Scan barcode
becbec624's review
3.0
Nannerl is the sister of Wolfgang Mozart and just wants to be remembered in a society that does not want women to be remembered for the music they create. Nannerl spends this whole book going on this ongoing adventure and making this big deal with a supernatural being just so that she can be remembered. All while her and her brother are traveling Europe as child musicians. Throughout the book you can see Wolfgang gaining the respects of the patrons and royalty as he gets commissioned while Nannerl is just a sort of afterthought. This leads to her becoming desperate for her to be the one to write the family legacy, hence the deal with the supernatural being from a made up world that both her and her brother share. I was so looking forward to loving this book. As a double violin major in college, it sounded like the perfect book for me.
I think Nannerl had so much potential. She had a spunk and a want that I just feel fell so flat during the last 2 chapters. Nannerl ends up being exactly what she stated time and time again that she did not want to be. Another problem I had with this book was the plot points that really didn't lead anywhere. Nannerl meets a boy she is interested in and then he just sort of disappears? He wrote her letters and from the looks of it she never wrote him back or tried making any communication despite being very interested in him? I could see if Johann made an appearance at the end of the book, but instead there is an unnamed husband. I just don't see at all why this character needed to be introduced There were also a lot of times where characters were so sick it seemed they were on the brink of death, but for some reason they always made a miraculous recovery.
I keep trying to understand why the ending was written the way it is. Why Nannerl had to fall so flat at the end. But I cannot. I can understand the approach of not wanting to divert from history too much, but this book includes a magical world filled with a dragon, a witch, ogre among other magical things. There was no reason Nannerl's story could not have been slightly rewritten
she could've continued composing under the vague Mozart name even if there was never no intention of publishing, she could've kept making music, even if it was just for her family and close friends, she could've married someone who was important enough to name.
*2.5 Stars*
I think Nannerl had so much potential. She had a spunk and a want that I just feel fell so flat during the last 2 chapters. Nannerl ends up being exactly what she stated time and time again that she did not want to be. Another problem I had with this book was the plot points that really didn't lead anywhere. Nannerl meets a boy she is interested in and then he just sort of disappears? He wrote her letters and from the looks of it she never wrote him back or tried making any communication despite being very interested in him? I could see if Johann made an appearance at the end of the book, but instead there is an unnamed husband. I just don't see at all why this character needed to be introduced There were also a lot of times where characters were so sick it seemed they were on the brink of death, but for some reason they always made a miraculous recovery.
I keep trying to understand why the ending was written the way it is. Why Nannerl had to fall so flat at the end. But I cannot. I can understand the approach of not wanting to divert from history too much, but this book includes a magical world filled with a dragon, a witch, ogre among other magical things. There was no reason Nannerl's story could not have been slightly rewritten
she could've continued composing under the vague Mozart name even if there was never no intention of publishing, she could've kept making music, even if it was just for her family and close friends, she could've married someone who was important enough to name.
*2.5 Stars*
hkc0125's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
paig35mith's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and the Magical Kingdom of Back. I liked it even more when relistening to it with my husband.
starrysea98's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. while being fairly captivating (marie lu NEVER disappoints with her amazing writing) i just didn’t really connect with the story if that makes sense? the whole kingdom of back thing confused me a bit bc it’s made up but at the same time, it actually exists? setting logic aside, it makes sense in a fairytale-esque kind of way. honestly i’d love to see illustrations of the kingdom of back; the queen of the night’s grotto especially!! (also didn’t mozart write an aria called queen of the night? clever!)
amy_stoffels18's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This story was able to both warm and break my heart as it displayed the price of ambition. It follows Mozart's sister in her attempt to be remembered for her music in a world that won’t allow it. Conveniently, there is another - and someone willing to make a deal.
Got a little emotional as I empathised with the main character - her struggles being the eldest daughter and her conflicting emotions for her brother.
Got a little emotional as I empathised with the main character - her struggles being the eldest daughter and her conflicting emotions for her brother.
xknight95's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting concept with beautiful writing. It juts had trouble keeping my attention at times. Fascintating to learn that Mozart had a sister who was also a musical prodigy.
sajk's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
ameena_23's review
5.0
This book was a magnificent embodiment of the love between Nannerl and Woferl that outshined all the betrayal and deception that Hyacinth had conjured up to allure them into the kingdom forever.
“All I’ve ever wanted, Nannerl, was to be like you. It is still all I hope for. I need you to know. I need you to know.” He repeated it several times.
"And suddenly I realized that, here, kept safe within the small chest of my brother, was my wish all along. I’d despaired so much of ever seeing it come true, had spent so much effort turning toward my father for validation, that I’d never taken the time to look in Woferl’s direction for it.
It was my wish not to be forgotten, to have a place within hearts when I was gone. To be remembered by the world.
But it was my brother’s wish to be like me. He was the one who handed me quill and ink. He was the one who remembered.”
“All I’ve ever wanted was to be like you".
"Perhaps I would never be remembered in the same way as my brother. Perhaps, in the world’s eyes, I would never be what I wanted to be. Perhaps the only one who would ever hold me in his heart would be Woferl. But when I was gone, my work would survive, immortalized on paper, embedded in my brother’s mind. Locked away inside me, carried on through him. No one could take that piece of my soul away".
What legacy could Nannerl have left if she'd been given the kind of attention and access that her brother enjoyed? What beautiful creations were lost to us forever because Nannerl was a woman? How many other countless talents have been silenced by history, whether for their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic circumstances?
“All I’ve ever wanted, Nannerl, was to be like you. It is still all I hope for. I need you to know. I need you to know.” He repeated it several times.
"And suddenly I realized that, here, kept safe within the small chest of my brother, was my wish all along. I’d despaired so much of ever seeing it come true, had spent so much effort turning toward my father for validation, that I’d never taken the time to look in Woferl’s direction for it.
It was my wish not to be forgotten, to have a place within hearts when I was gone. To be remembered by the world.
But it was my brother’s wish to be like me. He was the one who handed me quill and ink. He was the one who remembered.”
“All I’ve ever wanted was to be like you".
"Perhaps I would never be remembered in the same way as my brother. Perhaps, in the world’s eyes, I would never be what I wanted to be. Perhaps the only one who would ever hold me in his heart would be Woferl. But when I was gone, my work would survive, immortalized on paper, embedded in my brother’s mind. Locked away inside me, carried on through him. No one could take that piece of my soul away".
What legacy could Nannerl have left if she'd been given the kind of attention and access that her brother enjoyed? What beautiful creations were lost to us forever because Nannerl was a woman? How many other countless talents have been silenced by history, whether for their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic circumstances?
delaneybull's review
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
This dragged quite a bit, and the plot with the Kingdom of Back was pretty underwhelming. I also really hated how she just quit playing music at the end?? Like you made it fantasy already, can't we have her at least do that?