The Woman in the Moonlight, Patricia Morrisroe
The Woman in the Moonlight, Patricia Morrisroe
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The Woman in the Moonlight

Author: Patricia Morrisroe

Narrator: Angela Dawe

Unabridged: 10 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/01/2020


Synopsis

A stirring and romantic historical novel about nineteenth-century Vienna and the tragedy and dynamic passion that inspired Ludwig van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.Vienna, 1800. Countess Julie Guicciardi’s life is about to change forever. The spirited eighteen-year-old is taking piano lessons with Ludwig van Beethoven, the most talented piano virtuoso in the musical capital of Europe. She is captivated by his volatile genius, while he is drawn to her curiosity and disarming candor. Between them, a unique romance. But Beethoven has a secret he’s yet to share, and Julie is harboring a secret of her own, one so scandalous it could destroy their perfect love story.When Beethoven discovers the truth, he sets his emotions to music, composing a mournful opus that will become the Moonlight Sonata. The haunting refrain will follow Julie for the rest of her life.Set against the rich backdrop of nineteenth-century Vienna, The Woman in the Moonlight is an exhilarating ode to eternal passion. An epic tale of love, loss, rivalry, and political intrigue. A stirring portrait of a titan who wrestled with the gods and a woman who defied convention to inspire him.

About Patricia Morrisroe

Patricia Morrisroe is the author of Mapplethorpe: A Biography, Wide Awake: A Memoir of Insomnia, and 9 ½ Narrow: My Life in Shoes. She was a contributing editor at New York magazine and has written for many other publications, including Vanity Fair, the New York Times, Vogue, the London Sunday Times Magazine, Travel + Leisure, and Departures. The Woman in the Moonlight is her first novel. For more information, visit www.patriciamorrisroe.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jamie

Disappointing Read of the Passion and Pathos Behind the Moonlight Sonata As someone who took piano lessons from childhood on, I've always had a particular love of the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. So this book's historical look at the relationship that inspired the amazing work intrigued me. The aut......more

Goodreads review by Glynnis

The Woman in the Moonlight is a sumptuous, riveting, and totally satisfying read. Curiosity about Julie Guicciardi initially drew me to this book. What a remarkable, fascinating woman, who captured the heart of the brilliant composer. The descriptions of Beethoven’s music are so evocative, the notes l......more


Quotes

“Spanning 50 years and various dazzling European cities, Morrisroe’s fiction debut combines historical fact and speculation into this story of the woman who inspired Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Julie is a complex, thoughtfully written protagonist, surrounded by a large but never overwhelming cast of supporting characters, and the historical backdrop, full of court intrigue, is rich and detailed. Historical-fiction fans will find much to enjoy here.” Booklist“[The Woman in the Moonlight] is a novel full [of] illuminating details about the countess and the composer, but also finely rendered details about society life in 1800s Vienna.” Town & Country“Captivating and emotionally compelling. Morrisroe writes with intelligence and great wit. Her spirited heroine is simply unforgettable. A must-read for music fans and anyone in search of a gripping love story. I could not put it down.” —Sheila Weller, New York Times bestselling author of Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon—and the Journey of a Generation