Thank you Random House and Netgalley for an advanced copy of “ Maria”. as somebody who is raised on this movie, I feel ignorant that I didn’t know that this was based off of a real family. The story starts when Rogers and Hammerstein are about to preview the musical version of “ The Sound of Music”. his assistant Fran is shocked to hear that the real Maria is very upset about the inaccuracies that are depicted in the show. The story goes back-and-forth between Maria describing to Fran what really happened to the Von Trapp family and what they really went through and the creators of the show responded to that. I absolutely adored everything about this book and with my musical theater background it’s hard not to. this book was the perfect thing I needed after reading thriller after thriller it honestly felt like a warm hug and I hope more books are written like this.

If you've always loved the story portrayed in The Sound of Music and wondered how true to reality it was, you must read this book. This is the "true" tale of Maria Von Trapp. While still a fictional story it is rooted in more truth than the original musical and subsequent movie. I really enjoyed the format of the story. Maria Von Trapp being interviewed by a secretary/assistant to Oscar Hammerstein while he's in the midst of staging The Sound of Music on Braodway. The female characters are so well-developed and realistic. The story of the Von Trapp Family has always been romanticized and this brings it back to reality. They had a charmed life until they didn't. Nothing was sugar-coated, even in this novelization. I can't wait to recommend it to friends.

As someone who has grown up loving "The Sound of Music", I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which peels back the curtain and gives readers a glimpse of who the real Maria von Trapp was and the story of her life. It was eye-opening to learn of the real events surrounding the von Trapp family, something Rogers & Hammerstein clearly didn't believe needed to be a part of a film meant for entertainment the masses. I left the pages of this book reflecting that Maria while was flawed, just as well are, she tightly clung to the bond of family, just as we all should. I would definitely recommend this book to other fans of "The Sound of Music" so they may gain a little more perspective too.

As usual, Michelle Moran knocks it out of the park.

I’m a long time fan of Moran’s, her writing just gets better and better. I was captivated from page one, the imagery and writing just draws you in immediately.

Sound of Music is a childhood staple, as I'm sure it is for most people, I have fond memories of watching the movie with my mother and accompanying her to Edelweiss on the piano. It was fascinating to return to the familiar story and see it through a new lens, I definitely want to do more research on the Von Trapp family and watch the movie again soon!

Flipping back and forth between timelines is a tactic that can be hard to do well, one timeline tends to be stronger than the other, but I was happy to switch times every jump, both plots were compelling and wove together to a satisfying end. Moran really did her research on this one, and I’m very excited for this one to hit the shelves so I can add it to my library and share with my friends and family.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Maria by Michelle Moran is a historical fiction novel bringing to life Maria von Trapp’s life story. You will learn how she grew up, joined a nunnery, fell in love with a big family, and how she had to escape Hitler’s invasion of Austria. There’s always more to the story than Broadway or Hollywood can tell and this story delivers a more interesting tale. Her life was quite remarkable and the character is developed well to show how Maria persevered through her many challenges.

I would recommend this book for historical fiction readers as well as The Sound of Music fans who want to see behind the story. I found Maria’s life story fascinating with many details that I would not have known without reading this book.


Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

If you have to be home and sick on your birthday, this is the book to read. It was so much fun. It is a historical novel of the life of Maria von Trapp from the Sound of Music. If you love the sound of music, you’ll absolutely love this book and even if you are not obsessed with the musical I can’t imagine not enjoying this book. I will add that the entire time I was reading it I was picturing and hearing Julie Andrews in my head! The author has also included extensive notes at the end of the book, explaining what was true and what happen to each member of the family after the war.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review

This novel of the life of Maria von Trapp separates fact from fiction in an engaging way. I knew that the romanticized version in the movie is not totally true, but I learned much more than I expected about the details of her life before, during, and after she became a baroness with many children. I particularly appreciate that she was not portrayed as a perfect person, especially as a mother. She had her mistakes and regrets, as we all do, and her life was far from ideal in many ways. But she did trust God to get her through the hard times, knowing He always provides. I want to watch the movie again now to see what was true, what was stretched to fit, and what was pure fiction. Fans of the film will find this book enlightening.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Michelle Moran's books, and I am so happy she is writing again. Ms. Moran takes us out of the ancient world, for which she is known, and introduces us to the life of Maria von Trapp, the former nun from the musical The Sound of Music. This book begins with Maria's young, hard life, and dives deeper by exploring more themes than the movie. Ms. Moran weaved everyone's story together, which is no small feat considering the cast of characters. The author's writing style was masterfully done. Maria kept me hooked from start to finish! Anyone who loves the Sound of Music or is interested in reading more about Maria von Trapp should buy this book.

The author has written a gorgeous story that will ring in the hearts of those who adore The Sound of Music, who want to know more about the family's complicated matriarch. I loved the narrative that flows like honey, the dual timeline structure that allows us to follow Maria's life as she lived it in Austria, then as she retells it to a fictional assistant to lyricist Oscar Hammerstein in the 1950s, when he was working on a Broadway musical about the von Trapp family.

MARIA the book is as extraordinary as her namesake in that we get to see this beloved woman flaws and all. We find that she wasn't the kind one in the family; her husband was. We learn that as a child, she lived with an abusive uncle, which led to her become controlling, which later alienated her children. We also learn that she married Captain von Trapp because she loved those children. She came to love him later. And, the family did not escape the Germans by hiking over the alps to Switzerland. They took a train to Italy, actually the last train out of Austria when Hitler closed the borders. We see this complex woman as never before.

As soon as I finished MARIA, I watched the film for the umpteenth time and felt overjoyed by both experiences. I give MARIA endless applause and a standing ovation. The Sound of Music and historical fiction fans will love it!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy of Maria
A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran. I was seven or eight when my parents packed us into the back of the station wagon and took us to the drive-in to see The Sound Of Music. I don’t really remember much of it and I probably fell asleep, but when I was older I fell in love with the movie and Christopher Plummer, so I jumped at the chance to read this. I was delighted to discover this book was like a warm hug from an old friend. I loved how gracefully the differences between the movie and reality were revealed and how I felt like I met the real Maria for the first time. If you loved The Sound Of Music you won’t be able to put this book down. If you haven’t seen it, you should read this book to learn about it and then watch the movie. You won’t be disappointed either way!

Maria by Michelle Moran offers a fresh perspective on the life of Maria von Trapp, diverging from the familiar portrayal in "The Sound of Music." Through the lens of a fictional character named Fran, Moran skillfully weaves together a narrative that delves into Maria's family, life, and values. As a fan of "The Sound of Music," I found this alternate portrayal enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable. Moran's storytelling prowess shines in this masterfully crafted novel.

Don’t mind me, I’m just going to rewatch The Sound of Music…again.