My grandmother adores the Von Trapps, so this wasn't necessarily new for me given how much she's talked about them. But it was still interesting enough and for people who haven't heard about Maria since they were very young, probably a great read.

The hills truly are alive with The Sound of Music in this beautiful novel.

A big thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp. If you're a fan of The Sound of Music, this book is an absolute must-read.

Brimming with heart, history, and harmony, this story brings Maria's world vividly to life. From insightful conversations with Rodgers and Hammerstein to tender moments with the von Trapp family singers, every page is filled with warmth, music, and love.

Whether you're revisiting a beloved classic or discovering Maria's journey anew, this book will leave your heart singing at the top of your lungs.

It's always a joy to me to have the excuse to revisit all things "Maria" - whether it is the tarted up (not an insult!) beloved musical movie, the Broadway play, Maria's actual autobiography, their website, visits to where they lived and walked (or performed), finding another book? - well that's a bonus. (Another bonus is the Where Are They Now section at book's end.) Even better - the book tells her story from new perspectives: hers (with origins and backstory info), and the ballet that was Hammerstein & Maria's staff-managed conversation about all the ways the writers of the play script (and maybe music) had her story wrong and how he could correct them. That's the best stuff of this book - the insider's jam. The story we see onscreen or onstage isn't Maria's - it's BASED on Maria's. She's not Julie, and Georg isn't Christopher - but that isn't the point of this book. It's closer to the truth - but as the author states at the end, her book too is a retelling, not a biography.

My guess is this read will appeal most to those who are fans of Maria, her family, their all&everything taken by the Nazis - this reluctant celebrity who rose up out of a convent to turn that pesky fame into a way to keep her family together. . .with all the ribbons of history that wrap around them. In this read we get the real Maria - and she's the one at the heart of the truth. For me that's all the ribbons and all the stars.

*A sincere thank you to Michelle Moran, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #Maria #NetGalley

A vey well written story, with characters that many of us know. Even though I knew the story of Maria and Ari, I appreciated this story. Well written.

I was really looking forward to this book, but it fell flat for me. I still read it, but I did not like it as well as I thought I would.

2.5 stars- This felt dry and flat for me. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

In my view, an incident in which one of the children got into serious trouble at school, should have brought about the arrest and imprisonment of the Von Trapps. Yet this did not happen. Instead there was a conference between Maria and the principal. I found this very unlikely under the circumstances.

There was a discussion question in which readers are asked "What is it about Maria's story that appeals to audiences?" I thought that it was Julie Andrews, the actress who performed as Maria in the Sound of Music, that was really most appealing.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. This was an engaging historical novel regarding the backstory of the Maria Von Trapp we know and love from the sound of music. I also loved the little insight we got into the making of a Broadway musical. Thoroughly enjoyable

This is a biographical fiction that you cannot miss if know the story of The Sound of Music and the story of Maria Von Trapp. But, how much do we know and how much is a Hollywood version made to appear on screen and the play? Maria was supposedly not happy about the parts of her life that were fictionalized. There was so much more that Roger and Hammerstein told.

Why Kirsten likes it
I found the true story behind the Von Trapp story to be fascinating. I loved figuring out which parts of the famed play were real and which differed from Maria’s real story. I also appreciated the perspective of the impact of Maria’s choices on her children and the peek into their lives after their escape from Austria.

Michelle Moran, known for her vivid and meticulously researched historical novels, brings to life another captivating tale in her latest work, "Maria."

I grew up loving "The Sound of Music" so to read this historical fiction based on the life of Maria was a little bit of an eye opener but written so well that it made sense to me, and I wasn't disappointed. I love that the author gives us insight into the writing at the end of the book and that she presents the historical context in which the movie was done.


Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the digital review copy via Net Galley

As a lifelong fan of the Sound of Music, I enjoyed reading this book about the real Maria Von Trappe, but she was not the character I expected. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this story of Mr Hammerstein's assistant and her task of talking with Maria about her concerns prior to the premier of the famed musical. As Maria shares her personal story, it is much darker than the movie we grew up watching. Maria is driven and is not the sweet nun postulate we had all imagined. Their real life story was much darker and no less dramatic than the famous movie version. Overall this was a fun read, and a chance to learn more about the real life characters behind the famed story. .

This charming historical novel is about the real life Maria von Trapp, whose story inspired the Sound of Music. It’s the 1950s, and the musical is soon to debut on Broadway, when Maria emerges in New York to complain about the changes from her actual life, and composer Oscar Hammerstein sends his assistant Fran, an aspiring writer herself, to listen to Maria’s complaints. Most of the book consists of Maria narrating her life to Fran, with a little of Fran’s story and perspective as well.

If you are at all a fan of Sound of Music, I think you’ll love this one. It’s so interesting to see what is the same and what is changed from Maria’s real life to the musical - and truly her real life is just as interesting. And of course you’ll have the songs from the musical running through your head as well. But I buddy read this with someone who had never seen Sound of Music and she enjoyed it too!

This book was completely absorbing! Michelle Moran brings Maria’s world to life with such vivid detail, making history feel intimate and real. The storytelling is rich but never overwhelming, and Maria herself is a strong, complex character you can’t help but root for. There’s drama, heartache, resilience, and just the right touch of romance. If you love historical fiction that makes you feel like you’re living alongside the characters, this one’s a must-read!

Honestly this book had me hooked from the cover to the first page. Getting to dive into Maria and being a fan of The Sound of Music - this was a dream read for me. I couldn't recommend this more to anyone who wants to dive deeper into the story that captivated the world.

I love musicals, I (sometimes) love the Sound of Music and I certainly think Maria von Trapp deserves to have her story told, thus "Maria" is a perfect match. While I appreciate that Moran has researched and written her story, reading felt dry and uninspired.

I’ve always been fascinated with musicals. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musicals are iconic. To get a view of what could have been the story behind The Sound of Music was very intriguing to me. They are determined to portray this fantasy life, of the nun nanny who ingratiates herself into a family and falls for the father. There’s so much more to the von Trapp story though.

Michelle tells a very gripping story and really made me feel for Maria. I inhaled this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my ARC of this book.

I am a huge Sound of Music fan, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. This book is told in two timelines, the past is during the lead up to WW2 in Austria and then when Austria is annexed by Hitler and the Nazi party. The second is after the Von Trapps are living in the US and they are making the Sound of Music for Broadway. As expected, the Sound of Music has some basis in true facts, but a lot was changed. Maria was not happy with much of it, but she agreed the finished product showed their love of family, music, God and country.

I was very invested in learning about Maria's life. We see her as a young child living with her grandmother and uncle. She doesn't live with her father, but he sees her each weekend and trains her in voice. When he dies, her uncle doesn't treat her well at all, and spends all her money which is how she ends up running to the convent to become a nun. The present story has Maria wanting to confront Roger Hammerstein about the script for the play. He sends his secretary, Fran, to meet with her and they become friends of sorts. It is Fran that Maria tells her story to over a few weeks. I loved meeting the real Maria. She is smart, resilient, caring, dedicated to her family and a fighter. I don't want to share anymore of the story with you, because this is a book I definitely recommend to those who love The Sound of Music and want to know more about the von Trapp family. Michelle Moran does a lot of research for this book and it shows. She used Maria's autobiography for a lot of it and explains how the characters in the movie are based on the various characters from Maria's real life.

I'm not a huge historical fiction fan but as a lover of The Sound of Music, I really enjoyed this story! It was very neat to see the Broadway tie-ins, as I did not know that it was a Broadway musical before the movie.

I learned a lot about Maria's life and more facts about the family. I will be looking for her cameo in The Sound of Music!

Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran is a really fascinating novel of historical fiction. While definitely fiction, readers will learn much fact throughout the novel, and these facts are confirmed with the author’s notes at the end of the book. I learned so much from this book, including the history of the making of the Sound of Music, about the early life of Maria von Trapp, and about the end of the life of Oscar Hammerstein. I just loved this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I’ve always enjoyed watching The Sound of Music, so when I read the synopsis of this book, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I ended up enjoying it. Embarrassingly, I didn’t realize that Maria von Trapp was a real person—I had assumed the movie was entirely fictional. Reading this fictionalized account of her life was both enlightening and entertaining, as it offered a deeper understanding of her story and provided a fascinating glimpse into history during the World War II era.

The narrative alternates between past and present timelines, which took a little getting used to at first. However, once I adjusted to the writing style, it was easy to follow. The present-day timeline is set in the 1950s, during the creation of the Broadway musical, while the past timeline spans from 1913 through the 1940s, covering Maria’s childhood, her introduction to the baron and his family, and her experiences during the war.

I especially loved the past timeline, which offered a captivating portrayal of Maria’s life, from her early years to her unique perspective on the world around her. Getting to know her as a person made the story both interesting and insightful. Although I preferred the past timeline, the entire book was engaging and enjoyable.

If you’re a fan of The Sound of Music, I highly recommend this book. Even if you’re not a fan of the movie but enjoy historical fiction or learning about real people, this story is absolutely worth reading.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.