Today I will be reviewing The Enchanted Sonata written by Heather Dixon Wallwork and providing you with my thoughts.
First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley and Smith
Publicity for providing me with a copy of this for review purposes.
The Enchanted Sonata is a magical, whimsical book filled
with gripping adventure and lovable characters. It is referred to as a
retelling of The Nutcracker, which I have not read (so I am unable to draw on
any comparisons between the two but will focus my attention solely on this
retelling).
The synopsis is as follows:
Clara Stahlbaum has her future
perfectly planned: marry the handsome pianist, Johann Kahler (ah!), and settle
down to a life full of music. But all that changes on Christmas Eve, when Clara
receives a mysterious and magical nutcracker.
Whisked away to his world--an enchanted empire
of beautiful palaces, fickle fairies, enormous rats, and a prince--Clara must
face a magician who uses music as spells...and the future she thought she
wanted. "The Enchanted Sonata," a retelling of
The Nutcracker Ballet with a dash of The Pied Piper, will captivate readers of
all ages.
I often lean towards retellings of classic tales as I love
being immersed into imaginative, fairy tale lands and this is exactly what this
book does to the reader. As you read through the pages, the author has created
such a stunning, descriptive world where you feel like you are captivated
within the story. While it is historical fiction and written at the conclusion
of the 19th Century, I could see the parallels between Clara and
modern 15 year old girls. She was infatuated with Johann to the point it was
almost a bit cringe-worthy all in innocent fun as she idolised him and his
music. I feel like parallels can certainly be drawn between 15 year old girls
in the modern time and how they may idolise a public figure.
I really loved being situated in the fantasy world of
Imperia which reminded me of Russia, which it was clearly based upon. The
landscape was described in such detail that it made you wish you were there.
The snow filled city, the grand palace, the vast and ever-changing terrain made
the adventure even more exciting as you did not know what to expect next. My
favourite part of the book would have been the growing relationship between
Clara and Nikolai. At first, Clara was quite hesitant towards the Nutcracker
and was unsure how to take him. But as the plot progressed and as Clara
realised her importance in the story, their relationship began to blossom as
her trust of him also grew. Each of the relationships within the pages of this
book are well thought out and while the book was short, they were each
extremely well developed and you were able to come to love each and every one
of the characters too. I also thought the inclusion of the villain’s story into
the narrative gave his character more depth. You could come to understand why
he was the way he was through these insights into his personal life and how
certain situations caused him extreme grief. These interconnections with the
overall plot were so well done and make you more aware of the history.
Something else that I adored was the use of the magical
book. When Clara receives the book on Christmas Eve, she quietly begins reading
its pages but little does she know that it is writing her story as she is situated
within it. As events begin to play out, the book fills its pages with the
adventures that she is subject to. I’m unsure whether this is part of the
original story but I enjoyed reading every time she opened the book, how the
plot had developed within it and her place within the story. Magic was such a
central element to this book and it was strongly intertwined within the pages
Overall, this book was a glittery, magical, wintery ball of
adventure and I would recommend it to people of all ages. It is a short book,
but it encompasses so much within the pages and at no time was I bored or did
the plot slow down. It was well paced in regards to both the world building, plot
development and character development. It is beautifully written, with well-rounded characters
who encompass a wide range of personalities and a complex yet well-developed
plot! I really hope that there is a sequel, while the author wrapped it up, I
could see that a sequel could certainly be added!
I rated this: 4 stars
Where to buy: This book can be purchased from Amazon (US in paperback or
e-book) and is available within Australia from the Amazon store as an e-book
