Reflections: Shadow Princess

To the uninitiated, Shadow Princess, is the third book in a series that fictionalizes some of the powerful, albeit, hidden personalities of the Mughal dynasty. The first two books - The Twentieth Wife, and The Feast of Roses, narrate the colorful life of one of the most influential and impressive women of the Mughal Empire - Jahangir’s twentieth, and most beloved wife - Nur Jahan (or Mehrunissa). In this third book, Shah-Jahan (Jahangir’s rebellious son) is the sovereign ruler of the Mughal lands, who is shattered at losing his dear wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand). He struggles to cope with his heartbreak, and diverts his sorrow to the construction of the most spectacular tomb for her - the Luminous Tomb (or the Taj Mahal). At his time of distress, he banks on his strong and clever daughter, Jahanara, an uncanny reminder of his wife. Shah Jahan’s dependence on Jahanara is so immense, that the pristine and loving bond between father and daughter gets besmirched due to treacherous rumors. Yet, the bond never wanes, and Jahanara resolutely stays by her father’s side, till his demise. Although Jahanara has receded into the shadows of history texts, this book pulls her out and spills out her story.

Although I read the first two books last year, I had no curiosity or interest in reading the third (and I think, final) book of the series. The deceit and greed of the Mughal time period tired me. I knew what to expect from this book - the repeat of events. Greedy Aurangazeb snatches the throne, imprisons his ill father and kills his brothers. History surely repeated in the Mughal dynasty. However, what re-piqued my interest was the last book I read - The Enchantress of Florence. Salman Rushdie’s descriptions of the Mughal era made me thirsty for more, and who else but Indu Sundaresan can deliver astounding descriptions of Mughal life.

And so, I grabbed this book. The writing quenched my thirst suitably - more than adequately. Almost beyond the point of satiation. I think Indu Sundaresan has mastered the art of writing about the Mughal era - her words are poetic, romantic, and extremely elegant and beautiful. Her florid writing seems to make any scene, even the most mundane, scintillating and interesting. This is partly due to the artistic and poetic touch she gives to every detail - be it a landscape, a person, a building, a tiny artifact. Particularly, her prose shines with the meticulous details she carefully and artfully uses to describe the Taj Mahal, and its construction. I am a person who usually never pays attention to details (well almost, never). I gather the big picture and then move on. But writers like her, kindle the romantic poet in the reader. The words make us skew our rigid (boring) perspectives just a little; to slant our eyes to see the cast of colors and shadows thrown by a plain oil-wicker lamp, or to squint at the afternoon sun lighting up a garden in a million different shades.

So yes, having dedicated a whole effusive paragraph to the writing, let me get to my quibbles. I hate that I’m starting to sound like a pompous, pretentious, know-it-all book critic, but I have to say that while the writing was impressive, it didn’t capture the characters or the story well. Jahanara was described almost identical to how Mehrunissa was. I find no difference between the characterizations of the two women - both were smart, strong-willed, beautiful, influential, and bold enough to go against tradition and create scandals. If at all someone clipped a section from one of the books and asked me to identify the woman being described, I would be at a loss. Almost all the characters had the same “voice” of the narrator - all their dialogues were erudite and poetic, and it was unrealistic to me. There was no distinct characterization, except probably for Aurangazeb; even Shah Jahan started resembling Jahangir.  This might partly be due to the domination of third-person narration in the book. This may have still not been problematic had the narration not focused excessively on the romantic details. The story itself was like a small fruit, sitting inside layers and layers of flowery, extravagant husk. For instance, the description of Jahanara walking down a corridor in the palace easily ran up to (and sometimes more) than two whole pages, while Aurangazeb’s final coup and displacement of Shah Jahan and his brothers, also comes to around two pages. Since there was so much narration and little dialogue or interactions in comparison, parts of the book sounded like a history text - a lyrical one, though.

Despite my quibbles, I surely appreciated reading about Aurangazeb and Jahanara. Until now, I hadn’t paid attention to the fact that Aurangazeb was a staunch Muslim, who went against the principles of tolerance and secularism that his predecessors had embraced. In stark contrast, Jahanara was ahead of her times, well read and balanced in her views. However, it is ironical that Aurangzeb, a man who was so steeped in social and religious propriety, committed categorically callous and amoral deeds by killing his own brothers and snatching the Empire from his ailing father.

Digested Thoughts: It was interesting to read about Princess Jahanara, and the construction of the Taj Mahal. Indu Sundaresan’s writing is always a treat, but I wish the lovely writing was wielded to give more depth and flair to her characters and the historical events. 

 

Reflections: Madame Tussaud

Madam Tussaud’s wax exhibition has earned exceptional fame and praise for over two centuries, that it is now regarded as a Hall of Fame.  I have given a thought or two about this successful entrepreneur who skilfully brought the art of sculpting to mainstream entertainment. But I had no idea this person lived during the tumultuous time of the French revolution. It is fascinating that she both survived the terrible upheaval, and also successfully established her trade from France to England, to now all over the world. If her wax museum is still uproariously popular all over the world, it is a testament to her sharp business acumen and unrelenting ambition. For these reasons, Michelle Moran’s historical fiction on Madam Tussaud's life during the French revolution promises to be an interesting read.

As expected, Moran defines Madam Tussaud (or Mademoiselle Grosholtz before her marriage) as a fiercely ambitious and determined woman. Her uncle took her as an apprentice and trained her in sketching and wax-sculpting, and with his help she ran a wax exhibition which displayed life-like models of the royals, politicians, noblemen, and philosophers. She focuses her life on improving and popularizing her wax exhibition, constantly innovating and exploiting people’s innate curiosity of celebrities and their life. When King Louis XVI and the Queen Marie Antoinette visit her museum to view the wax models of  the palace, and of themselves and their family, they are so impressed by Marie’s (Madam Tussaud's) talent, that they invite her to teach wax modeling and sculpting to the King’s pious sister, Princess Elisabeth. Marie is thrilled at the publicity and recognition her exhibition elicits due to this offer, that she eagerly takes it up to teach the Princess, despite the growing unrest and frustration of the people towards the royals. In fact, some of Marie’s friends are openly against the King and the Queen and are plotting a revolution to bring about a constitutional monarchy.

Moran makes it seem like Marie’s support and sympathies are with the Royals, due to her close friendship with Princess Elisabeth. The King and Queen are shown as earnest nobles who were cast in an unfortunate light due to rumors and ignorance. My quibble is that I don’t understand this perspective; I failed to get an objective and complete picture of the Royals. The ostentatious nature of the royal life comes through Moran’s prose, and the reader can sense Marie’s slight disapproval of their high-handed nature and pampered life when her own family struggled to put food on the table, yet it isn’t clear why she still sympathizes with them. To justify it to her friendship with the Princess was not entirely satisfactory to me. Perhaps she thought the punishment meted out was far more severe than what they deserved and was therefore sympathetic?

While the revolutionary “rationalists” had good ideas and principles on equality and liberty, history tells us that this plan went awry and they turned into barbaric murderers. Moran describes the morbid and grisly crimes that were perpetuated by the very same rationalists who condemned the Royals for their mistreatment of the masses. Marie was forced to make death masks (wax models) of several prominent non-patriots (the ones who favored the royals). She was given the grim task of using their severed heads to sculpt masks that served as warnings to people, and reminders to progeny. It is hence understandable that Marie was repulsed by the revolutionaries, but I would have still appreciated more information on the Royals, their various deeds which incited the people, and the reasons for Marie’s support towards them.

My second crib with the book is that Marie’s character was quite flat. Moran brings forth her shrewdness, feminism and ambition, showing how she risked her love and her own life to remain in France for the sake of her exhibition and her mother. But there was no character development beyond this determined facade. Marie’s passion and her struggles through the “Reign of Terror” don’t have any soul to them. It felt like Marie was simply narrating the French Revolution, rather than her life during the revolution. Although the book was 400+ pages, I felt there was so much more missing about Marie, in terms of her personality. I was especially disheartened that the last pages of the book were rushed, and important parts of Marie’s life were condensed to a couple of sentences. I felt more satisfied with the epilogue than with the entire book. That's not a good sign.
 

Digested Thoughts: The book holds promise, but it was a disappointment to me. However, there are plenty of rave reviews for it on Amazon, so my point view may just be a quirky rarity. My main disappointment is that none of the characters were well-defined. Marie didn’t come alive as a person. She was portrayed as a cliched ambitious woman, and didn’t have a distinct personality of her own. I can’t come to terms with Marie’s superficial recounts of her struggles and her unfortunate task of molding severed heads. I understand that Moran wanted to signify Marie’s strength, resolve, and her numbness towards death and morbidity, but it wasn’t executed well. Due to this, I found the writing to be abrupt and without much feeling. But I did learn more about Madam Tussaud, her life, and the French Revolution than I remember from textbooks, so I’m glad for the learning experience. 

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan - The Finale

Thoughts on Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5a.

And finally, here are my concluding remarks on this epic series! It feels like I’m back from a time-travel of the past, and have returned with renewed pride and attachment towards my native land! I’m content that I eventually got around to reading and appreciating this series, albeit through English translations. Some day I plan to listen to the Tamil audio narration since I now know the story to fill in any gulfs in my understanding, and can instead dwell on the beauty of the language (as much as I can follow, that is!).

I have to admit - I didn’t expect the finale to contain any more sudden turns of events, but how wrong was I! I thought the finale was just going to be the grand ending that tied up the remaining loose threads in predictable ways. But now I realize that the entire series was spun around that one pivotal historical incident which springs up on us in this final book! It really crowns the magnanimity, nobility, righteousness and generosity of Arulmozhi Varma (King Raja Raja Chozha). I’ll leave it at that, before I spoil the suspense any more, unless of course, you’re well versed in Tamil history and already are aware of how the events turned out.

It’s quite incredulous in some ways that the story has a happy ending - that is, the good parties prevail and the wrong-doers are avenged. Like an old Tamil movie, or a Dickens novel, good and bad were delineated sharply, and the turn of events (many by chance) came together to bless the good! It makes the entire era sound fantastical and mythical - a time where Dharma had a clear meaning and it did prevail in the end! I also appreciated the little discussion on Dharma that was interleaved in this volume.  Of course, the great writer, Kalki has played a key role in defining the characters as good or bad to suit the turn of events. Still reading about how the characters face a turning point of realization, and turn into new leaves, is quite stirring. How often do we desperately wish people would face such turning-point-moments in our own lives, and then sadly accept that such moments are reserved just for great stories and movies! It was nice to be transported to a more pristine and simpler time when people did change! The only down side (just a little) is that it makes some of the characters seem a little inconsistent and fickle... although it’s not Kalki’s fault. But the author does repeatedly mention that human nature is unpredictable and can change drastically from time to time, and thus acknowledges some of the inconsistencies.

What this series manages to do is impart heavy moral lessons, which is why it is hailed as a great epic.

Digested Thoughts - I have run out of words at this point and will only reiterate my thoughts from the 5 other posts I’ve written. This epic surely deserves its recognition and praises. It’s been a long time since I was this addicted to a series. It was engaging, entertaining and was crafted expertly to create multiple dimensions of suspense and mystery. It brings history alive with much welcomed romanticism, and beautifully portrays the essential virtues of the Chozha Kings that need to be emulated by present and future leaders of our land. This is definitely one of the best books (series) I’ve read. 

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.5a) - The Pinnacle of Sacrifice

Thoughts on Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4

Volume 5 is actually split into two parts. In this first part of the finale, the conspirators finally attack, some ignorant characters have their “eyes opened”, and they unite with the “good” forces. Some mishaps and attacks are thwarted, some are implemented, and chaos breaks out. It’s up to the grand finale to now wrap things up. Although I realize who will be crowned, there are still numerous other concerns about other sub-plots, because I am hopelessly invested in the characters. Will there be an unacceptable tragedy? Or a tragical sacrifice, as the title suggests? Is the sacrifice over? What will be the losses and the costs? Which characters will emerge successful?

I know this is partly fiction, yet, it is heartening to read about the strong filial bonds that were respected and upheld. I can never get past the callousness of the Mughal dynasty - how sons, fathers and brothers treated each other inhumanely to seek the throne. It’s nice to know that the Chozha men at least stuck together and battled their common foes. None of the men seem to have had the greed and lust for the throne, especially at the cost of their own family. They were ambitious no doubt, but morality and conscience still hovered in the background. The story explicates many such morals on loyalty, friendship and love. And of course, the Tamil women are glorified sky high for their sacrifices and chastity, some of which are obviously a little irrelevant and unnecessary.

In addition, the questions raised in the previous book - on the moral responsibilities of a King etc, are addressed through Buddhist tenets. One needs to be as practical as possible with the knowledge that we can’t control everything. The greatest moral imperative is service to humanity in every form possible. As long as the heart and mind are in their right places, and we embrace tolerance and love, and seek to serve and help humanity, our moral duty upholds.

Finally, one of the major climaxes that featured in this volume was a little unsatisfactory, because I couldn’t fully comprehend the characters’ motivations and ruses. It seemed like the smart people in it could have handled it better. Perhaps it was meant to be so convoluted and the final book will clarify it for me.

However, the most unfortunate thing is - I don’t have the final book yet to put an end to these questions and looming suspense! How cruel. Now I have to twiddle my thumbs and wait. Or I could go on with my life and give myself some sleep, and feed the poor souls at home (which include my fishies). So, until then I will give this space and myself a breather. 

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.4) - The Crown

Thoughts on Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

As is obvious by now, I have been reading like a mad woman who rushes through her day to get back to the series, and remains sticking to the words and the bygone era, oblivious to sleep and other such mild concerns. Anyway, this addiction needs to tone down or the series needs to end soon, whichever comes first!

The fourth volume begins with the Crown Prince Aditya Karikala journeying down south to get to Kadambur, to mainly meet the young Queen, Nandini. The Crown Prince has been trying to atone for a rash act of his. The haunting images of the past and his unyielding conscience turn him into a tortured soul. In this state, he is unsure of whom to trust, and whom not to. Although his trusted messenger Vandiya Devan brings him news and tries to unravel all the mysteries, he still vacillates, unsure of what the truth is. Back in Tanjore, The King Sundara Chozha frets over his sons, unable to understand why he can’t get either of them to come to Tanjore to meet him. The Prime Minister and Princess Kundavai try to ameliorate the King’s distress by attempting to resolve his fears and mysteries from the past, but the poor King is too warped up in the manipulative games of the conspirators, that even he doesn’t acknowledge the truth amidst the overwhelming confusion.

Therefore, this volume shows the true burden and mental anguish that comes with being a member of the royalty - especially being a reigning King or Crown Prince. Kalki brings out the moral predicaments and questions that plague the valiant warriors - at the end of the day, no matter how virtuous one is at heart, isn’t it a crime to murder one’s “enemies” in the name of conquests and territorial hunger? Lives are lost and ruined, and the defeated clan nurtures a blood-thirsty revenge which sets loose another revolt. How will this vicious chain of revenge subside if it continues down the generations, resulting in more violence and vengeance? Trapped within a murky wheel of revenge, pride and territorial-ego, what is right, what is wrong, and what is moral?

This volume is fast-paced and ends with the question of how the truth will ever surface to convince the key players and rescue the Chozha dynasty in time. To add to all the political entanglements, the “love-triangles” between the characters turn into importance as they seem to dangerously impact the turn of events. The words fly past the pages and the characters fully come to life to reenact history. And I am desperately glued to the pages till I see the ending!

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.3) - The Killer Sword

Thoughts on Part 1, and Part 2.

My thoughts are officially now in the Chozha time-period, roaming my ancestral towns and villages, and dreaming of wars and sudden ambushes. I am completely immersed in the story that sometimes it’s disorienting to come back to the real world. In the third part of this historical saga, the fanatic Pandiya association stealthily close in on their revolution to wipe out the Chozhas and claim the throne to avenge the death of their Pandiya King, Veerapandiya. Upon sensing the instability of their governance, the civilians are at unrest, threatening to react violently if their beloved Prince Arulmozhi is ousted. Making matters worse, no one knows if the Prince survived the storm. The witty hero Vandiya Devan shuttles between the royalties, trying to deliver important messages and wriggling out of sticky situations he gets into. The conspirators diplomatically try to trap the Crown Prince Adithya Karikala, with the help of the dangerously bewitching young Queen, Nandini. Things seem to run out of control and the whole Empire is shrouded with an ominous gloom.

I thought this volume dragged a little in terms of the plot. There were plenty of scenes which seemed superfluous, however they definitely contributed to defining the characters, and the extent to which they dictated the fate of the Empire. Stories within stories give shape to the significance of the historical elements, and they help us understand the motivations of the characters.

I was really impressed by the secular attitude that the Chozha Kings and Princes adopted. Sundara Chozha and Arulmozhi Varma are shown to be patrons of Buddhism, in addition to being zealous Siva devotees. Once again, this volume brings out the magnanimous nature of the Chozhas, and their burning ambition to further their Empire. But, even conquests are not shown as ruthless acquisitions of wealth. This is probably the author's romanticized view, but it makes the story interesting. It’s nice to believe that my ancestral place was ruled by brave and benevolent dynasties.

I read Part 3 of the book published by Macmillan India, and translated by C.V. Karthik Narayanan. This edition has simple illustrations interspersed within the pages, making it fun to envision characters. Speaking of which, here is a lovely illustration of the Chozha Princess Kundavai, by my talented friend. 

 
The translation by Karthik Narayanan was good and the editing was much tighter, although there were a couple of minor lapses. I thought some phrases were getting redundant, but that might just be due to the inadequacy of trying to represent one language through another. But overall, it was well-written. I enjoy reading all the poetic dialogues and references, and every now and then I can see through the translation and realize the actual Tamil lines and I congratulate myself gleefully :). Hopefully the fourth volume continues this trend, but teems with plenty of action!

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.2) - Whirlwind

Thoughts on Part 1.

In this second part of the book, more characters get introduced and are given shape - such as the Ocean Princess, Poonkuzhali, who is a tremendous help to both Vandiya Devan and the young Prince, Arulmozhi Varma. As Sundara Chozha physically deteriorates, his mind plagues him with fears and superstitious beliefs in spells and curses. His past is unraveled and many of the mysteries surrounding the first part of the book come to light. As the plot unfurls, the suspense heightens and brings with it more mysteries. Since India is steeped in its beliefs and fears on witchcraft and sorcery, this story too abounds with it. When elements of supposed black-magic get added to a political drama, the whole story is filled with different dimensions of enigma. But, this volume of the book seems to directly and indirectly point to the truth and the answers to the mysteries. The story by itself doesn’t develop much, but Kalki has taken the time to define the characters in view of their past and present circumstances.

The book begins with the start of Vandiya Devan’s journey to Srilanka to deliver a message to the young Prince. Once in Srilanka, Vandiya Devan and the prince strike a bond of friendship. The story paints Arulmozhi Varma’s generous and virtuous spirit, thus glorifying the young Prince in the reader’s eyes. Once the conspiracies come to the open, the characters jump into action mode. Evading more threats to their lives, the Prince and Vandiya Devan brave a violent storm in the middle of the ocean and try to get to the Tamil shores to meet the dying Emperor and handle the brewing political storm.

I enjoyed reading the second part of the book as well. Indra Neelameggham’s writing is precise and well paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am sure the third book is packed with more serious turning points to the plot and I can’t wait to read it! The entire story portrays the magnificence of the Chozha time period and makes a Tamilan proud :)

Reflections: Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.1) - New Floods

Ponniyin Selvan (Cauvery’s Beloved Son) is a recreation of the historical epic story of the Chozha Empire’s greatest monarchs (King Raja Raja Chozha). In the 10th and 11th century C.E, the Chozha dynasty was one of the most strongest and longest ruling Tamil empires, spreading from the Tungabadra river in Northern India down to Srilanka. It is also claimed to have had a stronghold over several other parts of South-east Asia. long-lost history of this dynasty has been beautifully refurbished by Kalki Krishnamurthy, a notable Tamil writer and journalist. The literary merit and the historical significance of the story is highly praised. I have heard my mother talk so wistfully about the story, ardently wishing she were part of that romantic era to behold all the happenings. And my dear friend has never recommended any other volume of books higher! Despite all these recommendations, I could never read the book because of my abysmal ability to read Tamil... that too literary Tamil :(. I knew I could never hope to get through all 5 parts of this voluminous and intricate story by reading one script at a time and stringing together words! So I abandoned the hope years back. However, my friend’s wonderful post tantalized me to get hold of the English translations. And I did! I am aware that I am missing out on several literary gems because of reading a translation of the great work, but I have to say, I am still impressed and quite hooked to the series!

Project Madurai has the electronic versions of the first two volumes of the story (New Floods, and Whirlwind), translated by Indra Neelameggham. Although parts of the translation are literal, and some contain the actual Tamil words (like “Akka” (elder sister), “Thambi” (young man, younger brother), “Chee” ( tamil equivalent of “yuck”), etc.), overall the quality is quite good, and the history is well explained. Indra Neelameggham manages to capture the poetic and lyrical nature of the text and delivers it well. I can only imagine how striking the original would be!

As for the plot, Kalki weaves the story around the brave, charming, and heroic young man, Vandiya Devan, who is a trusted messenger of the then Crown Prince Aditya Karikala, and the beloved Princess, Kundavai. The current monarch, Sundara Chozha is in his death-bed, and as always, political conspiracies rage around him to capture the throne. Adding to this, the rival Pandiya men are scheming a dangerous and treacherous plot to overthrow the entire Chozha Empire. Despite all the challenges and dense political plots, Vandiya Devan manages to be a resourceful man to help Princess Kundavai and the monarch. In this first volume, all the characters get introduced and the stage is set for the story to develop. I am amazed at the layers of suspense tied to every character and at every turn of the page! Yet, the tale is not convoluted or difficult to follow. It’s thrilling and immensely entertaining, with elements of suspense, political intrigue, drama, mystery, romance, comedy and adventure! And just like any great epic, the huge jigsaw puzzle is slowly taking shape.

This also yet another segment of history that portrays the power wielded by women! As much as the men scheme and fight their wars in the battlefield, the women shrewdly manipulate the game and have a caustic war inside the Palace. Kalki also brings to life the culture, traditions and religious fervor of the era. It’s incredible that the tussle between the Shaivaites and Vaishnavites which was prevalent in that time-period, continues to this day!

This volume ends with Vandiya Devan successfully meeting Princess Kundavai to deliver the message from the Crown Prince, and embarking on another mission to deliver a message to the younger prince, Arulmozhi Varma (later known as Raja Raja Chozha) who is in Srilanka on a political campaign.

Since I am sure to have plenty to prattle about, I thought I would write a little about every volume I read (and hopefully not divulge all the suspense). And of course, the final rating is reserved for the end of the series!

Reflections: Mozart's Sister

I came across this book as I was feverishly browsing through thousands of Kindle freebies and mindlessly downloading every other book that managed to spark even an inkling of interest in me. I like Mozart’s compositions. I think his style of music is quite accessible even to those with just a passing curiosity in classical music. And I absolutely love the deep and majestic sounds of the piano and ardently wish every year to start learning to play the instrument. So far, with my sub-par motor skills and extreme lack of dexterity, my dream just sinks a little lower and lower. Anyway, I’m shooting off on a tangent. This book seemed interesting because it looks into the life of Mozart’s sister, Nannerl, who was supposedly as talented as her brother, but was resigned to her fate of being a woman who couldn’t hope to travel the world and have a career. The world hadn’t embraced feminism in the 18th century. I was curious to read the interpretation of a woman’s thoughts as her brother rose to fame and glory while she had to live through the rusting of her musical talents. Intertwined with the chronicles of the musical genius, Wolfgang Mozart, the book breathes life into a neglected member of the talented Mozart family.

I love biographies of my favorite personalities. But I don’t necessarily like to read a historian’s dry account of a person’s life. Historical fiction comes to my rescue in such cases. Nancy Somer’s sensitive writing has crafted a realistic world of the Mozart family. I appreciate her characterization of Nannerl. She shows a righteously envious girl, who craves for her father’s approval and attention, when he was steeped in his efforts to promote Wolfgang’s talents, and to make a name for him. But despite the tension of jealousy in any sibling rivalry, the undercurrent of kinship and familial bonding never ebbs. The bond shared between brother and sister was quite strong despite how far apart they drifted. Nannerl’s love for her dad clashes with her innermost desire to rebel and seek freedom, but Somer has beautifully shown how she mellows into acceptance of her family and her life, and chooses the course of her life with pragmatism. In these aspects, Nannerl’s personality seems to mirror mine. I could relate to the character and her decisions with empathy and frustration. I quite liked the book for Somer’s meticulous and apt characterization of Nannerl.... no parts of the fact and fiction contradicted or seemed discordant with each other. Some characters such as the mother, might have been a little stereotyped, but the characterization gelled with the story and the time period.

Other than the story of the Mozart family, most of the book is filled with the family’s travel around Europe, the constant haunt of illness threatening to kill them, the pressure of financial stability, the treacherous politics of the nobility and the monarchs, and how all of these played their part in stifling Nannerl and extorting Mozart to slave and constantly churn out operas and compositions, so that he be recognized and awarded. I have had this notion that geniuses don’t really have to work hard. They say talent literally spews out of them uncontrollably and involuntary. If so, they are so blessed to just express their abilities and enjoy doing it. It didn’t seem like too much work to me. That shows my appalling ignorance.Stories like this shed light on the hard work that needs to go in to promote oneself, network with the right people, appease the powerful ones and be acknowledged. It’s the same old story - I thought these things weren’t as necessary two hundred years back. Besides, creativity cannot be forced or be channeled to deliver under specifications. Mozart’s life was such an example, and Moser conveys it well.

This book is therefore as much about Mozart and his domineering father, as it is about his sister. Although I didn’t enjoy learning about Mozart’s travels and constant shuffling, I liked how his sister was given the attention and recognition she never received when she lived.