I was looking forward to diving into a story full of passion, fame, and tragedy. But it didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was interesting, but it lacked the emotional resonance and depth I needed to be fully engaged. Overall, I suppose it was passable

The audiobook narrator was great so I recommend listening to this novel if you have any interest! I found it fascinating!

We tend to think of Maria Callas as Greek, but she was born to Greek parents in Manhattan, New York, in December 1923 and only moved to Athens when she was thirteen. Her original surname was Kalogeropoulos but her father changed it to 'Callas' to make it more manageable in the States. When she was back in Athens - supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for her voice - she was raised under the Nazi occupation by a mother who mercilessly exploited her and made no secret of her preference for her elder sister, Jackie.

Since my teens, I've been interested in the Kennedy clan. Maria Callas, like Marilyn Monroe, was one of the many people whose lives would not be improved by even a loose association with the Kennedys. Callas, herself, was known as being difficult. She knew what she wanted and needed to sing well and was ruthless about ensuring that her needs were met. In her private life, it was a different matter. She was exploited abused and betrayed by almost everyone she encountered - beginning with her mother. Her most famous relationship was with Aristotle Onassis, the man who professed to love her but who declined to marry her, even when he could have done so. He lavished jewels on her, and bought property for her use - but married Jacqueline Kennedy.

The story is lightly fictionalised. Daisy Goodwin says that she has taken some liberties with dates but, so far as I can see, the history is essentially correct. Callas is brought to life superbly and sympathetically. Her ability to be difficult is perhaps underplayed to some extent: good reasons were always presented for the way that she acted and the character in the book is best described as more sinned against than sinning. But, you're in the hands of a master storyteller here: I imagined reading the book over a week or so, but - in the event - I consumed it over two days, desperate to know what happened next. As if I didn't know - but that's Goodwin's skill. She takes a story you know and delivers it in such a way that you have to know what happens next. Callas is brought to life as not the best singer ever or the most beautiful but as the complete package - something which is hard to beat.

It's not just the celebrities we meet - the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, the leading lights of the opera world - that make the story so compelling. It's the insight into the woman with the brilliant voice and less-than-optimal private life. It's the insight into the world of opera in New York, London, Paris, Rome and Athens for a woman who would probably have been happiest as a Greek housewife. Goodwin's research has been meticulous but it's served up with a light hand and there's never a point where you feel that every bit of information has been ruthlessly shoe-horned in. It's excellent, compelling writing.

I was lucky enough to not only read the book but also to listen to an audio download, narrated by Goodwin herself, Josephine Goddard and Lorelei King. It's superbly done. The range of voices is excellent - I was never in any doubt as to which character I was hearing. I'd be delighted to hear any of the narrators again.

I knew nothing about Maria Callas ✨ la divina ✨ or the competitive world of opera singing before going into this but I am ✨fascinated✨ by stories from the Golden Hollywood Era. I was excited to immerse myself in this story and see myself spending many many many hours in a Wikipedia rabbit hole in my immediate future. Daisy Goodwin has piqued my interest and this won't be the last story I read about Maria Callas. 4 stars.

The audiobook narration was captivating from the first word and throughout. The accents and voices of all the characters were impressive and believable, especially the male impressions. 5 stars.

✨Diva✨ is out in the UK on 14th March 2024! Thank you, Head of Zeus, Aria + NetGalley for the chance to listen and review this audiobook before it publishes #Diva #NetGalley

Thank you for granting me early access to this audiobook and a special thank you to the narrator. What a performance. I loved it so much.
I've always enjoyed reading historical fiction about real historical figures, the way this one is written is so enchanted. I was so fascinated by Maria Callas who I didn't know anything about, as soon as I finished reading it, I went into rabbit hole of finding out more. This was fantastic read/listen

This was one of the greatest injustices of the 20th Century, when the operatic Diva Maria Callas was usurped by Jackie Kennedy. Jackie Kennedy shone through the 60s as the glamorous first landy and tragic widow, swiftly overshadowing the genius of Maria Callas when she married Maria's love, Aristotle Onassis. This is a memoir of the jet set in a different era and it is told wonderfully

The audiobook is well written and reflects the times, where a woman will give up her independance for love, especially when her voice will not last for ever.

A great audiobook for people who like to see all sides of history

Thank you to NetGalley for this awesome audiobook. The review is left voluntarily

I have to say I believe this is one of the best audiobooks I have listened to. The narrator told the story superbly and I was completely absorbed from start to finish. Only downside was that there were 2 missing chapters from the audiobook advance copy, but I was able to review via the digital read copy. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for this author again. Thank you for bringing the diva Maria Callas to life!

I’m not an opera fan, but I do remember Maria Callas being the subject of press attention in the 1950s and 1960s. She was, as the title suggests, the diva of the day and her private and professional life was always reported. With that in mind, I felt this fictional account of her life and loves us both lively and accurate. It captures the essence of the lady and those around her.

The narration throughout is superb. Maria has real substance and the writing reflects a conflicted character who both craved and feared the spotlight. She was used and abused by many around her. Her first husband saw her as a money pot and had little regard for her physical or mental health as she jetted around the world performing in every significant venue,

The timeline moves back and forth between her early years and her prime as a singer. Without doubt, her voice was spectacular and there are snippets within the recording. Her fame came at personal cost, particularly after her relationship with Onassis. Here was a woman seeking genuine love and friendship, but she was treated as a possession. I thought the portrayal of Elsa Maxwell particularly compelling; she was the means to the rich and famous and the celebrity culture was alive and well many decades ago, There’s much name dropping; the Windsors, Dietrich, Lollobrigida, Bardot…the list is endless but in this context it really fleshes out the times and the society circles that Callas was frequenting.

I’ve really enjoyed this title. Surprisingly detailed, it would make a cracking film.

Really interesting historical novel based on real life events and people. I found this really engaging and a easy listen great for putting in the background whilst working etc,

Maria Callas was the original Diva. An opera goddess.
I knew of her name but never knew anything about the woman. Although this book is a work of fiction it does follow her life and the people she had with her. It was interesting to see the relationship she had with her parents. Also her husband.
Ultimately the relationship she had with Aristotle Onassis. She was a woman who just wanted to be loved.
The audiobook brought the story to life. The feeling of the era. There was even snippets of the Divas voice. Ending the book I started listening to recordings of her. What a woman and what a voice. Thank you Daisy Goodwin for telling her story.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy

Possible spoilers


I feel like I've heard of all the bigger names in this book, without actually knowing much about them, Callas included, so this was very interesting.
The story and narration were fab, and the added bonus of some singing was pitch perfect 😃

I had a lot of sympathy for Callas, she seemed to be surrounded by people who were just out for themselves, to see what they could get from her. From the beginning you know how the story plays out, so know that it's not happy ever after.

A great cast of characters, the minor ones at times felt like name dropping, but it added context to how famous she was.

For me, this was an excellent listen.