Author: courtneywhoblog

Mozart’s Sister by Rita Charbonnier   

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

When the name Mozart comes up, you probably immediately think of the legendary composer who died much too young, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Many forget that Wolfgang was not the only talented child in the Mozart family.

Charbonnier’s novel Mozart’s Sister tells the story of dear Nannerl, also known as Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, who found her talent being pushed aside so her younger brother could learn and grow as a musician and composer. The story itself is shaped as a retelling from Nannerl in letters exchanged with her student Victoria’s father, Armand d’Ippold, who develops a romantic relationship with Nannerl. From her eyes, you see the joyful and loving connection Nannerl and Wolfgang had as young children. And you also see how their relationship grew strained and ultimately nonexistent. It was horribly sad to see their love for one another be poisoned by their father, Leopold Mozart’s ambition for his son.

I hated that this young, talented women’s dream of being a professional musician and composer was stamped out by her father. It was excruciating to see Nannerl give up her love for music and composing and let this sense of bitterness and depression take over her being. But thankfully, the author did a beautiful job of showing how Nannerl’s love for music came back to her later in life.

I didn’t much care for the romance between Armand and Nannerl. And I was delighted to see the romance between her and Baptist blossom later in the book. I wished the author had given more moments between those two. We get pages and pages of Armand, but once he is out of the picture, we are so close to the end of the book that Baptist doesn’t get the attention he rightfully deserves.

I loved the ending of the book! I completely adored the amount of humor and content Nannerl experiences in those final pages after having years of unhappiness in the first half of her life. I couldn’t put Mozart’s Sister down, and I would recommend it to anyone with a love for music and historical fiction.

Clara by Janice Galloway   

Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5

I can’t say I loved reading this book. I can’t say I hated this book. I honestly don’t know what I expected when I chose to buy Clara, but I will admit I thought I would enjoy it more.

Galloway’s novel is a historical fiction about the composer, pianist, wife, and mother, Clara Schumann. You don’t hear of many female composers and performers who lasted as long as she did and persevered in the male-dominated industry of the 19th century. I thought it would be an exciting read.

As I was reading, I felt sad, angry, and, more often than not, suffocated. I hated how Clara as a character was treated in the book. Her father, Herr Wieck, was controlling and cruel. Her husband, the famous Robert Schumann, could be just as horrible as Wieck. Ever since I started taking an interest in music history, I’ve heard about the great love story that is Clara and Robert, but for me, it wasn’t a romance. It was a tragic story of two lonely souls. I know Robert Schumann suffered greatly with his mental health, and it didn’t help that doctors of his time couldn’t help him much. I know some things he said and did to Clara were not easily controllable. I get that, but it didn’t stop me from feeling incredibly sad for her. Clara had much to give to this world. The fact she had to deal with all the shit two of the most influential men in her life broke my soul. It was incredibly depressing seeing how much Clara had to hold back her emotions, walk on eggshells, and cautiously speak and react in a way that didn’t somehow hurt her father or husband.

Two things I did enjoy were that the author didn’t sugarcoat Clara’s life and showed how strong Clara was throughout her life. However, I wished the book wouldn’t have ended when Robert died. I would have liked to see her life after his death. She was more than just a wife to Robert Schumann; I wanted to see more of that.

Would I recommend this novel? Probably not.