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  • The Kingdom of Back

  • By: Marie Lu
  • Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo
  • Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (124 ratings)

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The Kingdom of Back

By: Marie Lu
Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo
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Publisher's summary

From number one New York Times best-selling author Marie Lu comes a historical YA fantasy about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she'll go to make history remember her - perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke and The Hazel Wood.

Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.

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 18th 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.

And 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.

In her first work of historical fiction, number one New York Times best-selling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

©2020 Marie Lu (P)2020 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"A beautifully evocative cover and a feminist angle on Mozart’s older sister, Nannerl (a talented pianist and composer in her own right), will have readers grabbing for Lu’s latest title." (Booklist)

"A beautifully composed historical fantasy that will enthrall readers, especially those with music in their hearts." (School Library Journal)

Editor's Pick

Did you know Mozart’s sister was also a prodigy?
"Nannerl Mozart’s story is an unsurprising piece of history, but hard to swallow nonetheless: she was every bit as talenteda musician as her younger brother, Wolfgang Amadeus, but once she reached marriageable age, she was no longer allowed to pursue a career in music. There is evidence that Nannerl composed music, but none of it has survived. It’s heartbreaking. Marie Lu has taken this story, and the world that the two Mozart siblings created for themselves as children, and given breath to it in a young-adult fantasy retelling, narrated by Lauren Ezzo. I was gently pulled along into Nannerl’s consciousness, through which I felt all the frustration of never being good enough to overcome the circumstances. But there was also a sense of quiet joy and celebration when Nannerl found a fantasy world that was wholly her own, and it was ultimately a story of finding herself despite the obstacles built in her way. Marie Lu gave Nannerl the story she deserved all along, and for that I was thankful."
Melissa B., Audible Editor