Amadeus meets Little Women in this irresistibly delightful historical novel by award-winning author Stephanie Cowell. The year is 1777 and the four Weber sisters, daughters of a musical family, share a crowded, artistic life in a ramshackle house. While their father scrapes by as a music copyist and their mother secretly draws up a list of prospective suitors in the kitchen, the sisters struggle … sisters struggle with their futures, both marital and musical—until twenty-one-year-old Wolfgang Mozart walks into their lives. Bringing eighteenth-century Europe to life with unforgiving winters, yawning princes, scheming parents, and the enduring passions of young talent, Stephanie Cowell’s richly textured tale captures a remarkable historical figure—and the four young women who engage his passion, his music, and his heart.
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On my list of the best historical novels is this beautiful tale based on the early life of Mozart and a talented musical family, including four daughters who loved the young composer. Sometimes you want to read a historical book that is not about war or other dire circumstances, and this one is perfect for that. Great for the holidays!
Don’t mistake it for a light airy read, however. In fact, the Webers are a working-class family just barely getting by. But their home is full of love and music, and you will be drawn in by the story that in essence asks, “Which one of the sisters is Mozart going to marry and why?” The author does such a good job of keeping you in suspense that the ending is never a foregone conclusion, and you won’t even find out who is narrating the story (one of the sisters) until the very end. Alas, my favorite of the sisters does not end up with Mozart, but I loved the book anyway.
I always admire authors who come up with an unusual premise and construct, and Stephanie Cowell does it well in this novel. Another mesmerizing book that features an unusual premise and construct is The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio. I highly recommend that one, too.
Stephanie Cowell writes such truly magical historical fiction – she inhabits her characters.
This is the story of the 4 Weber sisters who live in Mannaheim. They are a musical family performing in small venues when Wolfgang Mozart enters their lives. He falls for the second eldest daughter, Aloysia. She is very beautiful and a talented singer and Mozart plans to marry her. Unfortunately, his parents have other plans for him. Mozart’s talents have already begun to show themselves, and his parents want him to focus on becoming successful and put of marriage until he is 30 years old.
He continues to put off Aloysia as he returns to Austria to continue to write operas and music. Aloysia then gets a job to sing in Vienna, and the whole family moves with her. Aloysia gets tired of waiting for Mozart, though, and falls in love with another man. Mozart is heartbroken, and delves into his work.
Meanwhile the other sisters are left with their mother. Their father has died and they are trying to care for a retched woman who never says a nice word to the girls. Josepha finally runs away, Sophia joins a convent, and that leaves Constanze at home with her mother. Mozart becomes a boarder at the girl’s mother’s house and soon finds himself falling for Constanze.
In the end, Constanze and Mozart wed. We know that their married life is short because Mozart dies at the age of 35.
The story does go back and forth between the girl’s young lives, and Sophia as an elderly woman telling the story for an interview. I really liked this book. It was well written, and a light read, and I know that it has truth undertones. The author is clear that is basically historical fiction. Mozart was married to Constanze. He was from Austria. He did write fantastic music and operas. This book touches very lightly on his life and focuses mostly on the lives of the four girls.
I enjoyed it. I encourage you to read it. I find it amazing that Mozart – the brilliant musician – struggled so much to just survive almost his whole life. It is truly amazing.