Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees is a combination historical fiction/mystery novel. This is not your run-of-the-mill pot-boiler, though. It's much more complex --and even rather magical.
Readers will be surprised to see a different Mozart when seen through the letter his sister, Maria Anna (affectionately known as Nannerl), writes so that the truth might be known about her brother's death.
The story opens when Nannerl is dying. Mozart's son, Leopold, soon reads the letter he finds that Nannerl wrote. In the letter is another letter that Nannerl received from Constanze, Mozart's wife, when Mozart died in 1791. Constanze tells Nannerl that Mozart told her he was poisoned, even though the doctors claim otherwise.
Nannerl decides that she must go to Vienna to investigate. The rest of the story is Nannerl explaining what happened and what she uncovered. The reader will learn about Mozart's estrangement from his once much-loved sister because Mozart fled from their father's controlling nature.
At one time, Nannerl was nearly as acclaimed as Mozart as together they toured Europe, playing for all the great royal houses. Mozart left and Nannerl was left to care for their father.
Mozart and his sister hadn't spoken or communicated for three years over bitterness that their father left all his money to Nannerl. She, in her anger at Mozart's abandonment of her and their father, had refused to share the money with Mozart.
The story is complicated, mystical and full of subtle magic - mainly the magic of Mozart's music. But as the plot unfolds, the reader sees that there is a mystical connection between Mozart and his sister. When she plays the piano in Vienna while she is investigating the death, everyone says it's as if he's back; it's as if she is channeling his spirit.
In ways that are inexplicable, we see that Mozart and his sister really are one soul. That fact leads to the climax of the story and the unmasking of the perpetrator.
The book has been compared to The DaVinci Code because in the story much is made of Mozart's membership in the Freemasons and the monarchy's fear and distrust of all Freemasons because of their beliefs in equality, justice and democracy.
Mozart emerges as much more intellectual than the portrayal of him in the movie Amadeus and other venues. In fact, he had some real depth (political depth), and the novel says this was ultimately the cause of his death.
The book is much more profound than The DaVinci Code. In some respects it's a political tract as well as a testimony to the power of Mozart's art as well as his sister's. Mystery lovers, music lovers and history buffs will enjoy this read.
This book was reviewed from the final paperback edition provided by the publisher for review purposes.
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