Elizabeth Kirtenpepper loves the opera and loves to play the piano for the opera. She is completely caught off-gaurd when she is sent back in time into an opera: The Marriage of Figaro. She meets the whole cast of memorable characters, but no one is sticking to their story. If she wants to return to her own time-period, Elizabeth will have to put everything right and that will take everything she has learned from the opera.

I was eager to read this one because I don't know much about any opera. I also don't read many time travel books. The idea of a modern day woman being sent into the events of an opera seemed amusing. And parts of this were funny with Elizabeth being the fish out of water.

But, there were more moments when I was very confused about what was happening. I think I grasped what happens in the opera, but there were so many times when I didn't understand the hints being shown in the story. And I was very frustrated with the persistent mentions of the historical undergarments being pulled right and how awful it was. It goes against everything I understand about dress history.

This did take me some time to get through: nearly six weeks. While parts were interesting and amusing, there were enough parts that seemed to drag and slow down that I could easily put the book down and read something else.

Overall, it was an alright read. Elizabeth was entertaining as she tries to come to terms with herself in an unfamiliar place. Readers who understand this particular opera may find this retelling more interesting than I did.

I received a free copy from the author, and all opinions expressed are my own. ( )

I received this via Library Thing Early Readers

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper, Elly, loves opera. The story,emotion, the characters but most of all the music. Playing on her piano in the back of the orchestra pit she watches the performers bring the stories to life.

Going through her father’s possessions after his recent passing, she finds he has left her a book. It is a special book which has some strange and special power. While reading it, she finds herself transported back in time to the 18th century and the world of “The Marriage of Figaro.” Instead of being a pianist, she is a scullery maid, dressed in a tight corset and some very impractical shoes.

Elly finds the characters are the same as in Mozart’s opera, but they are not behaving as per the original script. She also finds it is up to her to somehow get things back on track, or else she may be stuck where she is forever! This means finding the villain (probably a baritone) who is causing problems. She also has to do this without their finding out she is from the future!

Missing indoor plumbing, warm baths, comfortable clothes and other modern amenities, Elly finds she is stronger than she things and has learned many tactics from opera that help her straighten things out.

The characters are delightful and the descriptions and actions put life in the story without slowing it down. There are references to opera terms, but it doesn’t bog things down as there is a list of definitions in the back of the book. The action and humour and writing style make this a fun read! ( )

Elizabeth is living a quiet, well-ordered life as an accompanist and coach for her local university's fledgling drama school--until her father dies unexpectedly and leaves her a book. While he possessed many books, this one is special, and comes with a warning "Read Carefully."

As she begins the book, she realizes it is a retelling of the opera "Figaro." After the first couple of paragraphs, she realizes she is no longer in the modern world but has been transported magically through time and space to the era in which the opera is set. However, nothing is as it is supposed to be, or least not as the opera is performed, and she faces challenge after challenge in trying to correct the scenes and get the characters to behave the way they are supposed to do. Each time she thinks she has the plot straightened out, a new twist occurs and sends everything in a different direction.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, although I felt I would have understood more of it if I had ever seen "Figaro." There are some neat turns of phrase which add to the enjoyment, and as each chapter ends, the reader is left wondering what poor Elizabeth will face next.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers list in exchange for my honest opinion. ( )

Such a fun and clever premise! I won't rehash the plot in detail, but I really liked the idea of an opera come to life, and her struggles to keep things on track. It might have been even better if I'd been familiar with the Marriage of Figaro beforehand, but I looked up a quick synopsis so I had the gist of things. Writing style was engaging, and I enjoyed learning a few opera terms along the way - thank goodness for the glossary in the back! My primary complaint is that the protagonist never seemed to do the rational thing or pick up on obvious clues, which I found really frustrating. For example - if those shoes were so darn uncomfortable, why not get new ones or take them off, instead of wearing high heels all day to wash dishes?!? But maybe that's because I'm an engineer and not a music major. I also would have liked a more satisfying conclusion - you never really learn how or why any of this happened. Overall a light and enjoyable read. ( )

**I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program**

This was an eclectic and unique adventure into the world of the opera, The Marriage of Figaro.
Elly, a piano accompanist and voice teacher, lives a quiet life as part of the opera program at a local college. Her father dies suddenly but leaves her what seems to be a novel retelling of The Marriage of Figaro. However, as she begins reading, she is swept within the story, finding herself in 18th-century Spain. A musical romp through the famous opera's ups and downs ensues, with Elly responsible for ensuring the story stays on track.
For a music lover, this novel was a quirky delight, combining aspects of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and adventure. At times the story dragged, and some of the dialogue felt a bit unnatural to the supposed time period. However, it was overall a delightful cross-genre read.

4/5 stars ( )