The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu Review

 Title: The Kingdom of Back 

Author: Marie Lu 

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult 

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction 

Series: Standalone 

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars 

I bought a copy of this book and reviewed it for Christmas. 

Marie Lu is one of my favorite authors; her series The Young Elites is one of my favorites. So, when I went to the bookstore to spend some of my holiday money and saw this on the shelf, I decided to snatch it up. My husband picked it for me, and I was immediately enchanted by the story of Nannerl Mozart and her younger brother, Wolfgang Amadeus. A masterful blend of fantasy and historical fiction, I absolutely loved The Kingdom of Back! Absolutely bewitching! 

Nannerl Mozart is a talented musician in her own right, but she is soon overshadowed in the field by her own little brother, a precocious prodigy at the clavier. Being a woman, she knows she only has a limited time before marriage and motherhood come for her. She tells her brother stories about a magical land called The Kingdom of Back as they travel throughout 1800s Europe. And one fateful night, a faery prince named Hyacinth appears to her, offering to make her dearest wish, to be remembered and celebrated for her compositions, come true. But she soon discovers that her wish has unseen consequences, and she must decide between being remembered and the life of her beloved brother, her best friend in the world... 

I really, really loved this book! The pacing was breakneck, though the dates and places were a little hard to keep straight. Nan’s voice was frank and sad, and I was captivated by her narration, and her fierce desire to be remembered for her music, not just the accompaniments she provides for her younger brother. When a mysterious being from The Kingdom of Back offers her a bargain, fame and fortune in exchange for a series of dangerous, magical quests, she leaps at the chance. But when she realizes that her actions have real-life consequences, she begins to wonder if her dream is really worth it... 

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was snappy and breakneck; this book grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until long after I read the final pages. I loved Nannerl’s voice, and her fierce desire to be remembered for her music in her own right, not just partnered with her brother. The Kingdom of Back was dark, magical, and mysterious; by the end, I was nearly as seduced by Hyacinth as Nan was. I loved the quest aspect of the novel, and the real-world consequences that resulted as Nan gives everything, and nearly her own heart and soul, in exchange for her dreams made true. Honestly this might be one of my favorites of Lu’s novels; I absolutely adored this book. One of the best books I’ve read in the year of 2022! The bottom line: Rich with detail and dark magic, I loved The Kingdom of Back! Next on deck: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo!