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A review by quotemeasonnet
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
βπ΄πππ ππππ ππππππππ ππ.β
The Kingdom of Back is a magical and thought provoking story of a name we've all heard before β "Mozart" β but it belongs not to the boy who was immortalised for centuries to come, rather, to his sister who though forgotten, was worthy of just as much.
Though it takes the route of a fantasy world with an evil faery, a ruined kingdom and an eerie bargain, it is inspired by very real people and their very real circumstances.
My favourite aspect was the mystical tone it carried, it felt like a fairytale. It is written so beautifully that you get lost in the dazzling visuals it fabricates in your minds, almost as if carefully and delicately woven by an enchanted thread.
Another aspect that struck me was the harsh unfairness Nannerl faced. It was impossible to not feel furious towards the unjust treatment of Nannerl and her talent by her father and how easily he turned a blind eye to how much better she deserved for her accomplishments. I could not help but sympathise with her in the moments when the world around her seemed dead set on burying her hopes and dreams no matter how desperately she chased after them.
It is truly infuriating that though she matched her brother equally well, in her skills to both perform and compose, she lived with a timer that was set to end her freedom to hold what she loved most while her brother would go on to become the greatest and most beloved composer of all time, worthy of innumerous praises while Nannerl would be lost in the pages of history simply and only because she was a woman born in an era undeserving of her.
It makes me wonder about how many more worthy and skilled names have been forgotten or left undiscovered simply because of their gender, and how many works that we today consider to be prized pieces are actually written by women who were not allowed to come forth to claim them.
I'm not really someone who actively picks books that primarily centre around historical misogyny, but I'm glad I got to read this one. It was a completely worthwhile read!
The Kingdom of Back is a magical and thought provoking story of a name we've all heard before β "Mozart" β but it belongs not to the boy who was immortalised for centuries to come, rather, to his sister who though forgotten, was worthy of just as much.
Though it takes the route of a fantasy world with an evil faery, a ruined kingdom and an eerie bargain, it is inspired by very real people and their very real circumstances.
My favourite aspect was the mystical tone it carried, it felt like a fairytale. It is written so beautifully that you get lost in the dazzling visuals it fabricates in your minds, almost as if carefully and delicately woven by an enchanted thread.
Another aspect that struck me was the harsh unfairness Nannerl faced. It was impossible to not feel furious towards the unjust treatment of Nannerl and her talent by her father and how easily he turned a blind eye to how much better she deserved for her accomplishments. I could not help but sympathise with her in the moments when the world around her seemed dead set on burying her hopes and dreams no matter how desperately she chased after them.
It is truly infuriating that though she matched her brother equally well, in her skills to both perform and compose, she lived with a timer that was set to end her freedom to hold what she loved most while her brother would go on to become the greatest and most beloved composer of all time, worthy of innumerous praises while Nannerl would be lost in the pages of history simply and only because she was a woman born in an era undeserving of her.
It makes me wonder about how many more worthy and skilled names have been forgotten or left undiscovered simply because of their gender, and how many works that we today consider to be prized pieces are actually written by women who were not allowed to come forth to claim them.
I'm not really someone who actively picks books that primarily centre around historical misogyny, but I'm glad I got to read this one. It was a completely worthwhile read!