If Nannerl Mozart has one wish, it is this: to be remembered. She was born with a gift for music — a protege in her own right — but no matter how she delights audiences with her playing, it is Wolfgang, her younger brother, who shines brightest, who is spoken of with awe and reverence, and whose brilliance is eclipsing her own.

Being a girl in 18th-century Europe is hard enough. Composing is forbidden to her, and if her tyrannical father ever found her compositions, he would no doubt burn them in an instant. On top of this, Nannerl knows once she reaches a marriageable age, she’ll have to give up her music to be a dutiful wife and mother. These few years are all she has — to play, to dream — but in the wake of her brother’s fame, her fear of being forgotten is already becoming a reality.

When a mysterious stranger from a magical land suddenly appears with an offer to make her wish come true, Nannerl jumps at the opportunity. But how much is she truly willing to give to be remembered forever and to shake the expectations of her gender? Because if her dream is to ever become true, it may cost her everything she holds dear.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The Kingdom of Back. I’d heard a lot of good things about it, but I’d never had a strong understanding of music, and my own experience with historical fantasy seemed to be hit or miss. What I discovered was a lush story full of childhood effervescence and odd magic reminiscent of Oz or Wonderland. Was the story worth the hype? I believe so!

I was not aware Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a sister, much less a story of her own that needed to be told, but there is a surprising amount of fact mixed in with the fiction here. You can definitely tell that Nannerl’s story and her relationship with her brother hold a special place in the author’s heart. Also, despite the slower pace, this book felt so different and new that it easily held my interest and became a lyrical story about music and the close-knit bond between siblings that I know I will not soon forget.

Rated: Mild, for some fantasy violence and for some verbal and emotional abuse that Nannerl experiences from her father.