Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Image: Penguin Random House

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu. Unabridged e-audiobook. ~632 m. Read by Lauren Ezzo. Listening Library, March, 2020. 9780593155103. (Review of downloadable e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu. TMS's many fans of Ms. Lu's science fiction/ dystopian may do a double-take when they learn that this fantasy has its roots in history and veers more toward fairy tale and magic than science. It is the story of Nannerl Mozart, music prodigy and older sister to Wolferl. Their father hopes to gain the patronage of wealthy families and so, travels with his two children all over Europe. When Wolferl's talents begin to surpass his older sister's, Nannerl sees her father's attention wane and soon realizes that she will be expected to abandon music to marry and have children. She is, in fact, the more talented having turned to composing.

A pretend game the two play about an imaginary kingdom called Back comes to life and beckons both children. Here everything mirrors their own life and yet it different, slightly more sinister. A boy named Hyacinth sees into Nannerl's soul and promises her she will never be forgotten if... She must perform three tasks for him. Doing so may put Wolferl at peril. 

After a bit of a slow start, the world of 18th century Europe and the life of musical artists is brought to vivid life and infused with magic when melded with the mirror world. The complicated sibling relationship was well drawn. At times, I felt a bit of tell and not show poking through, but that might have been the narrator's fault. Otherwise, the narrator's quietly musical delivery was pleasing to hear and there was real tension and suspense. 

I'm very interested to see if the author's die-hard fans give this a go. I can't wait to share the title with my serious music students as well as fans of historical fantasy. Intriguing.