Daisy Goodwin really captivated me with her story about the great Maria Callas. She brought to life the really fascinating details about Callas’ life and her relationships with her family, husband and of course Onassis. Many fictional accounts of real people often finish with their early demise, but this author chose to finish this story on a very empowering note. I loved Daisy Godwin’s writing and this was a fascinating story. Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[4 stars]

Having no idea about Maria’s backstory, I was going into this book quite blind. The story captivated me almost instantly— the writing was rich in detail and the life of a diva was so interesting! I found myself engrossed in Maria’s story and entertained throughout the book.

Just finished this book. Was very interesting and entertaining. I never liked that Jackie married Onassis and wondered what the attraction was, besides money. The author made you feel like you knew Maria Callas and could relate to her. I highly recommend and thankful for opportunity from St Martins Press and NetGalley to read this pre release book for an honest review.

The book shows Maria through her career all the way through. She was raised in Greece. Later became a talented opera singer. Maria met Ari, who introduced her to a luxury lifestyle. The book contains scandals, living that lifestyle of luxury, career and picking up the pieces in order to save a career.

Thanks to St Martin Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed the story, but was my reading was slowed by having to re-read many sentences that were questions without a question mark, statements with a question mark, and periods in the middle of sentences, etc. A good copyeditor is needed.

A lovely novel about the operatic soprano, Maria Callas, focusing on her long affair with Aristotle Onassis. I really loved the way the book got into the mind and heart of this great diva.

This was so good! I had never heard her back story so this was fascinating to me. I love books like this, it kept me wanting to read more and more!
I just reviewed Diva by Daisy Goodwin. #NetGalley
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I stayed up past my bedtime. It’s night to read more about the life of Maria Callas, from her early days to her Onassis days when the author writes a scene, she describes it in such detail that I felt that I too watched Maria perform and felt swept away by the passion. I pictured her outfits, stately and glamorous, and imagined them in my mind. The familial relationships, romantic, relationships, and professional relationships. She encountered, may be read with passion and suspense as to where her life might take her next. At different times when I read her story, I wanted to cheer out loud, pattern on the back or shake her hand, and I watched her make sure and overcome life’s obstacles. I too struggled with her inter-dependent relationship with her husband, and embraced those she trusted. The story clarified, Aristotle Onassis, and his personal as well as worldly life. Most of all it captured Maria Callas, struggling with life, but soldiering on other women during that era would have acquiesced to life struggles, Bravo , Maria Callas, and Bravo Daisy Goodwin.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free DRC of Diva for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

Author Daisy Goodwin tells a beautiful story of the life of opera star Maria Callas. A life filled with fame and famous people, Maria stands out because she believes there is fame and then there is talent. She believes her voice is a gift from God and it is to be shared with others. Throughout her life, Callas searches for love and acknowledgment of her success. She thinks in the beginning, the accolades from fans is enough but as time goes by, she realizes she wants more.

Enter Aristotle Onassis-- he seems to be the answer to her prayers. Despite his being married, Callas falls deeply and hopelessly in love with him. His love fulfills her in a way that no one else's ever has... until. And even after, he remains the love of her life.

A book that's hard to put down because you can't wait to read about the famous people, the parties, and the love affair of two people destined to be together.

I grew up enchanted by the beautiful sounds and music of Maria Callas. Daisy Goodwin has written a powerful historic fiction of her life from childhood into her middle age years including the tumultuous relationship with
Aristotle Onassis, a man who loved women at the cost of their relationship. The author has captured the highs and lows of Maria’s life seamlessly. If you are fan, or even if you are not, you certainly will be while reading this book.
As a huge fan of this author and of “The Diva” herself, I thank St. Martin’s Press from the bottom of my heart for sharing this ARC with me. I Loved it!

Diva is the story of the incomparable Maria Callas who many still consider the greatest female opera star of all time. The story chronicles her life and her relationship with Aristotle Onassis. She was known to be a passionate and emotional and you can feel every inch of it through the author’s storytelling. The story delves into the difficult relationships she had with her mother and explains the adoration she craved from the public. The author added many fascinating tidbits about the many famous celebrities that came through her life which richly added to this story. I came away with great respect for this woman who was driven to succeed and felt completely devoted to her art. I could not put the book down!!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for allowing me to review Diva.

NOTE: I was given early access to this manuscript in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you netgalley and St. Martin's Press. Publication Date: January 23, 2024.

If you, like me, were a sentient being in the 1960s, you remember the dazzle of the Kennedy Administration, the horror of the President's assassination while seated next to his wife, and the shock of Jacqueline Kennedy marrying Aristotle Onassis five years later. You will likely find DIVA a gossipy and enjoyable glimpse into the man behind the money, along with a believable depiction of his one-time lover, opera singer Maria Callas.

Author and sometime screenwriter Daisy Goodwin creates three-dimensional versions of Callas and Onassis, though I found every other character more two-dimensional:
• Callas is THE DIVA. This is HER story. Born poor but with the twin gifts of an extraordinary singing voice and powerful acting ability, Callas rises to become the most prominent soprano in the world of opera. She is quick to anger, holds a grudge, and generally uses those around her. She is also full of insecurities, anxieties, and a deep hunger to be loved for herself. Married to a much older husband/manager, with both of them dedicated to her career, Callas had never experienced the passionate feelings Onassis awakens.
• Onassis too comes from humble ( and wartime) origins. A self-made multimillionaire with a flexible moral code, he remains coarse and uncultured, but skilled in displaying and using his wealth, power, and considerable charm to gain access to people in the international spotlight. Never quite satisfied with what he has, he also lives in constant search for his next challenge.

Like so many novels do these days, this book moves back and forth in time -- for no apparent reason I could discern. I read the book in 24 hours. So, it clearly held my attention. But I think that had more to do with my personal interest in and memories of the subject matter than with the qualities inherent in the writing.

As am opera lover and someone who actually remembers Maria Callas, the diva of the title, I am of two minds about how to describe this book.. When you take a real person and fictionalize her life as Daisy Goodman does here, you take a chance of offending readers who idolized her. On the other hand, it is a positive experience to read about Maria Callas' experiences.

I never saw Maria Callas live, but I did see her on TV and heard her on recordings. I also vividly recall the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the marriage of Aristotle Onassis to his widow, Jackie. In that respect, I enjoyed the "inside view" of how this had to affect Callas. I' doubt how accurate her depictions of people like Grace Kelly who is shown here as an unhappy woman who drinks.

This novel reads like a People Magazine version of the life of this legendary singer. There is a description of her early life and her bad relationship with her mother and sister. What disturbed me the most were the sex scenes between Callas and the wealthy shipowner Aristotle Onassis. This would have been a better novel if Goodwin had left out the graphic details.

There is also lots more "People" type exposition of Elsa Maxwell, the gossip columnist and Marilyn Monroe, as well as other celebrities. What would have made this a much better book would have been more of how a singer rehearses and prepares. and emphasizing more how delicate the balance between using one's voice wisely and not abusing it by overusing it. I would have enjoyed more of the internal monologues describing how Maria Callas prepared herself emotionally for her operatic roles, especially Norma and Tosca. More of that and less of the Callas-Onassis private relationship would have made this a much better historical novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Diva


If this fictionalized novel based on Maria Callas’ life story was a painting it would have been painted in a thin coat with broad strokes. The reader will gain little insight into Callas’ character, relationships, or philosophy of life by reading this book. One read more about her taste in food and clothes. Even though the characters, setting and plot are all based on reality, they seem a little stereotyped and hackneyed. This being said, the subject matter is interesting enough on its own merits to make this a good read.

Callas rose from poverty and obscurity to become the leading operatic soprano of her time. She had a long affair with Aristotle Onassis, the well-known Greek shipping tycoon, one of the most powerful men in the world. She lost him to one of the most glamorous women in the world, Jacqueline Kennedy, the widow of the revered handsome assassinated U.S. president John F.
Kennedy.

This is a fine read for the beach. Maybe that’s all it needs to be.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. Diva is a story inspired by the true events of Maria Callas’ life; she was a world famous opera singer who fell in love with Aristotle Onassis, shortly before he left her to ultimately marry the widowed Jackie Kennedy.

The author acknowledges at the outset that she takes some liberties with storytelling and thus, the events of the book are not all necessarily true. But, with these liberties, I can say that the author has created a highly enjoyable main character and story. The Maria Callas of this book is a true spitfire and I found her to be a strong, likable central character, especially given the time period in which this book is set. It was also fun seeing how the author brought in some other famous women of the time, as they were often portrayed in a similarly vibrant fashion. Given that the wedding between Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy is acknowledged at the very start of the book, we know that it cannot end well for Maria and Aristotle. However, despite this, I found myself still interested to see how the beginning of the story connected to the end. I think I would have enjoyed if the ending had filled out a bit more but, don’t want to say too much more for fear of spoiling the story.

All in all, I thought this was a good historical fiction book and I appreciated learning about this bit of history. I think the pace of the book could have been a bit swifter but, the characters really made this book work on the overall for me. I’d recommend this to historical fictions fans and to romance fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of "Diva" by Daisy Goodwin. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the life and times of Marie Callas the remarkable woman and opera singer. This was a fabulous read and intricate look into the highs and lows of the wonderful Ms. Callas. It covers her life's journey beginning with her childhood through her incredible rise to stardom. The author's depiction of her love affair with Aristotle Onassis was well written. I felt great empathy for Miss Callas as I read Goodwin's words regarding the hardship she felt at his betrayal. The novel also shares the glamour and glitz of Hollywood which added to my enjoyment of the book. This fictional read at times made me feel sorry for Maria, and at others, showed me that she was truly a strong and fascinating women that never let anything get in the way of her goal.

I was really looking forward to this one based on the summary. I love a historical biography (even if fictionalized). That said - this one was a failure on all levels for me. First - the writing was juvenile and clunky. Second - the liberties taken with the truth crossed over from narrative clarity into blatant falsehoods. Third - the sex scenes made me want to cringe.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC.

Be prepared to download Tosca to listen to while reading this book. I did not know much about Marie Callas before this book other than that she was a famous Opera singer. My favorite thing about historical fiction is when it makes you search out more about a person or event. This book was everything I could ask for and the descriptions of the music was magical. The story was really about her relationships with her mother, husband, lover, and especially her talent. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this advance digital copy.

This is a fictional account of the life of Maria Callas, the original diva. She is a world famous opera singer, and we follow her life starting from her childhood up until her 50's. It is a whirlwind of exciting trips, fashion, food, and celebrities. We get caught up in all the Hollywood glamour, and we are with Maria when she experiences her highs and her lows. The book does a good job in drawing you in and making you feel for Maria. You feel compassion for her self doubt and her self destructive tendencies. You feel protective of what may not be the real version of the famous woman. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Diva was a well-written, semi-fictionalized account of Maria Callas’ life. I found it very interesting as someone who knew nothing about the world of opera going in to it. The imagery and descriptions from Daisy Goodwin made the story feel very immersive, and the explanations about operatic technique added a layer of interest you don’t always get from books that center on niche topics.

One criticism, was during the exposition and dialogue the writing seemed a bit choppy for me. I found the conversations to be somewhat stilted and when receiving information through Callas’ inner monologue I felt pulled out of the story.

Aside from that, the characters were very well fleshed out and provided a lot of interest to the story itself. Goodwin notes in the beginning that she’s shifted some meetings and dates around to provide for a better narrative. Whatever details she did fudge, I think worked very well for the story. The star studded cast of side characters was enjoyable and added intrigue to a story about a person I wasn’t aware of before picking up this book. I had no idea that Maria Callas sang at JFK’s infamous 45th birthday party. The scene between her and Marilyn Monroe was especially interesting.

It was nice seeing Maria stand up for herself in this story but I was left wishing for just a little more. So much of this book is her hoping and pining for a fairytale ending, I would have liked even just a snippet of what her ending actually looked like. Overall, Diva was a very enjoyable read.