Rated of 5
by Peggy Mozart Sonata
Mozart's sister, Nannerl, was a very talented musician in her own right. If there had been no Mozart could this woman have taken his place?
The talent was there but females had one role in that time and it wasn't composing music, writing operas and such. All the advantages that Nannerl had before her brother's birth were lost the moment he showed his talent.
Charbonnier tempts us with love letters to start off and from there on this is a tale of passion, love, music, resentment, ambition and ego. Nannerl's love for her brother warred with her desire to have what he had.
She may have stepped back for her brother but I doubt she ever accepted fully the role she was cast in. Yet what a life it must have been and what dreams she had despite everything.
Written as fiction it incorporates real characters, real events and filling in between the lines of Nannerl's life to pose how it all might have been.
If you think you know Mozart's life, you haven't met his sister and heard her side of the story. This is a very bittersweet tale and well worth the read.
Rated of 5
by Lenora Review of Mozart's Sister
A book about a dysfunctional family, scandals, true love and music. Lots and lots of music. Sad that women have come so far and how little has changed.
Rated of 5
by Erica Mozart's Sister by Rita Charbonnier Mozart's Sister is an excellent portrayal of the frustrations of an extremely talented, artistic and intelligent woman, living at a time when women's contributions were ignored and only men's gifts were touted. As the sister of the prodigy, Wolfgang Mozart, Nannerl was cast in the shadows and allowed little other than a supporting role. Charbonnier has brought a character, given a minor role in history, to life. She shows the dysfunctional Mozart family in a manner different from other authors, who put Wolfgang in the limelight and mention Nannerl only in passing, and shows the true villainy of Leopold.
Rated of 5
by Kathy I was hoping for greatness
I loved the IDEA of this book, and hoped it would reach the same heights of warmth, impact, and believability as Tracy Chevalier’s Girl With a Pearl Earring or Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl. Unfortunately, Charbonnier’s stiff, third-person prose kept me at too great a distance from the mind and heart of the enigmatic Nannerl. I think Charbonnier could have better connected with her readers by including a map of the story’s geography, for instance, and a foreword citing extant letters, family histories, palace documents, etc. as anchors upon which her tale was spun. For me, confidence that this narrative was soundly researched and factually based would have added a credible dimension to this sometimes disjointed and imperfect book. As an early reader, I couldn’t help wishing that one final pass by a brilliant editor could have tightened this novel for a more successful and sympathetic public run, and made it more fully satisfying. While Mozart’s Sister was very good in places, as outlined in other reviews -- ultimately for me, this telling fell short.
Rated of 5
by Glenn Great Read!
For anyone with an interest in music, history or just a touching story about family, desire, opportunities lost, opportunities gained. A wonderful book that expertly blends fact and fiction to provide a window into an historic family and to create characters that linger long after the final page is read.
Rated of 5
by Liz Mozart's Sister
I was really looking forward to reading this book because I love historical fiction. I found this novel to be a bit boring. I prefered the first half of the book to the second. I was torn between pity and annoyance towards Nannerl when her father shunned her and set her aside to Wolfgang. It was hard for me to feel sorry for her when she was so bitter. I was glad that she renewed her passion for music at the end of the book. Overall, I probably would not have finished the book if I did not have to give a review.
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