Rated of 5
by Jill Review of
I thought this book was just okay but not great. It started out nicely but was not engaging as I went through the chapters. It was challenging to get through as I was quickly bored with the writing. I also would challenge her choice of dialog, as some of the things she wrote seemed to be inconsistent with the period.
Rated of 5
by Barbara Mozart's Sister
Once I got past being annoyed that Nannerl's talent was stifled so that she could support her brother, I enjoyed this book. The writing is engaging and this was an "easy" read in that the reader really wanted to continue! I love historical fiction and getting a different perspective on historical figures is fun.
Rated of 5
by Wendy The Forgtten Sister
The story of Mozart's Sister is definitely the tale of the forgotten one. Rita Charbonnier's rich language brings this story to life and makes the reader experience Nannerl's pain. Being a male, her brother's success far overshadows Nannerl's equally impressive abilities. The account of how she handles this situation is an enjoyable one.
Rated of 5
by Trish Mozart's Sister
The sacrifices Nanearl makes to insure Mozart's career were devastating, but seeing Nanearl rise above and be happy was satisfying.
Rated of 5
by Janice Mozart's Sister Mozart’s Sister by Rita Charbonnier (Crown) is the story of Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, or “Nannerl,” to her family, who was like her famous younger brother a child prodigy. Unlike Wolfgang, with whom she was in childhood very close, Nannerl’s talents were quickly channeled into teaching, in lieu of composing and performing, to support her brother’s career. Unlike Wolfgang, she remained close to her domineering father and obeyed his wishes, even in her romantic life.
The premise of Charbonnier’s imaginative novel is that Nannerl resented her lot bitterly, that she struggled to repress her love of music, and that this denial of her gifts led to her estrangement later in life from Mozart. Charbonnier’s power of invention stretches further to explain the mystery of the Mozart siblings’ estrangement by having the self-centered, dissipated young Mozart trifle with Nannerl’s favorite student, who is the daughter of her first fiancée d’Ippold (whom in fact she renounced at her father’s insistence).
Charbonnier’s “interpretation” of the historical record, scant on this intriguing sister and brother, make for an extremely lively novel in the romantic tradition. Opening with her mother’s labor pains (and cursing) at a court performance as five-year-old Nannerl placidly receives accolades for her performance at the harpsicord, the novel flashes from one graphic scene to another, leapfrogging over months or decades in cinematic fashion, with frequently shifting viewpoints. It’s all vivid and melodramatic. Whether you like it or not will depend upon how much it troubles you when, for example, an 18th-century gentleman says, “Get lost!” And how much you want your characters to offer a convincing interior life.
Rated of 5
by Michelle Fictionalized History
I was hooked on this story from the start. One of my favorite types of books are the ones that tell history in story format so you really enjoy learning about the past. This story was not a disappointment. I got a very good sense of Mozart's childhood and enjoyed learning a bit about his family life. His sister was a very stong character in her own right and the mix of fantasy & fiction kept me interested till the very end!
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