Believing the script for “The Sound of Music” misrepresents her life, Maria von Trapp goes to confront playwright Oscar Hammerstein. She forms an unexpected friendship with his secretary, Fran, and recounts her true story, revealing the discrepancies between her life and the musical’s narrative.

This book is so fun! Fans of “The Sound of Music” will love it. The story is familiar but more detailed, complex, and nuanced than the musical.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

If you’re a lover of the Sound of Music and historical fiction, this is the novel for you. This book gave me insight into the history of the musical I love adding in details from history of Rogers and Hammerstein as well. Read all the back content as well for more insights.

Oh my goodness I loved this one!!! For anyone who is a fan of Sound of Music...this is for you! It reminded me a little bit of the movie Saving Mr. Banks. I loved simultaneously learning about the actual history of the Von Trapp family & also Broadway in the 1950s. I loved the "where are they now" at the back of the book too! I thought the writing was wonderful throughout the entire book - I was totally hooked and wanted to read every minute I could. I think the author did a great job going back and forth in time too. Highly recommend!

In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. He’s intrigued to learn that she was once a novice who hoped to live quietly as an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her away to teach a widowed baron’s sickly child. What should have been a ten-month assignment, however, unexpectedly turned into a marriage proposal, and when the family was forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, it was Maria who taught them on how to survive using nothing but the power of their voices.

It’s an inspirational story, Hammerstein knows it has big Broadway potential. Yet much of Maria’s life was not known and was reinvented for the stage,
But when Maria sees the script that is supposedly based on her life, she becomes so incensed that she sets off to confront Hammerstein in person. Told that he’s busy, she is asked to express her concerns to his secretary, Fran, instead. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music.

I grew up loving the movie, The Sound of Music thinking that it was an accurate portrayal of Maria's life. Maria is a powerful reminder that the truth is usually more complicated—and certainly more compelling—than the stories immortalized by Hollywood. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the TRUE story of Maria Von Trapp and her life which is indeed very different from the screenplay. I highly recommend.

I fist saw the Sound of Music as a child and, like so many, fell hard and fast for the music, the story, and the scenery. This was an incredible look into the life of Maria Von Trapp from childhood on. The focal timeline is in 1950s during the making of the Sound of Music broadway musical with flashbacks told by Maria of the true story vs. what the musical is showing. I was so fascinated by this story I ended up staying up crazy late two nights in a row just to finish it and then went down the rabbit hole of research immediately after finishing.

I think anyone who loved the movie will also find this to be an illuminating and enjoyable read!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc via Netgalley

4.5/5⭐️
Pub day: July 30

I know this is Historical Fiction but it felt like we were really getting to know Maria Von Trapp's real story. It was neat to see that a lot of the beginning of the movie was based on actual facts (other than the oldest child being a boy and not a girl). It was great to read about how the Captain and Maria really were in personality and the children. I was interesting to see the difference in the second half compared to the movie. I can see why Hammerstein went the route he did. Definitely a must read for Sound of Music fans and even those that aren't as the story is fantastic!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

How do you solve a problem like Maria? Well, if you're Oscar Hammerstein, you assign a secretary to keep her occupied so she can't complain about how the musical version of The Sound of Music differs from her actual life. Michelle Moran's novel Maria examines the life of the real Maria Von Trapp - from her difficult upbringing, to her marrying a real life sea captain, their blended family becoming a musical sensation, and finally their life becoming a musical that sugar-coated the harsh realities of escaping from the nazis. The novel centers around the real life Maria Von Trapp being made aware that her family's story was being turned into a musical by Rogers and Hammerstein. Maria wants the musical to reflect more of her family's real life details, which gets in the way of Rogers and Hammerstein's creative process.

They assign a secretary named Fran an aspiring writer, to take down Maria's suggestions (and keep Maria otherwise occupied.) As Maria tells her Trapp tale, Fran is enraptured by Maria's story of an abusive upbringing by an uncle, her commitment to teaching and to becoming a nun, and her unlikely marriage to a dashing widowed sea captain and becoming the stepmother to his seven children (SHE REALLY DID MAKE THE KIDS CURTAIN PLAYCLOTHES!!!!!) Moran reveals the girl underneath the wimple and the wife, mother, performer, and entrepreneur she became (upon retirement from music the Trapp Family opened an inn and music camp in Vermont.) Readers won't want to say "so long, farewell, auf wiedersein, goodbye" to this moving novel.

I have also loved "The Sound of Music," you will love a dive into Michelle Moran's new novel, "Maria!" This novel is told from the viewpoints of Fran, who works as Oscar Hammerstein's assistant, and Maria Von Trapp, who is objecting to how her story differs from the play. It is just a few weeks to go until the Broadway premiere of "The Sound of Music" with Mary Martin, and Maria has some objections to how the family is being portrayed in the play versus their real life story.

Fran is sent to meet with Maria and take note on what Maria's objections are. Through recollections from Frau Von Trapp, Fran is captivated by Maria's story - what actually happened and what has been changed in the upcoming play. The novel incorporates much of the Von Trapp family's story - from Maria's viewpoint.

This is a fascinating read! Thanks so much to Net Galley, the publisher, and Moran for this great read! If you are also a fan of this beautiful musical, check this one out!

This was a very interesting book to read. I didn't realize before reading this book that the von Trapp family really existed. I grew up watching The Sound of Music, but I guess I never knew it was based on a true story. There are so many things I enjoyed about this novel. I loved learning of Hammerstein writing the musical and Maria reaching out to change the play. I loved learning about how Rodger and Hammerstein ran their office. I feel like reading this story made The Sound of Music even more special to me.

It seems that the von Trapp family has both good and bad times as a singing group. My heart aches for Maria as she obviously had a great deal of guilt and remorse over how she raised her children. It seems that maybe Georg was more lighthearted parent and she was more the disciplinarian. I do think that there was genuine love between Georg and Maria. Learning of Maria very sad beginning in life is heartbreaking and I can understand her not wanting anyone to leave her.

If you enjoyed The Sound of Music I would highly recommend this book because I feel it gives the story more depth.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the ARC of this book. All opinion are my own.

I am a huge Sound of Music fan but I never considered that the musical that I loved (well, still love) was based on something true. When I got the widget for Maria, I figured that this was going to be a creative interpretation of the film. Well, color me surprised when I did a quick Google search and found out that Maria Van Trapp was real, as were the events surrounding her escape. I shouldn't have been surprised because writers have taken liberties with factual events since, well, forever. Reading this book was eye-opening; from Maria's viewpoint and the viewpoint of the secretary, she told the "true" story, too.

In 1959 Maria von Trapp marches into the infamous Lunt-Fontanne Theater. Yes, Maria von Trapp is an actual woman and she was angry. When Rogers & Hammerstein bought the rights to produce The Sound of Music from a German film company they used their artistic license to create the life they imagined for the family that escaped the Nazi’s and became a global singing sensation. But Maria lived this life. There were too many things that the play did not capture. Too many things their beautiful family had tragically lost. Always indefatigable, Maria meets with Fran, a secretary and writer who works for Hammerstein. The women walk through Central Park as Maria paints a picture of the magnificent hills of Austria and the family’s rise to fame. Born in 1905, Maria was orphaned at an early age and sent to live with an unkind uncle who terrified them all. Finally escaping to go to teachers college, Maria discovered her natural gift for music and singing. After her training she entered the Nonberg Abbey where she adored her students and was on her way to becoming a nun. Maria was finally at home, praying she would never be alone again. At 21 she received an opportunity to teach a sickly child, one of seven siblings at Baron von Trapp’s estate, and she accepted. Their father, the Baron, was 25 years her senior and his quiet house was still mourning the loss of their mother, the Baroness Agathe. Maria brought life and music back into their lives and well, the rest is history. I adored every single page of this amazing work of historical fiction. One of my all time favorite musicals, this new novel is an absolute joy and not to be missed.

We have all seen the movie, The Sound of Music, with great songs and beautiful scenery. Well, there is a backstory behind the play/movie. Maria by Michelle Moran takes us a step further into the life of Maria Kutschera, who’s only wish is to become a nun. When the Mother Superior assigns Maria to become tutor to the seven motherless von Trapp children, little did she know what adventures awaited her. When Oscar Hammerstein decides to bring Maria’s story to the New York City stage, problems arise. Maria is not happy with the production and believes it does not tell an accurate story of the joys and struggles of the von Trapp family. She is especially upset that it does not portray Georg as the gentle man he was. Mr. Hammerstein sends his assistant, Fran, to meet with Maria and try to solve these issues. Maria begins to tell Fran about her life and how it differs from the story presented in the play. Maria and Fran become friends. Together, they are able to satisfy Maria’s concerns, maintain the opening date of the play and, most especially, bring her and some of her children together again. There is also the story of Fran, an aspiring writer, and her struggle to find her place in the literary world and finds romance along the way. I totally enjoyed the “What Ever Happened To” section in the back of the book which brings the reader up to date as to where the von Trapp children, now adults, are today. A nice read.

I have watched Sound of Music a couple of times in the past but the next time I watch it it's going to have a new meaning for me. I loved this raw retelling of Maria von Trapp's life story. It's sadly beautiful.
I was reading the authors notes on her writing the book and this struck me as so true.
"Some books have ad campaigns which tout them as brilliant. Breathtaking. A literary tour de force. MARIA is not that book. MARIA is a plate of warm cookies. The kind your grandmother might have baked. Light. Sweet. Possibly nostalgic."
I now cannot see Julia Andrews in the musical as being the right portrayal of Maria at all. If you absolutely love the musical, you may not want to read the book and ruin your image of Maria.
Great 5* read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Michelle Moran, and Dell publication for allowing me this e-arc to read. The above opinion in solely my own.

First of all this is a 6 star book for me, this is one of those unforgettable stories that will stick with me forever! It is absolutely in my top 5 favorites of the year and I will be recommending it to everyone I know.
This book was so much more than I originally thought it was going to be. I absolutely loved every single second of it and couldn't put it down.
The characters were all portrayed flawlessly and I fell in love with all of them, honestly if we had another book for each of these characters I would read them all! These characters will forever live rent free in my mind.
The storyline was completely perfect I really enjoyed learning Maria's back story, I had no idea she went through all that she did. I think it gave some much needed substance to the book and helped me really connect with Maria on a different level. The other part of the story line was about the behind the scenes of how the play and the movie of The Sound of Music came to be and it was so captivating to be a true fly on the wall for everything that was going on. And finally we got Maria actually telling her story and I truly felt like I was reading the movie The Sound of Music, while also getting extra details that I never would have known about otherwise. I was shocked to find out that not all of the details in the movie were true and that some things happened much differently. Maria also told the story of what happened after the movie leaves off and I was hanging on every word.
I completely enjoyed our ending, I think it wrapped up so well and tied off all the lose ends and answered any further questions I may have had.
Overall this was a once in a lifetime book and I am so honored to have been chosen as an ARC reader for this book. Thank you so much Netgalley & Michelle Moran, my opinions are my own.

Title: Maria: A Novel of Maria Vonn Trapp
By: Michelle Moran

Genre:
Historical Fiction

Red Flags:
Clean read

Quotes:
“It’s the hardest part of being human…accepting that even the best things will have an end.”

“This is part of God’s gift to us, isn’t it? The knowledge that even while our circumstances might change, the world he created is stable and filled with beauty.”

Summary/Review:
Bringing back the cherished memories of Maria Von Trapp, who is known for her role in the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music,” the author creates a beautiful, sentimental story based on the real life of Maria as researched through journals.

The novel opens in the 1950’s when Rodgers and Hammerstein choose to create a musical based on Maria's life. The pair are fascinated with Maria’s life, her calling to be a nun, who later determined her life mission was to become a mother of ten. The screenplay is written, and Maria is disappointed to learn that her real life story was so displeasing to the screenwriters. She requests to meet with Hammerstein. In turn, he asks Fran to meet with Maria and see what her concerns might be with their musical adaptation.

This novel is written similar to “The Notebook” , more of a flashback, in which Maria goes back in time and describes the events in her life to Fran. The transitions between pastime and present day are smooth, and the characters are created with depth and relatability. These characteristics of the novel allow the reader to compare and contrast the differences of Maria’s real life, while constantly reminiscing and reflecting on the musical portrayal of Maria and the Vonn Trapp Family.

When I received this NetGalley, I was elated! “The Sound of Music was a constant growing up in my home on the weekends. I appreciated recalling times spent at my grandma’s house eating caramel popcorn, then in my mom’s home, singing at the top of my lungs with my sisters and the fond memories of hoping to someday be like Maria.

This is my first read by Michelle Moran, and it won’t be my last! I was curious about the difference between the Maria I grew up with and the ‘real’ Maria the author brings to life. If you are a lover of “The Sound of Music” musical, I highly recommend you read “Maria” by Michelle Moran. If you're not, read it anyway! It is fast paced, warm, cozy, and at times emotional read! Feel all the emotions!

“Maria: A novel of Maria Vonn Trapp '' will remind you of the good ‘ole days, while opening your eyes to a new Maria, who you will fall in love with evenmore. Thank you Michelle Moran for giving me back a piece of my childhood, if only for a few days!

Thank you Michelle Moran, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#Mariaanovelofmariavonntrapp
#Michellemoran
#mariavonntrapp
#reluctantreaderreads
#NetGalley
#advancedreadereditions

The Sound of Music is an iconic musical that is viewed by millions each year. The story of the von Trapp family is inspirational. but are all the details true?

Maria is told from the perspective of Fran, the assistant to Oscar Hammerstein. Fran meets with Maria to talk about the objections she has to the script of the musical about her family. We discover so much is different from the view that will be revealed from the world. Her story is perhaps even more dramatic and wonderful.

Such a wonderful read! If you love the story you think is true, then you'll be pleasantly surprised by this tale.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Another great book by Michelle Moran. Brought the life and time of Maria Van Trapp to life with vivid descriptions. Extremely well researched, like all her other books.

Anyone who has ever enjoyed watching “The Sound of Music” would enjoy this story about of the real Maria von Trapp. She had an unhappy childhood and was forced to take care of herself and really did not want to leave the nuns when the von Trapp family needed a tutor. But after living with the family for 10 months and falling in love with the children she could not bring herself to leave them when their father fell in love with her! After much soul searching she decided to marry him and become a real mother to the children, and have some of her own. There is so much in this story that differs from the Broadway musical and American movie, but it is a fascinating story and I’ll never watch the movie again without thinking about her true story. Fantastic read!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House publishing for the digital ARC!

If you're like me and love "The Sound of Music," you will love a dive into Michelle Moran's new novel, "Maria!" This novel is told from the viewpoints of Fran, who works as Oscar Hammerstein's assistant, and Maria Von Trapp, who is objecting to how her story differs from the play. It is just a few weeks to go until the Broadway premiere of "The Sound of Music" with Mary Martin, and Maria has some objections to how the family is being portrayed in the play versus their real life story.

Fran is sent to meet with Maria and take note on what Maria's objections are. Through recollections from Frau Von Trapp, Fran is captivated by Maria's story - what actually happened and what has been changed in the upcoming play. The novel incorporates much of the Von Trapp family's story - from Maria's viewpoint.

This is a fascinating read! Thanks so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book! "Maria" is set to be published on July 30, 2024.

The Sound of Music was the first movie I ever saw in an inside (not drive-in) movie theater. This was a couple of years after its original release; at a matinee for children. Thereafter, I would rewatch it on TV during its annual airing - this was before streaming, or cable TV, or even VCRs, when an annual airing really meant something. Once I was old enough, I read Maria Von Trapp’s biography and thoroughly disliked it. While, even as a middle schooler, I adhered to the truism that the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, I considered The Sound of Music to be the single exception. So, I was excited to read this book and I enjoyed it very much. I actually liked Moran’s Maria quite a bit more than I liked the real Maria, based on that single reading of her autobiography. And I loved Fran. The book itself was very well written. I found it to be very evocative, both of New York City in the late 1950s, and of pre-WWII Austria. Highly recommended.