I've always been fascinated with Hollywood and the rich and famous around this time after the war. I had never heard or at least not aware of Maria Callas and thought book premise sounded intriguing. I enjoyed Daisy Goodwin's take on Maria that she had been a complicated person with a rough childhood, but also someone very disciplined that held herself to high standards. Her relationship with Aristotle Onassis shifted and changed so much for her and Goodwin did an excellent job of showing this transformation in the book. Highly recommend for historical fiction fans and those looking for a great story!

Thank you to St Martins Press for the review copies and MacMillan audio for the review audio! Daisy Goodwin does a great job giving depth to Maria Callas' life. I knew her name mostly from learning about opera and related spaces growing up (I grew up outside of NYC home to lots of arts exposure for me). My mom saw the book cover and said Oh she also had quite the story with Onassis before he married Jackie Kennedy... so indeed a name known by many. But Goodwin gives her a story that is more than just a name known for.... she allows us to know the person behind the name and her work is engaging and rich with detail and insight. I appreciated the story of her childhood and the story unfolding through the time around Onassis' marriage to Jackie Kennedy.

This is a great read for book clubs and great for historical fiction readers as well as readers like me who simply want to know more about strong, interesting, and compelling women!

The audiobook is a great way to engage with this book, Lorelei King's narration was well suited for the story and the voice of Maria Callas! I read some of the book, picked it up on audiobook when I was running errands over the weekend, and both formats worked well for me as I liked Goodwin's writing but also valued hearing the story on audio.

The story itself is compelling. Maria Callas and Ari Onassis are both married when they meet, but that hardly stops them from embarking on a torrid affair. I actively disliked most of the characters in this book and disagreed with almost every decision made. Everyone seemed to have an ulterior motive, all anyone seemed to care about was money and power, and most of the time I couldn’t help but remember the definition of insanity – repeating an action and expecting a different result. I do understand from the backstory that we did get that both Maria and Ari had traumatic childhoods, but the characters were not developed enough that I felt any sympathy for their actions. 2.5 stars.

Decades before Dodi Fayed abandoned his model fiancé for Princess Diana, shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis jilted his lover of almost a decade, the world famous soprano, Maria Callas, for the most famous widow in the world, Jacqueline Kennedy. Daisy Goodwin opens her lively and effervescent novel with Callas dining with the director Franco Zeffirelli as she tries to maintain her dignity while Onassis marries “a woman whose only talent appeared to be annexing of rich and powerful men.”

The defining diva of the 20th century, Callas was born Maria Kalogeropoulou in New York, moved to Greece at thirteen, and returned to America after the war. Her mother exploited her by making her sing in the streets for food and always preferred her blonde, petite sister, Jackie, even when Callas became famous. Callas’ sense of unworthiness seems to trace back to this difficult childhood and is the root of her commitment to her craft. Although she craved the stage desperately, she needed to be pushed onto it and her manager husband, Tita Meneghini, calmed her fears and encouraged her when she weighed two hundred pounds that she would still be “prima donna material.”

Elsa Manchester, the veteran party giver and society gadfly, introduced Callas to Onassis, and although both were married, their attraction was immediate and electric. Callas believed that Onassis was the only man “to see her as a woman, not simply a vessel for a God-given voice.” She left Meneghini for Onassis, and largely gave up performing in the process, just as her voice was beginning to wear out. Her days of performing glory were almost 20 years behind her when, at just 53, she died alone and bereft in 1977.

Goodwin’s storytelling is rich and her book is crammed with irresistible detail and description. She thoroughly acquaints you with Callas’ background and milieu, and spices the tale with cameos of the luminaries of the period, including Liz Taylor, Mrs. Astor, Mrs. Vanderbilt, Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, Gianni Agnelli, Truman Capote, Babe Paley, Princess Grace, Noel Coward, Peggy Guggenheim, Prince Ali Khan, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, the Duke of Windsor, and the Churchills. Goodwin achieves in “The Diva” the right alchemical blend of research and imagination that animates good historical fiction. Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this dishy read.

Diva is a new release from Daisy Goodwin, whose historical fiction novel, Victoria, was a top book the year I read it. Maria Callas was a name I'd heard of but honestly knew little about. Even more surprised was I to learn she's been Aristotle Onassis's lover for years before he married Jackie Kenned. What a small world! The book immediately pulled me into the 1960s when Hollywood was such an immense part of world culture. I could feel some of Callas's music seep thru the pages, reminding me why Goodwin is a wonderful author who brings to life famous artists and royalty I wouldn't have known otherwise. Much of my commentary is around how we complain about famous stars behavior today but in reality, it always existed. People just didn't know about it from reporters immediately, and often the gossip was in the form of newspaper columnists. How sad it is to think people haunt and attack others for things like not being able to sing in a performance... definitely a recommended book.

🚤Informative but ended too soon🎶

Diva was an easy, entertaining and informative read.

The life and times of one of opera's greatest female singers drew me to this fictional biography of Maria Callas, heavily centered on her relationship with Aristotle Onassis. I knew nothing of the diva's upbringing, her hard times in WWII Greece, her fight to dominate the stages of the world's greatest opera houses, her marriage or her tempestuous relationship with her mother.

This story name drops frequently because Maria Callas's voice and career catapulted her into the highest circles of international society. Add that to a sad love story and it was a good story. I particularly liked the way author Daisy Goodwin associated the tumult and conflicting emotions in Callas's private life with the principal opera heroines she played like Norma, Tosca and Medea.

But I wanted more! For me, this story ended too early in Callas' life.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the novel; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Thank you Net Galley and St Martins Press for an ARC of this book.
I really had no idea what to expect from this book. I don’t know much at all about opera.. I must say I was drawn in from the very beginning of this book. It was so well written I couldn’t put it down. I knew of Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy but didn’t know anything else about him other than he was very rich.
I would recommend this book !!

I knew nothing about Maria Callas, except that she had an affair with Aristotle Onassis (Jackie's husband, in my mind) and that she was a performer. I really appreciated the way Goodwin fleshed out these historical figures and developed Callas as a conflicted woman and artist. If you like historical fiction, you might like this. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for permission to read this work prior to its publication date.

An interesting look at the life of Maria Callas, with much of the focus and the strongest part of the book, on her relationship with Aristotle Onassis. Those who aren't familiar with these two might enjoy this more than those wo know the story. That said, Goodwin sent me off to google others who pop in and out of their lives. I would have liked to know more about Callas' life after Onassis, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of historical fiction,

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy. I have enjoyed some of Goodwin’s previous novels and was excited to read this one. I didn’t know much about Maria Callas other than she was a renowned opera singer. I wasn’t aware of her relationship with Onassis, so all of that was fascinating to learn. I also found all of the opera scenes really interesting. The only thing I wish is that we got to see how the rest of Maria’s life played out after her relationship with Onassis ended.

I really really loved this book. The historical figures woven with the author's own spin on it made it so interesting and enjoyable.

I have read and enjoyed Daisy Goodwin’s books before, so I was excited for her newest book, Diva. My excitement turned to boredom by the 25% mark. It isn’t that she chose a poor subject, nor is it because of her writing. I think this time it is me. I have read hundreds of other books and authors since the last time I read Daisy Goodwin’s books, and I think I have outgrown her writing and style.

Very interesting fictionalized story about Maria Callas and her life and love of Aristotle Onassis. I didn't know much about her, but found this fascinating and a bit heart breaking. What a strong and brave woman she was! Well written, very entertaining.

Prior to reading this novel, I had no idea who Maria Callas was. I had no idea of her humble beginnings in Europe during WWII, the exploitation of her talent by her mother or her rise to fame. I enjoyed learning about her life and her extraordinary talent as an opera singer. I also knew nothing about her connection to Aristotle Onassis and the heartbreak she experienced after their years long affair ended abruptly with his marriage to Jackie Kennedy. This novel was an interesting glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous during the post WWII era and the limitations that women experienced at the hands of high society.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early digital review copy of this book. It releases on 1/23/2024.

Well written as all Daisy Goodwin books are. A tad dense and yet beautiful historical fiction. It was very interesting and informative.

The truth is always stranger than fiction -- this story is one that does not need embellishing to capture the attention of readers.

Before I began Diva by Daisy Goodwin, Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis were simply names of famous people who had passed. After I finished the novel, they were fleshed out so exquisitely that I felt I knew them inside and out, and I was forever moved by Maria Callas' story.

Maria Callas was considered a diva because she controlled everything around her. She wouldn't accept anything less and left no doubt about that fact. But that hardness and determination was a shield that protected a soft and injured middle from a childhood filled with hurt and abuse. Aristotle Onassis swept Maria away with his zest for life. But, let's face it, Aristotle was a cad through and through - in the novel and real life. And he would hurt every woman who loved him, including Maria.

This story is told so compellingly and authentically that even though I know it took liberties with some historical facts, I felt it was the actual version of what happened. So, (in other words) I had no trouble suspending my disbelief. The character development is amazing. I was moved and felt great empathy for Maria, who was unprepared for an Aristotle Onassis or the feelings he created in her.

What a great book! I know this is historical fiction, but I still feel like I learned so much about someone a knew nothing about! I loved learning about Maria Callas' life and the opera in general. This book was written so well and was incredibly captivating! Thank you, NetGalley.

Diva
By Daisy Goodwin

"Diva" is the fictionalized story of opera star Maria Callas and her long time love affair with Aristotle Onassis, the Greek shipping magnate. While an interesting read, the book leaves out much of the true story. For instance, while it talks about the baby she lost early in their relationship – which Onassis clearly did not want – it does not speak of the other pregnancies Callas lost.

While Maria obviously felt that theirs was a great love match, Onassis was a womanizer and social climber who saw his many relationships through a jaundiced eye. He understood that he had the upper hand with Callas and he abused – and indeed humiliated – her.

While an interesting read, the author leaves the reader with the impression that Callas finally turned her back on Onassis, after his marriage to Jackie Kennedy. That, apparently, was not the case. I had to go farther afield to find out what really happened.

While an interesting story, it was not the complete story. I could have wished that the author had chosen to give the reader the ending of the story as it really happened.

I loved this fiction story about a real life opera singer!!!!!!!!! It made her life so much more real and genuine. Daisy Goodwin does this Greek legend justice

Maria Callas was a world renowned opera singer who overcame her childhood to become the best opera singer of her time. Diva weaves together Maria Callas’ personal life, career and her relationship with Aristotle Onassis into a great book that is easy to get lost in.

Before picking up this book I had never heard of Maria Callas, but I was interested in learning her story as soon as I started reading. The drama, glamor and the intrigue in her life was amazing to me and Daisy Goodwin did a great job weaving all of it together in this fictionalized biography of Maria Callas. I am always interested in learning more about stats from the last and I really did enjoy hearing her story.

I found this to be a well written story and was interested in Maria’s life from the beginning. Her relationship with Aristotle Onassis added a great element to the story, but all of her smaller, non romantic, relationships also brought a lot to this book. Whether you are a fan of Maria Callas, or never heard of her before and just interested in stars and history, this is a good read full of glamor and drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!