Michelle Moran’s gripping new novel Maria (whose subject, Maria von Trapp, will be recognizable from the beautiful cover) left me pondering the reasons why people choose to tell the stories they do. In 1959, as Oscar Hammerstein is finalizing the lyrics for a Broadway musical about her life, Maria writes him a letter requesting a meeting. She doesn’t like the way her family is being depicted in the play, especially how her late husband, Georg, is shown as a strict disciplinarian.

Hammerstein sends his assistant, Fran Connelly (a fictional character), to meet with Maria and hopefully assuage her concerns, plus prevent any potential bad press. Maria’s tale then unfolds in the first person, beginning when she, as a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey, was sent to tutor one of the daughters of Baron Georg von Trapp, a war hero and widower. Maria re-introduces his seven children to music and the simple joys of playtime. This aspect doesn’t diverge far from the play and film, but later parts of Maria’s life are a different story.

The Christmas holidays in the von Trapp household are recreated in such idyllic scenes that even the nonreligious will be tempted to book a trip to Salzburg next winter! But the real Maria was a complicated woman, shown here with considerable complexity, who endured physical abuse by a relative as a child. While her ambitions for the family’s singing careers may have saved them, her domineering behavior caused mental anguish for her own children.

Readers will grasp the amusing irony that this is a novel about a woman who resisted being fictionalized. Yet Maria succeeds in presenting a well-rounded, nuanced portrait that draws its information from multiple sources, since no one account (not even Maria’s autobiographies) presents a complete image of her character. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves biographical fiction, and it provides understanding about why The Sound of Music took the fictional liberties that it did.

Maria is the historical fiction version of the story of Maria Von Trapp of Sound of Music fame. This is the story of Maria's unhappiness with the inaccuracies of how Rodgers and Hammerstein told her family story. Maria Von Trapp has written memoirs and this book is consistent with those memoirs so it is well-researched. The use of the third person to tell the story didn't draw me in as much as I wanted but all in all it is a well-written book. It's 3.5 stars for me rounding up to 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Maria in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now.

The Sound of Music has been one of my favorite musicals since I was a little girl, and the von Trapp family has never been more beautifully portrayed as they are in Michelle Moran's extraordinary new novel, Maria. When Maria leaves the nunnery on a temporary mission to teach the seven children of Georg, a widow who travels extensively, she never expects to fall in love with each and every von Trapp child. They are enamored by her incredible talent, her creativity, and her fun-loving spirit. Before long, Georg is head over heels and Maria is faced with the difficult decision of remaining with the von Trapps or continuing her path toward becoming a nun. For all Sound of Music fans, we know what choice she made... but if you're like me, you probably had no idea the obstacles that she faced both before and after becoming a wife, a mother, and a successful musician.

We also meet Fran, who works for Oscar Hammerstein and is tasked with getting Maria's side of the story before the musical premieres. Maria expresses her disappointment in the way that her husband is portrayed and she also wants several details to be changed before opening night. Fran is determined to help bring the most accurate depiction of the von Trapps' unbelievable journey to the stage.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Maria, one of Michelle Moran's most captivating works of historical fiction to date.

4.5 stars

It was not that long ago that I found out the family from The Sound of Music existed in real life. So you could only imagine my excitement to get to learn more about the real Maria von Trapp, albeit in a historical fiction setting.

Maria by Michelle Moran tells the story of the woman who inspired one of the most successful Broadway plays and films of all time. But if you think you know her and her family, think again. (That’s basically the premise of the book.) The story expands from Maria’s lonely childhood to after the escape from Austria and the family resettling in the US.

The only drawbacks I found are 1) I don’t really understand the plotline as to why Maria is telling her story. The reason the book gives doesn’t seem to be convincing enough, especially with how Maria reacts to the musical in the end. And 2) the ending to the book feels anticlimactic. I really thought there would be more of an epilogue between the last chapter and the author’s note.

Regardless, whether you’re a huge fan or you’ve at least heard of The Sound of Music, this book is for you. There is a reason why filmmakers and producers fell in love with this story. Like the person, Maria the novel is a dynamic force that will sweep you off your feet.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Maria by Michelle Moran is available now wherever books are sold.

This is really such a sweet, confection of historical fiction written in service of a beloved film, SOUND OF MUSIC, that there is little to detract from it. MARIA: A NOVEL OF MARIA VON TRAPP is the backstory to the movie/play but really it differs only slightly from the movie, one I saw at least 6 times as a child and probably another 4 with other children as an adult. It is a fast book and I read it in one sitting. I enjoyed it and had no difficulty keeping up with a tale I have not thought about in decades. For lovers of SOUND OF MUSIC, this is a fan’s delight. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

It's always interesting to see history from a different perspective. This book is perfect for those of us who grew up watching The Sound of Music and now love reading Historical Fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am a huge fan of The Sound of Music, with it being my all-time favorite musical. I also thoroughly enjoyed “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”. With that as background, I thought I’d really love this book … but it just fell flat for me. I didn’t care for the writing style and I didn’t gain much additional insight into Maria herself.

What parts of The Sound of Music are fact, and which are fiction? That is what this historical fiction novel tackles. When the real Maria von Trapp comes to New York to confront composer Hammerstein about the liberties taken with his script, she is befriended by his secretary. Together they set out to help tell an already stranger than fiction life for entertainment.

As a lifelong Sound of Music fan, I found this book super interesting and easily readable. I was thrilled to find out what was real and what was enhanced for the story alone and Maria's struggles to tell her version and what she and her family did after they left Austria. Highly recommend this!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I've loved The Sound of Music since I was little. I was slightly obsessed with it at one point. I remember reading a book about the real story when I was ten and being so disappointed.

That didn't happen with this book. I liked the way the real story was woven in with the making of the musical. The Maria in this book is similar to the fictional one, but there's a harsher, more realistic side to her too. It was fun to read, as was the rest of this book.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Maria byMichelle Moran is about Maria von Trapp of Sound of Music fame..The musicals about the family actually began in Germany in 1956.The Sound of Music was the first movie I ever went to and I appreciated new insights into the story!Maria was unhappy about the way some things were portrayed in the musical but had to admit it was partly true.After the family left the stage after their final performance and went to America things did not go so well and part of it was caused by Maria.The authors note at the end of the book must not be missed because it tells what happened to each family member.If you loved Sound of Music you will enjoy this book!Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for allowing me to read this ARC..

"Maria" was a fascinating book. It is certainly no surprise that the Sound of Music takes liberties with the lives of Maria and the von Trapp family. However, it is interesting to learn how much was left out (obviously necessary in any play or movie) and how much was changed. For example, Liesl, probably one of the best-known characters in the movie, did not exist; the oldest von Trapp child was a boy named Rupert. It was also interesting to learn what the various children thought of singing in public as a family. The story provides a much more rounded picture of Maria, and how the events of her childhood and fears of abandonment impacted her decisions as an adult, including multiple decisions that she would come to regret because of the estrangement it caused with some of her stepchildren and children. I was amused to learn that the transforming curtains into play clothes was true. I was also amused by Georg's proposal to Maria.

**Thank you to Random House for this free digital review copy.**

I had a difficult time getting into this book, which surprised me because it's more-or-less a book version of "The Sound of Music," which isn't my favorite musical but I do enjoy it. It set it aside in favor of other things a few times, but did eventually come back and finish the story.

Fran is a hopeful writer working with the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein, and she is tasked with meeting with Maria von Trapp, who has some complaints about the script of their new play. Fran meets several times with Maria to hear her story and give her notes to Mr. Hammerstein, who is in the midst of a personal health crisis and writing his last song for the musical.

The reader is transported back by Maria's storytelling and gets to see some of the differences between her real life and the fictionalized version that has been produced for public consumption. I have to say, having this fictionalized version of a real person arguing about the fictionalization of her life is... a little confusing. But in the end, it's about the story and this story was told with emotion and empathy, and I think any "Sound of Music" fan will enjoy this book!

When a musical play is written about Maria von Trapp, she disagrees with the storyline and goes to set the record straight.

This was an interesting fictionalized story about the real Maria von Trapp. Her story was not as picture perfect as it is displayed in the musical written by Rodgers & Hammerstein! While many of the details are true, the story of her explaining her qualms to Hammerstein's secretary is made up. If you are a fan of The Sound of Music, and are not afraid of hearing the truth, this one is for you! ☺️ If you love the musical so much that any information about how things were actually different may ruin it for you forever, maybe skip this one! 😂
I was provided a free copy from @netgalley in exchange for my review, but wasn't able to finish before publication, so if you're interested you can go ahead and grab a copy now!
#NetGalley #MariaVonTrapp

Maria by Michelle Moran was like a cup of warm hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. It's no secret that I love musicals and The Sound of Music, so this book immediately caught my attention. It wasn't a masterpiece and didn't throw any surprises my way, but I truly enjoyed following along and learning more about Maria and the Von Trapp family singers. Now, I can't wait to take a trip to Vermont to their lodge (and get my hands on more of their beer!)

Thanks to Random House Publishing-Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

Maria by Michelle Moran ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So excited when I saw this book coming out and it did not disappoint. I loved it. Michelle did a wonderful job writing this story.

Sound of Music is our families favorite all time movie, so getting to read how it began and what happens to all the children in their lives was amazing. It's sad that they did cut out alot, and I would have liked to see more of the story in the movie.

Hope everyone else enjoys this as much as I did.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced version.

The Sound of Music is one of those shows that has become more than the sum of its parts. It took hold of American hearts in a way that few things can. And it continues to enchant new fans every year as parents and grandparents introduce the next generation to this beloved story. And just as Maria fears in Maria, it has replaced the truth.

No one knows about Rupert, her actual oldest stepson. The years between the fall of Austria to Germany and the Von Trapps flight to America have disappeared. And no one knows that Georg was actually the sweetie of the couple, not Maria. Moran sets out to right these wrongs in Maria. She may have taken a few artistic liberties of her own, but overall, she does exactly what she sets out to do. She sets the Von Trapp record straight. The real story might not be as polished as The Sound of Music, but it’s a better story, and one that deserved to be told. Thank you, Michelle Moran, for introducing us to the real Maria!

full review in link https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com/maria-michelle-moran-sound-of-music-book-review/

On receiving an invitation from the publisher to read and review a digital ARC of Maria by Michelle Moran, I gratefully accepted. The Sound of Music was a favorite film of mine as a child, thanks to my mom's love for it. The music is stirring, inspirational, and upbeat, as is the story of the Von Trapp family at turns.

This book is equally compelling as it gives us a glimpse into the real story of Maria, a postulate who is sent to teach the children of an Austrian baron for 10 months and ends up staying and marrying the baron. They then have to escape to America after defying the Nazi Party. So many elements of the Broadway play and film are embellished or altered from the real Von Trapp story, but as Maria states in the book, the love of God and family are at the heart of Rodgers and Hammerstein's creation.

Moran's book uniquely recounts the lives of the Von Trapp family by having Fran, one of Hammerstein's employees, talk to Maria to find out why she is upset with the way the Broadway production tells their story. I thought Fran and her boyfriend were somewhat extraneous characters, but they served toward the greater purpose of helping Maria be heard and inspiring Hammerstein to write one last special song for the show.

Overall, Maria is a really beautiful novel that gave me a deeper appreciation for The Sound of Music. I'll definitely be recommending it to anyone else who is a fan.

4.5 stars.

Maria is a historical novel about Maria Von Trapp and the making of the Broadway musical of The Sound of Music. In 1959 Oscar Hammerstein is working on songs for the show, which will star Mary Martin, when Maria Von Trapp shows up with objections about the upcoming project. Mr. Hammerstein asks his assistant, Fran, to find out about Maria's concerns about the show. The story is told from the viewpoint of Fran, an aspiring writer in Mid-Century NYC, and Maria, reminiscing about her life in Austria.

I wanted to read this book because I am a lifelong Sound of Music fan. It's my favorite musical; I have the DVD but watch it annually on TV and know all the songs by heart! I love Maria von Trapp's book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, so I was familiar with some of the ways her real life diverged from the musical, but this novel had more instances, all vividly recounted.

I really liked the character of Fran and her viewpoint on Maria's life - and her work with Oscar Hammerstein. It added an extra dimension to the story to have Maria tell her life story to someone closely involved with the Broadway play.

This was a wonderful read -- I had a hard time putting it down at night and stayed up a couple of nights late reading because I wanted to know what happened next. I cannot recommend Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp highly enough for other fans of The Sound of Music.

Let’s get this on stage and fully tell her story! I was deeply moved by Moran's writing, bringing to light a story I never would have known but now can't wait to recommend to others.

Thank you to the publishing team for this unexpectedly insightful examination of a famous life—Maria von Trapp of The Sound of Music fame—and for showing how often we don't know what we think we know about someone. I’ve read a bit about the von Trapp family before; my mom is a big fan of the musical but also has a keen understanding of history and how much of the real story can be overlooked. She led me to consider, a few years ago, how much darker the true story likely is, especially when you think about the family fleeing in secret, walking great distances into an uncertain future.

I appreciate the story behind the musical—the missing background—as well as Maria's own thoughts and experiences with the way her life was portrayed.