The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
Standalone
Published on March 3, 2020 by Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Age Range: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Rating:
Synopsis:
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 eighteenth-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.
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.
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I am going to tell you a story you already know. But listen carefully, because within it is one you have never heard before.
When you hear “Mozart”, the only name that pops up to mind is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy. No one knew about his older sister Maria Anna Mozart, a genius in her own rights as well.
Following a young girl who wanted to be remembered forever, her marvellous playing to be immortalised in history, The Kingdom of Back is Nannrel’s story. The story of a girl who had dreamt to be everything but was restricted by society’s expectation. Despite her talent in playing the clavier, Nannerl was consistently reminded that the older she is, her value will drop. That, ultimately, her end goal is to be married off. Even when she composed beautiful pieces, Nannerl can never publish it under her own name. Even though she possessed an amazing talent, Nannerl is forced to keep it hidden.
Watching her brother become a world famous child prodigy must be hard on Nannerl. Although she’s incredibly talented, Wolfgang just surpassed everyone’s imagination because he started young. His ear for music and ability to compose music shocked and amazed everyone. While Wolfgang remained in the limelight, Nannerl was overshadowed and overlooked.
Despite everything, the sibling relationship between Wolfgang and Nannerl warmed my heart. Although there were friction, especially when Nannerl’s hard work was invalidated, the brother and sister were close. Wolfgang knew how much it was killing Nannerl but didn’t understand why she had to keep her compositions a secret. Nannerl, though scared of being forgotten, was extremely proud of Wolfgang’s successes. It’s hard not to care for them since The Kingdom of Back narrated the progression of them growing up. Wolfgang’s vulnerability and Nannerl’s protectiveness tugged on my heartstrings. Watching them grow together and as individuals, through the good and bad times, just added to my enjoyment.
“Wishes have a habit of surprising their makers.”
I adored The Kingdom of Back. This is Marie Lu’s first work in the genre and I’m amazed at how she balanced the historical fiction plot with the fantasy world. I’m not a huge classical music person but I’ve only known Mozart as Wolfgang who died young. Now I just can’t help but wonder how the music industry or even the world would have changed if Nannerl, a girl, had been able to publish her own composition. Regrettably, there are a lot of “what ifs” connected to Nannerl.
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