Magic Flutes Paperback – 10 Oct. 2013

I have been reading the late Eva Ibbotson’s books following a recommendation in The Guardian Review. Ibbotson was born in Vienna and came to England just before the war. She writes therefore about Austria with great detail, inside knowledge, colour and style. Magic Flutes brings together an improbable foundling (Newcastle on Tyne) and an Austrian über princess who’s gone incognito. The foundling becomes very rich and fetches up in Vienna after the WW1 involved in some kind or settlement negotiations – and I didn’t know this, Austria became a republic in 1919 as the former Austro Hungarian empire was dismantled. Foundling is set on marriage to a beautiful though vapid and unscrupulous English woman, looking for a rich match and someone who’ll let her spend endless money on endless dresses and jewellery. An ancient (now crumbling) Austrian aristos’ family seat is procured by Foundling to impress fiancée with, and tricked out via Foundling’s bottomless chequebook to put on a performance of The Magic Flute. Incognito princess is slumming as wardrobe mistress and intern and general factotum for the opera company that is always on the brink of bankruptcy.Of course F and P fall in love. The aristos are beautifully drawn, aged aunts and once rich now impoverished owners of castles and houses with leaking roofs, and Austrian mores, customs, diets and attitudes displayed. I love this book. But it did go on too long and could have been 20% shorter with no detriment. And the final falling in love was telegraphed very early in the book.But I loved Magic Flutes. I learned a lot not being an opera buff, and a whole lot more about Vienna and the exquisite countryside – where I’ve visited, business and pleasure, in the 80s and 90s but never seen through such imaginative eyes as Eva Ibbotson’s.

This brilliant tale has swept me along! Rare to find such an easy, funny, frothy story and thoroughly enjoyable. This is very high class romantic story-telling and takes us straight into early 20th century Europe with all the swagger and glamour of the time.

Set in Vienna in the early 1920s, the story follows Tessa, a princess working in disguise as a wardrobe mistress at an opera company, and Guy, a wealthy man who had a difficult start in life. Their paths cross when Guy hires the opera company and shows an interest in buying Tessa's family castle.Guy and Tessa were both interesting characters and I enjoyed following their stories which were packed full of drama. While the plot was rather predictable I still liked the journey and would like to read more books by Eva Ibbotson when I want some light escapism.

I love this author, happy to purchase this audio cd set.

A well written romance set in post war Austria. Solid characters make up for a plot that is a little too saccharine for my usual taste.

Gentle and beautifully written. A pleasant and undemanding read. Just the thing to read when stressed or anxious. Highly recommended.

I really loved this book.

Really enjoyed this book. Great storyline and setting.