Customer Reviews

Mozart's Blood

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

She is over 200 years old. Her name is Octavia Voss, and she is an Opera Diva renowned around the world. Her voice is that of an angel, sweet, yet powerful. Her resonance comes from the very blood that flows through her delicate veins, the blood of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The maestro's music, his memories, his every thought and stroke of genius, has poured through Octavia's heart forever since the day they were both bitten in Prague by a Czechoslovakian Countess. Centuries old, the beautiful Octavia has transformed her life time and again, aspiring as one shining Opera star after another, under many names in many places.

She was born Teresa Saporiti in a small Italian village and ran away from home to seek a life of song. Landing in Milan she begins a promising career as her singing talent soon gains for her the life she had always dreamed of. Traveling the world on the opera stage, she finally meets the famous composer Wolfgang Mozart and is entranced by the emotion he weaves into his music. One evening after the curtain falls, sitting next to Mozart and a stunning Countess on his piano bench, Teresa's world soon turns upside down as she feels a sudden bite, and frantically whisks away blood on her throat. With horror she learns she is now a vampire. Mozart was bitten first, followed by Teresa, so now she has shared his blood and will forever have his memories and music pounding her heart and rushing her life blood towards a life of music and living by the thirst. Agelessly moving through time she is Teresa of Milan, America's Helene Singher, Vivian Anderson in Melbourne, and currently Octavia Voss, world's most loved opera queen.

In 1906 while doing her tour in San Francisco, she meets a man who will become her constant companion and protector. His name is Ughetto. Octavia meets this enigmatic handsome man on the docks of the Ferry Building as he emerges out of the fog to tell her he was sent there to watch her by a secret society called La Societa. They are the elders of the vampiric world who watch over their fledglings to ensure that their kind is protected, and that their numbers are kept to a minimum. But as the two new friends endure the tragedy of the 1906 earthquake, Octavia learns that Ughetto also has the gift of voice, and that he too has a hideous secret of his own. In 18th century Tripani Italy, Ughetto was born lupo mannaro, a werewolf.

For this dynamic couple, who although are not lovers, enduring the struggle to survive year after year protecting each other's secrets and sins as they are forced to hunt, drink, and yet shine in the limelight of Opera's most memorable performances, life is precarious. Constantly fleeing from one city to the next, from one century to another as they never grow old, vigilantly keeping themselves from letting loose the demons within them, Ughetto and Octavia cling to their innocence and hide in the shadows when the beasts overcome them and they are forced to drink. Villains chase them wanting immortality, turning their battles into scenes of blood soaked carnage as they are kidnapped, tortured, and forced against their will to transform others into the very dark creatures they have become.

This novel is no chic-lit paranormal romance. This is serious vampire literature and one of the best I've come across in years. Marley's writing is outstanding and very polished. The story bursts with breathtaking passionate scenes of emotional torment, the operatic voices vibrate off the page, her characters are crafted with depth and humanity, and the plot is very inventive. This is a story with soul, one that is a cut above all the rest of the vampire fiction out there now that is being mass produced like paper dolls. Dripping with 18th century history, Mozart's Blood is a sensational read not to be missed for any fans of vampire novels and I personally am hoping for a sequel. Bravo! I stand up and applaud!!!!

This book took me in a multimedia journey using my own memories and the author's words to perceive the marvelous world of Teresa/Octavia, Ughetto/Ugo, Wolfgang, Zdenka, Massimo, Domenico, and the Elders.

The curse and the blessing of Mozart's Blood accrues the suspense throughout the book, and kept me turning pages frantically. The main characters were granted the gift of immortality without choice, and become the target of evil beings who want the same power, and would stop at nothing in order to get it.

Never before a book had me recollecting other books I read, movies I watched, or music I heard. Particularly the music. Some parts of Mozart's Blood are exquisite in its beauty and details, like when Octavia discovers the most exciting of her gifts. While others are painfully to the point of tears, like the beauty of the opera darkened by the cruel fate of the castrati. Which made me ponder about the many times `the end justified the means' to achieve glorious music.

Ugo's story touched me the most, from the young Ughetto sold by his family to be made a castrato, to when he becomes Octavia's protective companion.

Even though Teresa/Octavia is the main character, I couldn't sympathize with her as I did with Ughetto/Ugo. However, I enjoyed Teresa's past. Except her obsession with Mozart. Really? Yes, her groupie attitude drove nuts a couple of times.

I would have liked more romance in the book. Still, I understand this book is about the love for the music, the camaraderie between two lonely and suffering souls, immortality, and of course, Mozart's Blood.

About the Elders, well, they are monsters, but at some point I found them pitiful and tender, like if they were harmless children. I even felt they deserve to have what they craved.

In spite of being a 422 pages book, I read it swiftly, when it came to its end I was like, what? It's over? I want a sequel, yeah, there is so much I want to see happening to these characters.

I love the ending. Just perfect. The author managed a complete punishment for the villain.

Usually vampire books follow a certain formula. Vamp runs into human, human falls for vamp, vamp tells human about his/her condition, human has a hard time dealing with it, human deals with it and becomes a vamp. Oh, and it seems to be that there is usually a werewolf or shapeshifter thrown in the mix somewhere. And the whole time, the vamp is having some sort of existential crisis.

Not in this book. Sure, there are humans and vamps and even a werewolf - but that's where the similarities end. This book is all about the music. I would say it's a book about music that happens to have a vampire in it rather than it's a vampire book. The main characters are the vampire and the werewolf, but there is no romantic involvement. There are a few instances of the vamps making the decision whether or not to turn a human, but it's nothing like the other novels I've read.

It started out a bit slow and I was thinking for the first few chapters that it wouldn't be that good. But by chapter 5 or so, I was hooked and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. This book has some history thrown in, and that makes it even more interesting.

The only bad thing is it ended too soon! I really would like to see what happens next, so hopefully there will be a sequel.

I mistakenly purchased this book for an OUTRAGEOUS $9.99 (darn 1-click)
This book started off slow, but eventually I was drawn into the story.
I wasn't expecting much and I wasn't disappointed.
I'm not sure what I felt was lacking in the story but there was a flatness to the character and plot.
Overall this wasn't a bad book, but not a great book.
I gave 4 stars because it was better than I thought it would be.

Excellent book for anyone who enjoys a good vampire and/or werewolf story. This book is an interesting blend of these genres, letting the reader into the past and current lifestyles of a vampire who loves music and hates "sharing the tooth," and a werewolf who loves music and hates the "change." Both of them find fulfillment in Octavia's career that, through ingenuity and a clever plot, spans centuries. Between a vampire who doesn't want to drink human blood and a werewolf with his own set of needs and problems, the storyline is both exciting and fast paced. The book begins in the past with the story of Ugo and the Castrati (boys who are castrated to preserve their prepubescent voices) that establishes his heritage and then moves quickly to Octavia's life in the present and her dilemma as Ugo disappears.

While the plot of Mozart's Blood is primarily set in the modern day, the author doesn't hesitate to venture into the past of each protagonist to clarify what's going on in the present. Octavia and Ugo form an unusual alliance, each fulfilling a need in the other. The relationship between the two is almost symbiotic in that each truly requires the other to make their very long lives meaningful. Octavia, with her hatred for taking human blood, and Ugo, with his deep and abiding love of music, satisfy each other in ways not available to them with anyone else. Yes, Mozart comes into this story and, in fact, explains the twists and turns of the plot. And while I am not musical in any way, and actually dislike opera as a music form, I found the incursion into the world of opera easy to follow and understand. I don't mind reading about the intrigues of the operatic scene as long as I don't have to listen to it. Highly recommended.

I've been a fan of Louise Marley for many years; she is a gifted storyteller who, as a former opera singer, weaves a theme of music through all her books. This time she gives us immortal vampires, whose only solace in a never ending existence is music. It's tough to make vampires fresh or original because they have been done ad infinitum. Marley managed to do so by combining some common ideas (burned by holy water) with some not so common (the curse of memory), and above all - the music.

Our protagonists are Octavia Voss, a gifted soprano, and her assistant Ugo, gifted in other ways. Together they travel the world and time, reinventing her as an up and coming singer for each generation - careful to retire and avoid anyone who would notice she doesn't age. Ugo is kidnapped early on, and readers learn that the true target is Octavia because she once "shared the tooth" with Mozart and it changed her forever.

The setting and world-building are exceptional. The novel alternates between the present time, where Octavia is preparing for an opera and Ugo has been captured, and the past showing us how these two came to be who and what they are. The transitions are virtually seamless, as memory is a key feature of Marley's vampires. The concept of memory is clever and innovative as used here, and really drew me in. The story is rich in details about locations, time and especially the world of opera. I can't read music, or carry a tune in a bucket, but I felt the world come alive none-the-less. I imagine readers with knowledge of music would get even more. Also strong is the character development of the two protagonists. Octavia and Ugo come vividly to life - so much so that I worried for Ugo each time we returned to him and his captors! Secondary characters are less developed, but since the story focuses almost exclusively on Octavia and Ugo it does not hinder the novel at all. A fantastic blend of historical fiction, contemporary ideas and vampires.

I do have one criticism of the book - the over use of italics, mostly for Italian words. Unfortunately, much of the book takes place in Italy so many, many words were italicized throughout. At one point it actually distracted me enough that I counted - 11 instances on a single page! I think this was a failure on the editor's part for not reining it in. Overall, this was a gripping story that I highly recommend (and I loved the cover art - very fitting).

The earlier review titled "Magnifico!" sums it up very well. From the cover, I expected this to be a romance novel, and it is not. Nor is it a horror novel, although much of what happens is horrific. The writing is first rate, the musical details are precise, and the action is surprisingly yet completely believable for a supernatural themed novel.

I wondered how someone who is not an opera fan or a vocalist might respond to the book, and the review called "The most boring book I have read in a while" answers that question. That reader was obviously the wrong audience for this book. This book is not for the average Twilight Saga fanatic. (Loved those books, too - I'm just saying...)

I read the book in two days - something I haven't done in years. It was mesmerizing. For anyone who reveres Mozart, the book speaks volumes. Octavia and Ugo are wonderful, fully realized characters. It's takes an artist to make a sympathetic figure out of a monster, and Ms. Marley succeeds beautifully in doing so - twice.

I can't recommend this book enough. If I could have given it more stars, I would have. What a treat it is. Thank you, Louise Marley!

I am an avid reader and with my Kindle, I can read anywhere which usually leads to reading books very fast and this one took me awhile. From that sentence, do not get me wrong and interpret this as this book is not that great, it is. However, it is a little slow to begin with and it jumps a bit. Once I got into the book and use to jumping years, it wasn't bad.
The jumping in time is not confusing it is just a little annoying at times. One chapter will be in the present and the following chapter will be in the past and as this book follows 2 main characters, it can take a while to get back to the action of the present. The back story is important to the plot so it is useful to read it but like I said, sometimes action takes place but doesn't resurface for 4 chapters. When you are reading at the gym or on break or some short period of time, once you finally get to the present again, like me, you could forget everything that is going on.
The book itself did have an interesting story line and was well written with a lot of time taken to research the topics, especially opera. There is a little Italian in the book, but all is explained so do not feel like you need to be bilingual. Now, the characters are vampires and werewolves, hmm not uncommon right now. Do not be hesitant to read this because of that fact however. This is very much an adult worthy read and not at all like the teen books featuring these types of characters. If you are looking for a Twilight like read, this is not the book for you. While there may be mention of love and a tryst or two...this book deals more with the characters lives and their situation in general. There is a bad guy, some opera and two well developed characters.
Side note: I got this book for free on a Kindle deal so I don't know if I would have actually bought it by just reading the synopsis. Since it was free, I am glad I didn't miss out on it as I enjoyed the book and knowing about the book now, I might pay a few bucks for it.

Indeed, I wanted to like this book, but could not. First of all, my favorite composer is Mozart. Then, I also love vampire stories. Marley's vampires differ from the legendary vampires we have come to know and love, probably because they are Italian? (Just kidding! Amo l'Italia.) Anyway this line of vampires don't have the legendary strength we have grown to take for granted, and then there is the absence of photophobia. You don't need a wooden stake through the heart to kill them, and Marley's "lupo mannaro" does not seem to age either.

But all this is fine. Different authors introduce their own take on "supes" (as Charlaine Harris put it). From Kim Harrison's distinction between living and undead vampires, to Richelle Mead's Moroi and Strigoi vamps, it is not hard to accept these deviations within the context of the story. I had no problem with that whatsoever. What I had difficulty dealing with was the excessive amount of time and space devoted to details -- from the rudiments of opera to an almost Google Map-like detail of city streets. Trivial details can sometimes add a "familiar" touch to a story, but to go on and on like this throughout the book was way too much. Hello! If I wanted to learn about opera, I would have picked up a manual on the subject, not a vampire novel. And a few clicks on my computer will show me in detail the topography of any place on the planet. Furthermore, the frequent use of Italian had me turning to my dizionario again and again. Oftentimes, it was easy to garner the meaning from the context, but it still proved to be a distraction. Capite?

At times, I felt like the author was flaunting her knowledge of opera in my face. No wonder some readers found it boring. My taste in music should have intrigued me, but, in the end, it still proved to be too much. There were also several glaring flaws in the plot -- I don't wish to detail them here lest they serve as spoilers. Suffice it to say that the book fell short of my expectations. I appreciate how the author tried to weave fiction with history and geography, but enough is enough. Abbastanza! As was said in that famous movie, "Too many notes!"

Yes, I bought this book from Amazon.com! This was my first literary encounter with vampires and werewolves, so I started reading with no preconceived notion of what the story would be like. I found the subject matter extremely interesting and imaginative, the main characters sympathetic, and the book beautifully and sensitively written. One thing that I felt set this story apart from many others I have read, was the clarity of passing through time zones for the two main characters, without reader confusion.

The author certainly does know her grand opera, and has woven her characters into this setting seamlessly. Another favorable point was the use of Italian words throughout in Italics, and with translations if necessary. This is a very intense story, and the ending has its comic relief, a surprise, and, most of all, hope.

My only criticism would be a lurid cover on the book. It is not a lurid story. The few love scenes are treated with good taste, and are necessary to the book's premise.

Next? The Brahms Deception. Definitely.