follow Nannerl, the sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. While I loved the tension and conflict in the story of a brilliant girl overshadowed by her genius brother, the fantasy aspect of the novel didn't work for me.
What I Liked:
Setting:The realistic part of the story takes part in eighteenth century Europe. We read about how precarious life was. Mozart's parents were primarily occupied with the survival of their family. The threats of poverty and illness were real. The details of how people lived, especially when there was an outbreak of smallpox, showed how fleeting life was at that time.
Story:
I really liked the realistic portion of the story. Mozart's father (and to a lesser extent their mother) was the original stage parent! He never missed an opportunity to market his children and live off their talent. Both Nannerl and Wolfgang were exploited as child prodigies. As Nannerl struggles to understand why her brother is feted, while she is overlooked, we feel her anger and frustration. While it was somewhat acceptable for a girl to perform music, it would have been unseemly for a young woman to actually compose music. Nannerl was a girl born at the wrong time. It was heartbreaking.
Another part of the story that was quite timely was it's depiction of illness at that time. There were constant outbreaks of smallpox, and other diseases (it was a wonder that anyone grew to adulthood!). The fact that any illnesses could become fatal brings home how difficult life was at that time.
What I Didn't Like:
Fantasy Storyline:I wasn't thrilled with the fantasy story. Hyacinth, a faerie prince, tempts Nannerl with promises of fame and immortality, if she delivers her brother to the Kingdom of Back. But due to how successful Marie Lu was in showing us how limited women were at that time, we know there is no way Nannerl's dreams will come true. Without a possibility of Nannerl becoming famous in her own right, I couldn't invest in the outcome of the story.
Narration:
Usually I love listening to audiobooks, but the performance of Lauren Ezzo was irritating and overly melodramatic. This was partly due (as I mentioned earlier) to the fact that there was no way Nannerl could expect to be recognized in her own right. So when the narrator acts indignant over all the injustices Nannerl experiences, I found it annoying.
Rating:
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
Author: Marie Lu
Audio Publisher: Listening Library
Audio Length: 10 Hours, 32 Minutes
Print Publisher: G.P. Putman's Sons
Print Length: 336 Pages
Source: Publisher
Format: Audiobook
Recommendation: While the fantasy portion of the novel is over the top, this book does work as a chronicle of life for a female in the time of eighteenth century Europe.
I'm currently about 30 pages into this book and I'm finding it to be rather slow but I definitely agree that their father is the original OG stage parent haha.
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