I received an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads. Thank you for the book! Although this is the case, it has no influence over my review and rating. I am giving this book 3.5/5 stars.
This book is a great story about Marianna 'Nannerl' Mozart and her relationship with her younger brother, Wolfgang 'Wolferl' Mozart. Before reading this, I hadn't read a book where the sibling relationship is the main focus of the story, and I was not disappointed. This book opened me up to trying out more books with sibling relationships. I have my own younger brother, and we are separated by three years rather than five years, like Nannerl and Wolferl are. Although I have never felt the way Nannerl does about Wolferl with my brother, I can understand why and how she has come to feel the way she does throughout the entire book. While I think the way she feels towards her brother is realistic for a sibling, I think that the extent it went and how long it lasted might not be as realistic. I don't think Nannerl went through enough internal struggle with her conflicting emotions of her love for Wolferl and her jealousy and ambition.
Nannerl went through a decent amount of character development. Throughout the majority of the book she is driven by jealousy and ambition. Her negative character traits make her realistic and I enjoyed that. She learns valuable lessons that shape her character in the end and form her into the woman that she becomes while keeping true to herself.
The book is a bit slow, and the descriptions add to that. The second half of the book is better and was more enjoyable for me. More occurred in it and I think the descriptions toned down at least a little. Lu does a fantastic job at combining fantasy and historical fiction and I really liked how she goes about it. I think Lu was the perfect person to write this book. She has such great, lyrical writing that compliments the story. Her book has created in me a newfound interest in Nannerl and Wolferl Mozart's relationship and Nannerl's story.
This review is also on Goodreads and Bookbub!
Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes a historical YA fantasy about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she'll go to make history remember her--perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke and The Hazel Wood.
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.
Reading log: Feb. 21, 2020 to Mar. 29, 2020
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