Mozart's Wife

by Juliet Waldron

Jon Baxley, Editor of Amazing Authors Showcase says it all in his review. "This author's fictionalized account of Constanze Webber--an extraordinary woman who just happened to marry an even more extraordinary man named Mozart--brings 18th Century Vienna and its people vividly alive. Constanze would have been a remarkable woman for any era, struggling with her own perspective on life while trying to cope and understand the icon composer with whom she chose to share her life. But as an 18th Century woman, she is all the more remarkable. This book is well written and thoroughly researched, that's obvious from the details in dialogue and events. I suspect little of this work is pure fiction, though, given the vast availability of historical information on Mozart and his contemporaries. However, the author melds background information with fictional material so seamlessly, it all seems real. Despite knowing a lot about the man already, I'm even more convinced now that Mozart was one of a kind in history and so was his wife Constanze. To me, great writing is all about imagery, characterization and dialogue. MOZART'S WIFE has all of that and more. Plus, it's a real eye opener to Mozart himself as seen by his closest companion. If you like historical fiction with a wealth of factual detail, this book should be on your reading list."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Music, Audiobook, Historical Romance

398 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2001

About the author

Juliet Waldron was baptized in the Yellow Spring of a unique Ohio farm town. After some years in an upstate New York farmhouse with a resident ghost, she began to travel with her Auntie Mame mother, who flamboyantly adored history and grand opera.

Returning to the States, got married and raised sons, eventually working at jobs ranging from artist's model to power-suited Merrill Lynch “girl.” Then, she went off the deep end and began to write. She enjoys putting what she has learned about people, places and relationships into her stories. She has granddaughters she'd like to see more often, several cats, and just celebrated her 51th wedding anniversary with a guy who rides a Hayabusa and hasn't lost her off the back yet.

Reviews

[Alayna-Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded "Mozart's Wife", because it was a work of historical fiction (which I enjoy), and because in my years of singing, my operatic repertoire has become particularly Mozart-heavy. Mozart loved his coloraturas, and wasn't afraid to write very difficult pieces for them. Of course, I know a great deal about the less-than-admirable life of the child prodigy who, like so many child prodigies, did not end his life with the same promise with which it began. However, I know less about his wife Constanze (Konstanze, or Stanzi in this book). She's always depicted as petite, slightly plump, voluptuous, and bursting with energy that attracted many admirers. Since Mozart has a reputation as a philanderer, an alcoholic, a gambler, and a person of many other vices, it's widely portrayed in books and popular culture that his wife was of the same temperament. One would assume, especially after watching "Amadeus", that they were a pair of liberal party-hoppers with high aspirations but little sense of practicality.

This book shows a different side to Konstanze, a woman who struggled to deal with a neurotic, unfaithful, and chronically irresponsible husband whose flaws were to be forgiven because of her genius. She also struggled of living in the shadow of two gifted sisters, one an extraordinary beauty Mozart wanted to marry but instead helped her to launch a career as a prima donna. In the character portrayed, you don't see a flighty and sensual woman, but one who might have been content with a less glamorous and more stable life. Upon Mozart's death, she found herself to be 28, in severe debt, prematurely aging, and willing to bury her husband in a pauper's grave and lock up all relics of his life. You see someone who is not mourning the loss of love, but carrying the burden of anger at how many lives the man she loved destroyed.

I do not know how much of the story is fictional, and how much is based on papers left behind by Mozart himself (which Konstanze later edited and published in order to build a sense of financial security), but the speculation that Mozart had illegitimate children and died by poison at the hands of a fellow Masoner who found his wife seduced by the musician is certainly a possibility, and an entertaining one at that. Regardless of Konstanze's feelings toward her late husband, if she had simply thrown his stacks of compositions and correspondence into the fire, history would have been denied much. An artist who struggled to earn a living for his family during his lifetime has been turned into one of the greatest legends of all time, and I suspect most of that is owed to the sheer practicality of his widow.

I've always adored Mozart's "Requiem", and the dramatization of his death surrounding the composition of it in "Amadeus"made it that much more heart-rending for me. At one point, Waldron writes a scene in which Mozart acknowledges the requiem he is writing is for himself, and cries during attempts to create the "Lachrymosa". (the last part of the "Requiem" most scholars agree Mozart completed completely on his own.) This scene shook me, because it is perhaps the most musically powerful piece ever composed by someone who spent so much of his gift creating entertaining stories and bawdy farces. It is at the very end of his life, you see and hear the true genius that was perhaps never entirely discovered.

I had to look through 20 "free" Kindle books to find something as well-written, well-researched, and engaging as this novel. Fans of Phillipa Gregory, Juliet Grey, Antonia Fraser, and Alison Weir will all enjoy this work. In fact, I just downloaded "My Mozart", in order to read the story from the perspective of one of the book's relatively minor (yet important) characters.

If there isn't one in existence yet, I'd love to read a book based on the story of Elise, the redheaded chambermaid. :)

All in all, one of the best indie authors I've run across in some time. This review was featured on my blog today, so that says something. :)

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most readers (myself included) know little more about Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart than they might have seen in the movie Amadeus, where what few insights were portrayed were notoriously inaccurate (being based on a work of fiction in the first place). Even if one loves Mozart's music, as so many do, and loves books about music and musicians, the personal lives and character of these two celebrities are largely unknown. In fact, the person who delves further into history will find that Constanze, in particular, has been treated unflatteringly and even harshly by the chroniclers, as so many famous women of history were. What a great opportunity to learn something about one of musical history's notable people!
Juliet Waldron reinterprets the life of Constanze Mozart in most convincing fashion in this splendidly researched and masterfully written account of her life from young teen to aged widow. Constanze is not a perfect woman: she has her faults. As a naive young girl, she is swept off her feet by the dashing and famous young prodigy, delights in his sensuality, and willingly marries him hardly knowing what kind of life she is in for. Her new husband, she comes to learn, is a spendthrift and bon vivant. Though devoted to her, he also works diligently to cultivate a whole city full of aristocrats, church officials, wealthy merchants with attractive daughters to be taught, networks of influential, often jealous artists and composers, and platoons of flashy, high-living show people. In addition, he must travel frequently, and, in whatever time remains, write immense quantities of music that will please the paying public. In addition, her in laws appear from time to time to add to the misery.
An attractive, talented singer herself, Constanze has a hard life, though one not without its pleasures. She has status, she has clothes, and they generally live in sumptuous lodgings (which they can seldom afford). Custom does not allow her to manage their finances, however, and while both husband and wife delight in their children, she finds childbirth terribly difficult, debilitating, and on occasion, tragic. They quarrel from time to time, and when she finds proof that Mozart has strayed, she cannot resist straying herself.
The famous death scene in Amadeus is recast in Mozart's Wife, probably to fit the available evidence more closely. (As such, it is considerably more ghastly and affecting than in the movie.) The movie concluded at that point, but the real Constanze lived to be 80, discovering what love in a stable marriage is like, developing a keen sense of financial management, and helping pass on much of her first husband's music to the world. This period of her life is given full measure in the novel.
Ms. Waldron does a wonderful job of recreating an authentic feeling of life in 18th century Austria. I am a music lover myself, and I enjoyed reading the names of the composers and other luminaries he ran across in his brief life: Salieri and Sussmeyer are fairly well known, but other lesser-known names were just as intriguing. Would you believe Casanova? In sum, Mozart's Wife is a thoroughly entertaining and even informative novel. The writing, editing and proofreading are very nearly perfect. There is an extensive bibliography of sources at the end.
I would call Mozart's Wife a fictional autobiography, though some might term it (or wish it) a romance. I wouldn't object, remembering that Ernest Hemingway once pointed out there is no such thing as a romance with a happy ending. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and those interested in classical music.

[Michelle Stockard Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mozart. One of my most favorite composers in history and someone I think I would have very much liked had I met him. This is my second fictional account of Mozart, the first being the 1985 Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus. In that account and in this book, Mozart comes alive and the love between him and his beloved Stanzi is evident and endearing.

Told from the point of view of Konstanze "Stanzi" Weber (her surname before she became Mlle. Mozart), we learn early on that Mozart is likable and fall in love easily. He first courts Stanzi's older sister, Aloysia, who treats him most despicably and shuns him, but it seems that this was divine providence because who he was meant to be with was Stanzi all along. However, despite their great love, Mozart was a very difficult person to be married to. I think what comes along with genius a lot of times is a sense of entitlement and Mozart most assuredly had that. It was hard not to feel sorry for Konstanze with all she endured and yet a nod must be given to a woman who stood by a musical genius whose music perhaps may have taken a different turn if not for his marriage to this remarkable woman.

What most impressed me about this novel was how well the characters and dialog were written. It became very easy to get lost in the story and almost feel like I was right there. It takes a talent to pull this off, especially in historical fiction that is set in the past. Waldron has written many historical novels and now that I've read and enjoyed this one, I can't wait to discover her others.

[Jenny Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waldron writes compelling historical fiction, bringing alive Mozart's marriage and the personality of his wife in a way that was very believable. This novel really gets at the core of what it is like to be married to a "wunderkind" and, unlike most modern historical novels, it does a very good job of making clear what marriage really meant in the days before effective contraception and safe childbirth.

This book was a wonderful balance to all the historical romances that idealize nobility and sex in that long vanished age. I felt like I was sitting in Salzburg listening to Konstanze tell her story. The scenes seemed so real, you could smell the sweat and see the candlelight.

Bravo! I hope Ms. Waldron has more historical novels set in this time period coming out as I'd very much like to read more along those lines.

[Audrey Grant · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was an autobiography at first and was horrified!!! Then I got to looking and it was just this woman IMAGINING what it could have been like. Filth! Don't bother, Save your time, your money, your eyes and your brain cells! There are FAR better books to read in this world!!

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Mozart's Wife" is one of the earliest ebooks, written specifically for Kindle, that I ever downloaded. I thought it was high time I read it. I shouldn't have finished it, as it was quite a slog, and the author took some liberties w historical accuracy, although she hit all the high points correctly, according to my Google search anyway.

Constanze Weber is the third daughter of a music teacher, which is how she meets young Wolfi Mozart. He gives her next-older sister music lessons, and Aloysia turns into quite the popular singer. Even though Wolfi is enamored of the sister, she is not attracted to him. So Wolfi ends up w/ the next sister, who is vocally talented, just not to the extent of Aloysia - or maybe she didn't play the "game" as well. ???

Being married to a musician would be a tough prospect, w/ them being gone all evening all the time. Mozart doesn't make much money at all of the musical evenings, so Constanze worries constantly about money. The book gets quite repetitive: hot sex w/ Wolfi; anger over his "flirting" (outright sexual infidelity??) w/ his students and the vocalists he writes for; disgust w/ household chores and babies (wah wah); and the ongoing fretting about money b/c Wolfi is terrible w/ it. Most of their babies die, and the youngest who lives may possibly have a different father than Mozart, b/c eventually, Constanze acts like everyone else in their circle and has an affair w/ a long-time admirer. Mozart becomes quite ill, and lingers for a long time, wracked by abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Constanze and Mozart's doctor come to the horrible conclusion that Mozart was poisoned by the jealous husband of his latest sexual conquest. Constanze thus has to raise her sons alone and attempt to pay off creditors. She ends up having a trunkful of Mozart's music published and eventually remarries.

As above, the author hits all the historical high spots, and it was interesting to read about how Mozart composed in his head, and then notated the music later. I wonder if that's how he really did it? But overall, the book was just too repetitive and the main characters too unlikeable and spoiled to really say that I enjoyed it. I also found the babies dying to be emotionally triggering, so that probably affects my rating of this ebook as well.

[Lloyd Lofthouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Mozart’s Wife by Juliet Waldron
Review by Lloyd Lofthouse

My father loved opera and classical music. I grew up listening to Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Not until Mozart’s Wife did I put a face on one of the men that wrote that music, and he turned out to be bigger than life.

I started writing the review in my head for Mozart’s Wife by Juliet Waldron before I was halfway through reading the novel. In my opinion, it’s that good—a strong six stars out of five. This is no Hollywood stereotype with a happy prince charming ending although that also happens—sort of.

This is a get-in-the-gutter with the rats kind of story that hides nothing. There are no devils here. There are no angels either. There are only real, flesh and blood people. If you want an entertaining trip to discover Mozart, the man behind the music, your journey ends here. This novel delivers. Mozart’s Wife is a story that had me laughing, shuddering and exhausted but satisfied by the end.

Mozart’s Wife paints a convincing picture of Mozart as the first superstar with all of the dangers that title entails. Today, the tabloids would have had a field day with Mozart. The paparazzi would have chased him everywhere. Cameras, action, lights and freeway car chases would have been daily fare for this man and his family.

Then, in the beautiful white-and-gold Tyl Theater, I witnessed something I’ll never forget. The delirious passion of Prague for the ‘Marriage of Figaro’ had been but a prelude.
By the time the old commendatore lay dead at the feet of the wicked Don Giovanni, the audience had gone completely mad. The applause, the shouts of “Bravo!” were ear-splitting.
In the box where Josefa and I sat, we could feel the building tremble. Clouds of hats and handkerchiefs flew into the air after each ‘aria’. Confetti rained into the orchestra and onto the stage. There was encore after encore.

Mozart was a wild man. He drank. He partied. He seduced endless women that threw themselves in front of him like doorstops. He didn’t have brakes, and it was his wife that suffered and was corrupted. She was the one that starts out as an innocent beauty with visions of prince charming and ends up wounded like so many that have followed in her footsteps since with other superstars. Pretty Konstanze is the flower that opens, changes color and almost wilts in the process

Then I’d remember Elise, or worse, Magdalena.
“You liar!” I’d scream and push him away. “You broke my heart!”

Mozart doesn’t have much of a character arc in the novel, but that does not detract because the novel opens up Mozart and dissects him as the story goes along. Mozart is the same man from beginning to end. Nothing changes him, but you will have to read Mozart’s Wife to find out what that means. Slowly, we discover his moral corruption step by shadowy step as it is revealed inches at a time. The cost of his fame eats him like a malignant cancer from the inside out and like his wife, we are in the room standing beside her experiencing Mozart’s decline in all its tragedy. Mozart’s superstar status across Europe makes him the bell of the ball until he ruins his reputation and loses his welcome in cultured society. Even that is not enough to stop him.

“How could you! How could you! In our own house! Pig! Taking advantage of your own poor, wretched servant!”

He has his followers, both parasites and sycophants, along with a handful of real friends that support him and his wife until the end.

When we meet Konstance, his wife, as a young girl, Mozart is busy seducing her older sister. After the older sister, Aloysia, gets tired of waiting for Mozart and marries another man, Konstance becomes the consolation prize for Herr Kapellmeister. Her innocence captures his heart and there is no doubt that he loves her through the entire novel to his bitter end.

[Kim Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading Mozart's Wife, I knew nothing about the man behind the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A splendid example of what fifteen years of research can create, Ms. Waldron has done a magnificent job portraying the man through the person who probably knew him best, his wife, Konstanze.

Konstanze's story progresses from a starry-eyed girl's adoration of the man she loves to a mature woman's wisdom, and ultimately, early widowhood. Being married to a creative, eccentric genius is a bumpy road that leads her along the path of debt and infidelity. To complicate matters, she endures multiple pregnancies with only two children surviving. Grief draws the couple closer together, then later serves as a wedge driving them apart.

The only constant in their lives is Mozart's music. During lean years, Konstanze grows to wonder why he keeps writing what no one wants to hear. But Mozart in his dying words promises her that his music will take care of her and the children.

Mozart's Wife is a story of love, jealousy, grief, and most importantly--forgiveness. A fast-paced read, Ms. Waldron has exquisite, smooth-flowing prose. I found myself reading more on Mozart, which attests to how much I was swept into the 18th century and the life of perhaps the most creative composer of all time. Mozart's Wife is a must read for classical music lovers and historical readers alike.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightingale was the first book by Juliette Waldron that I read, and I'm glad I did, because she brings her characters to life so well.

In Nightingale we caught a glimpse of Mozart, now we have a full book! This one feature's his wife and is told from her point of view. I absolutely devoured this book.

Konstanze is quite a character and this book really made me want to learn more about Mozart. I found myself googling him more and more throughout the book. He was really quite the character, a rock star of his time. He was a regular ladies man and he was terrible with his money.

Their relationship was full of trials and tribulations, but whose marriage isn't? But that is what brought both characters to life for the reader. You also so Mozart as a man. A man who loved his music but who loved women just as much. And you saw how that changed his marriage.

I felt sorry for Konstanze. She had all that to deal with and she had several children, nearly dying in childbirth more than once, and with most of her children dying in their childhood.

This is a fantastic book about Mozart and his family.

If you haven't read any of Juliet's books, this is a great one to start with.

[Paul Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written novel about composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told from the perspective of his long-suffering wife, Stanzi. Juliet Waldron captures the grime and pain of life late in the 18th century and bits of splendor from aristocratic ways. Most of it concentrates on Mozart as an undeniable genius who simply cannot control his need to be the life of every party. His sexual needs and drinking appear to be on par with fellow aristocrats, but his spendthrift ways reduce Stanzi to living on the edge of ruin. Eventually she feels obliged to get vengeance. The novel proposes that Mozart is murdered by a lover's jealous husband. The story continues as renewed interest in Mozart's work earns her a comfortable fortune and much honor in society. She regrets that her sons lack musical genius. The war on women in Central Europe in the 18th century is graphically pictured, and Stanzi and few other characters stand out for their nobility. There is no sugar-coating. This makes Mozart's Wife well worth reading.

[Nadia Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this very intimate account of the Mozart couple's life, from the young passion and fame through Mozart's fall and to his ultimate demise. The novel did not end at his death bed, unlike other stories about Mozart, it continued to follow the widowed Konstanze through the rest of her life. Ultimately, the story is not as much about the musical genius of Mozart but about the humanity of being in love with a wild, indulgent, unstoppable celebrity. The author artfully depicts the excitement of fresh love, the sufferings of constant child bearing in the 1700s, the horror of infant deaths, the pain of betrayal, the bittersweet of forbidden romance, the widowhood, and the happily ever after, of sorts anyway. The story is set against a vivid backdrop of the decadent Austrian society of the 18th century and is full of rich characters. I would highly recommend this novel.

[MaryJane Rings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book as it told the story of Mozart the man. His failings as well as his triumphs. His need for an audience and constant reassurance that he was a great composer as well as musician. In many ways his personality wasn't too different from the rock stars and bands of today. They have their groupies, wild parties and constant need for attention. Many have squandered their fortunes and bought their friends as well as fans. This is a story of what it was like to live with just such a star in a time in history when it was OK for a man to have many lovers,and friends but still be respected and adored while his wife was to stay home, live a penniless life, almost in squaler always fending off creditors. Mozart's music is still revered and played today but little is written about the family who had to endure his fame.

[K.R. Gastreich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Mozart, and I thoroughly enjoyed Waldron's colorful rendition of the life of Constanze Weber, Mozart's wife and muse. "Stanzi" comes across as a practical, passionate, and engaging woman. Mozart's Vienna is brought to life in all its gaudy splendor, a lively panorama of music, musikaners, and their avid followers and patrons. We live Mozart's and Stanzi's relationship from its innocent beginnings to its heartbreaking finish. This is an intimate and expertly crafted portrait of two of the most important figures of their time. My only complaint: formatting errors and typos were abundant enough to be distracting. Recommended for all fans of historical fiction in general, and Mozart in particular.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliet Waldron brings a refreshing view of the historical times and the life of Konstanze Mozart in her book appropriately titled Mozart's Wife. I felt she captured the ambivalence of trying to live with a brilliant spouse, both of whom were deeply in love with one another.

Konstanze's voice narrates beginning with "Papa" bringing the young Wolfgang Mozart into his home for the evening. Mozart's initial infatuation is with Konstanze's older sister, Aloysia. Ms. Waldron paints a realistic picture of a complex personality for Konstanze and her story does not end when Mozart dies.

[Tracy Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this--my husband and I just watched "Amadeus" (his first time seeing it, while I've watched it 20-30 times) before Christmas. I was pleased to see this side of the story. It was very well developed, and I really found myself not only sympathizing with Konstanze, but with "Wolfi" a bit, too (as I did watching the movie). I felt like this book did a great job of sharing information about Wolfgang, as, naturally, most readers would be interested in things about him--but it also showed Stanzi's various sides, as well.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Amadeus is one of my favorite movies and I saw this come up as a free book on Amazon, so I picked it up. In the movie, Kostanza is made out to be a whining, unsupportive wife. This book really gives you a feel for what their household might have been like. There's lots of background on the music and what was happening in their lives as it was written. For any music-lover, this is a worthwhile read!

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little torn between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. I enjoyed but there were a few things that could have been done better.

There were things that were mentioned and seemed important but never developed.
Some of the dialogue was a little too modern for the period.
I would have liked better descriptions of rooms and clothing.
Some typos and missing words.
Towards the end, large chunks of time went missing without explanation.

I'm sure I won't be reading again though.

[Janice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't finish it. Wasn't good historical fiction. Could have plopped any famous musician's name in there, and it wouldn't have made a difference. Got no real feel for it. Plus it felt more like an old-timey bodice ripper. Good Housekeeping in the 70s wouldn't have run it. Plus the typos. Wanted to take out my red pen, but hard to do with a kindle.

Good thing it was free or I would have been really upset.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

So my memories of Mozart's life mostly come from the movie , so I wasn't sure what to expect from this fictionalized version of his life told from his wife's perspective.

It was an interesting insight into their life together, but many times it felt like the author was just fictionalizing a bunch of facts that she had to "fit in" about Mozart's life.
Plus Stanzi as a character was not all that endearing.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book reminds of something that I heard somewhere. "No matter how beautiful she or he is, someone somewhere is sick of their shit." Living with Wolfgang would have tried the patience of a saint.

[Lynn Naylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like a cheap novel. I was looking for something more factual on Mozart before a trip to Germany. Every book I read had a different story and probably none of them were true. A little disappointing.

[Libby Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Sarah Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who adores Constanze Mozart, I always immediately jump on a rare opportunity to read a book from her perspective. This is indeed a historical fiction and has a lot of out-right fictional content about the Mozarts' lives that I'm not sure how to feel about, but I suppose that comes as part of anything about actual historical figures portrayed in novels, movies, television, etc. One thing this historical fiction does quite well is portraying the difficulties of married life, especially for women, in a world before modern contraception and medicine.

What I appreciated most about this story was that it was mostly well-written and definitely is engaging from the beginning, and it makes Stanzi, Wolfgang and their family into relatable and thoroughly human characters. Another sentiment (which has been expressed by several others here) is that Stanzi is often treated quite unfairly by historians and I always appreciate any place in media she gets to be her own person with her own thoughts, just as she was when she lived. She deserves so much recognition (and humanization!) that she rarely gets.

I wish I could give half-stars, because I would have given a solid 3-and-a-half. I bumped my review up to four here, because while I tend to be very personally critical of media involving Constanze, this book was still quite enjoyable to read. It really warms my heart when other people get opportunities to learn about her and appreciate her as I do, which is surely something this book has supplied for readers. Also, I couldn't help but be swept into this book and devour it all in just two nights, which I think merits a bump in the rating, as that happens to me very rarely nowadays!

[Margaret Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a person who envies people in higher social stations, but were I living in the 1800's, especially in Europe, I might have been. This book is a great study in that kind of envy. It also studies how a wonderful talent like that of Mozart can be frittered away. Kostanze was born into a musical family and had some talent herself, but her real talent was in surviving under the harshest conditions. The woman Mozart married and kept constantly pregnant turned out to have a talent for business that was totally unexpected, especially in that time when women weren't expected to have any brains at all. If only Mozart had not insisted on managing his own financial affairs and had turned over all business dealings to her, there might have been a totally different outcome to his life.

[Andie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mozart's wife, Konstanze, married the young musical genius when she was only 16 and quickly learned that while they loved each other, he was neither capable of marital fidelity, nor being financially responsible. Konstanze, however, was no cringing victim despite being almost constantly pregnant, and losing the majority of her children to the various diseases that made childhood mortality incredibly high in the eighteenth century. How she coped with life, and triumphed after Mozart's early death makes for a fascinating read.

[Beth E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable historical fiction story covering the life and masterpiece of Mozart from the perspective of his wife. I truly enjoyed hearing of the struggles of the composer to find pupils, commissions for work, the constant moving to new apartments, the risk of early infant death and risk to the mother's health. All woven to a beautiful tapestry of work providing a window into their lives. Highly recommend.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction at its finest. I enjoyed this book very much and appreciate the narrative from a woman's point of view. I never saw the movie Amadeus so wasn't aware of Mozarts proclivities towards his work as well as "other things." Mozart certainly packed a lot into life when you consider he was only 35 when he died. Didn't know he was a Mason. (Oh the things you learn.)

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Seems to be well researched. Easy read.
I was pleased at the woman's pov, with all the horrors of non-stop child beating and infant mortality.
But the fully acknowledged pleasures of sex as well.
I enjoyed the development of the character from a young teen to an old woman, and her feelings' changes, both to the menu her lives and to her children.
Well worth it.

[James Biser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent biography of Mozart and his wife. The story of the musical genius is told best from the outside by relating the life of his wife. The story begins in her childhood when she first meets the composer and progresses through their entire lives. It is a very informative story.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Geez it sucked being a woman back then and little more than a baby factory.

But this book was kiiind of meh. Maybe not as sensationalized as the movie, but I dunno. It just was missing something. Kind of weird how she went between calling him by his first name and then last name.